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Hello, I have a Sagem Livebox, which has 2 ethernet ports, red and yellow. The red one is connected to my pc while the yellow one is connected to a tv decoder, with the ADSL TV option enabled in the livebox settings.

My problem is that, my livebox is located upstairs, and does not provide wifi coverage downstairs, while the tv decoder is downstairs, connected by cable, and I would like to buy a WiFi router to be connected downstairs.

However, before doing that, I would like to know if it is possible to use the cable from the yellow port to act as a WAN input for the new router, and use the ports on that router to then connect to the tv decoder, without losing the ADSL TV options... or any other solutions???

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Dani AI

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As discovered, the Livebox TV port is handled differently from a normal LAN port, so converting that yellow cable into a regular WAN for a downstream router will usually break the TV/VOD service. Below are practical alternatives that keep TV working while giving solid Wi‑Fi downstairs.

  • Use a small unmanaged Gigabit switch + powerline (or long Ethernet) backhaul:

    1. Plug a 5‑port switch into the Livebox LAN port that is not dedicated to the decoder.
    2. Move the PC (if needed) onto the switch and attach a powerline adapter or the cable that goes downstairs to another switch port.
    3. At the downstairs end, connect the other powerline unit to a wireless access point or a router set to AP mode (disable its DHCP, connect to a LAN port).
      This preserves the decoder on its dedicated port and gives a full‑speed wired backhaul for a reliable AP.

  • Use a Wi‑Fi extender or mesh node placed near the Livebox:

    • In AP mode (Ethernet backhaul) you get full speed; in repeater mode expect reduced throughput. A small extender is cheap and fast to try.

  • If only the single yellow cable runs downstairs and you must share it:

    • Try a basic switch at the downstairs end to feed both decoder and a router/AP; many setups work, but some providers require VLANs or MAC binding for IPTV.
    • If the decoder only works when the Livebox handles IPTV tagging, you will need VLAN‑aware equipment or to keep the decoder directly connected to the Livebox.

Troubleshooting tips: powerline works poorly through surge protectors and across separate meter circuits; extenders should be halfway between Livebox and coverage hole; when using a router as an AP, give it a static LAN IP outside the Livebox DHCP range and disable NAT/DHCP. Recommended starting point: cheap switch + powerline or a plug‑in extender — both preserve TV and are reversible.

Member Avatar for Ritesh_4

eventually found out that the ADSL TV option is provided only via the livebox and unless it is disabled, no other connection can be made on the yellow port, but in this case there will be no VOD available for use on my tv decoder as well...

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