All 6 of my DirecTV Tivo THR22 units have stopped communicating with the mothership.

From the settings menu, I went to "Networks" > "Testing Connection", "Preparing" was successful, "Connecting" failed. This is happening on various units that get their ethernet from different methods. I have verified that ALL my ethernet cables have live Internet on the end of it by plugging in a MacBook with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth turned off. If I unplug the ethernet cable from the MacBook, the Internet goes away. The MacBook successfully got Internet access through the only way possible the ethernet cable.

There's a network diagnostics that tells me that the DIRECTV receiver has Internet.

My speculation is that DIRECTV is no longer recognizing this receiver.

Hi @TVfromOuterSpace thanks for bringing this to our attention. We're sorry for the inconvenience of having your DIRECTV THR22 unit not connected with your main receiver. DIRECTV continues to support Legacy TiVo receivers for customers who have them and TiVo service is required for all TiVo customers except those who paid for Lifetime Service. We'll send you a DM to take a closer look into this.

Right, no THR22s can connect to the internet anymore. Don't know if it was TiVO's or DTV's side that removed whatever they connected to.  TiVo no longer uses the phone line.

I am NOT disputing what you are saying. What makes you think this?

I don't know if the lack of connection will someday prevent these units from working. I like them so much that I purchased 3 spares.

My extras were always easy to activate when dealing directly with DIRECTV. Since AT&T got involved, they won't activate them anymore (2020 was the last time I tried). I am talking about brand new, never activated, NEVER used, still in the box THR22 units.

My THR22 is doing the same thing.   If DTV ever updates the software it will be downloaded from the sats like all DTV receivers.   It is DTV's new RC1 account system that will not active them plus it could be that they where supposed to be activated within 30 days.  AT&T sold off 30% of DTV  few years ago so the new partner may change that.

Thanks for your input @shannon02  New TiVo receivers are no longer available. However, DIRECTV continues to support Legacy TiVo receivers for customers who have them, and it requires TiVo service for all TiVo customers except those who paid for Lifetime Service. Thanks for choosing DIRECTV.

Carryl, DIRECTV Community Specialist

You couldn't get the THR22 with Life Time service as it is a modified HR22 to run TIVO software , Tivo still gets the $5 service fee that DTV charges on my bill.  

"AT&T sold off 30% of DTV  few years ago so the new partner may change that."

I certainly hope so. My DIRECTV story is a little interesting.

In 1998, I went to Fry's electronics and bought all the equipment. I did all the wiring installed everything myself for 10 televisions and even aimed the dish. Over the many years I've upgraded the equipment a number of times. Always BUYING, never leasing my equipment. DIRECTV has NEVER been to my house. My DIRECTV Satellite bill is over $200 per month. In other words, I'm best possible customer DIRECTV TV could possibly have. But because of the fact, they will not activate my NEW units. When my current equipment finally dies or I am forced to upgrade I will take a serious look at Dish.

I have fast fiber optic Internet at my home. However, I like getting the television from space. About three years ago there was a serious problem in our area and we had no Internet for three months. At least I could still watch television with my satellite system.

For whatever reason DTV went to lease only in 2006.  DTV had a problem with their 99 sat a few months ago so it happens.

"DirecTV no longer activates used, extra boxes, etc. You order from them, you activate upon receipt not let them sit somewhere."

Yes, I understand all of this. It's a policy that is anti-consumer and damages the environment.  I tried to have a couple of my brand new, (NOT used) receivers activated, and AT&T refused. Prior to the AT&T merger, it was never a problem. So I purchased more units from AT&T, and got them activated. The brand new units that I already had, (identical to the ones that AT&T sold me) that I had purchased from an authorized dealer went into a landfill because of the AT&T policy.

"They didn't even have full support when they were new."

I never needed any support, I just wanted them activated and have AT&T take my money which they refused to do.

"Be aware purchase to own options went away years ago."

As of about three years ago, AT&T sold equipment to me.  As I've upgraded my equipment over the years, I would telephone DIRECTV/AT&T and ask them about returning the equipment that I wasn't using anymore. EVERY time they told me, they did NOT want the equipment back, only the activation card.

I understand that these are first world problems. And not big problems at that. What troubles me the most is I own a LOT of AT&T stock. And I just don't like to see customers being treated like this by a company I have ownership in. As you've read, the satellite companies are bleeding customers as people switch from cable/satellite to various streaming services. You'd think they would be more consumer friendly considering the massive customer losses they're experiencing.

Right, DTV is only taking the HR54 though not much longer and the HS17 receivers and C51/61 minis since that is all they are installing now.  AT&T sold you nothing anything you payed was the upfront lease fee if there wasn't a free upgrade coming.  You could have sent them to an E Waste center.