There are no DNS issues we are aware of related to scanning of TVE channels and we do not advise using a VPN with Channels DVR because it can easily cause problems.
If you update to the latest DVR pre-release we have added detection for the Xfinity "password reset" screen you were running into recently (your account was potentially flagged as suspicious due to the VPN but there's no way to know for sure).
Ok finally got mine working again. I did a bunch of stuff that i'll list here. I doubt all of them played a role but here's the list. At the end I think it had to do with Comcast's auto login even though I have that feature turned off and can log in to individual apps with no issue.
My Xfinity TVE connection has stopped working for the second time this month. No error is provided on the front end, but when I looked at the logs of Channels on the back-end, I could see there was authentication errors. I used a browser to log in and was greeted with:
I tried to reset the password but it would not let me until I added a phone number or email address to the account. It wouldn't let me do that since the permissions of this account are restricted to streaming only, so I had to log into my master account which displayed the same error. I ended up having to reset that password to get in, then go into my users, select the account I created for streaming only, add a phone number or email, then I could reset the password on that account as well.
I then removed and re-added the account in Channels and it spent forever on this screen:
When I looked at the log, I saw a lot of errors about authentication again, but this time is was pulling in the channels and testing them:
Eventually the errors went away and I was seeing more clean output:
Meanwhile, the front end is stuck on this:
After a refresh it seemed like all was well so I tested some channels and they played fine...for now at least.
It would be really nice if Channels could improve the front end so that when there is an error, it is more clear to the user rather then sitting at a spinning loading arrow forever. Even if it displayed a small preview of the logs, people could see what is going on behind the scenes and know if there is an issue or not.
If you update to the latest pre-release you will see a better error for this situation.
You want to remove any recovery phone# and email from your secondary viewer role accounts used for Channels DVR. You can just login as the Primary account holder and "change" (not reset) the viewer role account passwords. I know that works because I just did that recently.
Xfinity will prompt you to add a recovery phone and email, but it doesn't force you to.
So we reset the password. It was working fine for a couple weeks. Yesterday I get Connection Lost, Tuner Unreachable.
I go to the server. Rescan channels. They all get checked off. I update the password and put in the currently changed password, and it takes it fine. Nothing like what happened when we had to reset the password.
I did update the server to the latest prerelease. So now I'm a bit baffled. I can end up creating a secondary. Just didn't see the need at the time. But if it keeps my mom from having to deal with a password change, I'll do it.
To add, I can also link xfinity to NBC Sports and AMC with no issue. So I don't think it's a password issue.
Hard to follow your long winded post. Are you having a problem?
Xfinity TVE isn't working. Says tuner unreachable. Takes the password just fine. Channels rescan just fine. Nothing like the first time after the breach where it said we had to change the password.
I can use other streaming apps with the current credentials just fine. So I don't think it's a password issue.
Was trying to be detailed. That's the cliff notes version.
Does troubleshooting show any issues?
DVR web admin UI Support > Troubleshooting
What error appears in the DVR log when you try to watch a TVE channel
If you mean creating a secondary, viewer role user at Xfinity to use for Channels DVR, then definitely recommended. Don't add a recovery email or phone for that user since you can change their password from your primary user login, if needed.
I've experienced that before.
Try linking Xfinity as a provider at one of the networks live websites and see if Xfinity is displaying some security related thing after logging in that you have to interact with before it sends you back to the networks live website. That could trip up Channels.
It was looking for a number to verify my viewing acct .. used remote desktop to my Windows Channel Server and authorized there by watching hallmark and adding phone number scanning now looks good.
Must be new Security since the breach to authorize users even viewers.
Yes. I saw the same thing where it asked to provide a recovery phone and/or email, but there was a link to not provide those and use recovery Q&A's instead.
Yeah I saw that but chose phone number instead.
@chDVRuser thanks for your suggestion that it may be looking for something else much appreciated.
