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vw412fan

Last reply Jun 19, 2008 · posted in DISH Network Support Forum

Newbie question: do I need a new switch

Hello all,

I just installed my prepaid Dish setup, got tuned to 119/110 with signal at about 101. Really happy I got it locked in finally (it took me awhile)

I had trouble along the way though, making me wonder if I have a bad LNB / switch setup. It is a Dish 500 119/110 LNB setup with a quad switch.

Had trouble getting a signal, so I followed a friend's advice and tried each port in case I had bad ports on the switch. Once I locked in the signal on port 4, I did a switch test but it said "Warning you only have 119 (not 110)".

I covered the 119 LNB with foil to be sure that was the one picking up the signal, and it was (I did lose the signal when covering the 119 LNB).

I tried port 3, then 1, and got no signal at all on either one. I finally connected to port 2, got my good lock on 119, ran switch test, and now it says I have both 119 and 110. This is where I am currently connected.

Is it likely that this quad switch is bad on ports 1, 3 and maybe 4? At this time I only need one receiver connected, but if this one is bad out of box I'd get a replacement so I'm prepared for another receiver in the future.

Thanks in advance for your advice and ideas.

vw412fan

7 Replies · 1486 views

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harshness

Jun 18, 2008

Did you run a check switch at any point?

Have you received a software update yet?

boba

Jun 18, 2008

A prepaid system is good for 1 receiver only so the only way you would get a quad is because they know the other 3 ports are bad and 1 working port is all that is needed to make a working system.

vw412fan

Jun 19, 2008

boba said:
A prepaid system is good for 1 receiver only so the only way you would get a quad is because they know the other 3 ports are bad and 1 working port is all that is needed to make a working system.

Ah... this makes sense. My buddy thought I was "lucky" to have received a quad. But maybe not! Would have been nice if they had labeled the good port.

I'm using a 301 receiver, I don't know offhand if it says Dish Pro on the LNB (I'll have climb when I get home and check). I think it is a Dish 500 Legacy system though. Using RG-6 coax, one piece from roof to basement, and barreled to the piece that goes up into the living room. It is not properly grounded yet.

I have no other equipment other than the receiver and the dish itself. The ports on the LNB unit are labeled A1 B1, A2 B2 iirc..., I'm calling them 1, 2, 3, 4 from left to right as you look from behind the dish. (that's a switch, right?)

I did a check switch each time I had signal, which was on port 4 ("you have 119 only") and on port 2 (locked both 119 and 110), I never picked up signal at all on ports 1 or 3, so a check switch would fail.

Hope this helps. Thanks for all the quick replies.

vw412fan

vw412fan

Jun 19, 2008

Oh, and I have not attempted a software update. Is this recommended?

Agonizing Fury

Jun 19, 2008

Thanks for the extra info. With the port numbers you mentioned it is definitely a Legacy 500 Quad. In my experience 301s generally do not have trouble detecting satellites, even with old software, from the legacy quads, but you may want to get a download just to be sure. If you need to know if your software is current check here : DISH Network -- Support -- Technical
Although a grounding issue *could* cause the problem, and I recommend that any install be properly grounded, this sound more like either a failure of your receiver talking to the switch built into the LNB, or bad ports on the quad itself. unfortunately, without another receiver or LNB to be sure which one is messing up I can't say for sure. There are also any number of other things that can go wrong in the system. Bad barrel, cable, or improperly terminated connectors on the cables.

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iJustine

14 minutes ago · posted in iJustine

The new PROLED MacBook Pro has a Dynamic Island 😯

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iJustine

14 minutes ago · posted in iJustine

New PROLED MacBook Pro!

Time for another AWESOME video from iJustine!

View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ux8oQzvijl4

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"MysteryMan"

Pub Member / Supporter Cutting Edge

Last reply 22 minutes ago · posted in Computers and Gadgets

Windows 10/11 Download

I created this thread on the original Edgecutter Cutting Edge Forums site. It's simply a place for those to review the latest software available for those using Windows 10 and Windows 11. To date it has received 112,559 views. I have been asked by staff to continue this thread here.

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EarDemon

Oct 13, 2026

If it wasn't for what I want, I wouldn't need any of this.

Do I need a collection of handheld radios, scanners and speed enforcement countermeasures? Nope, but I want them. Very little, if any of the software used to interface with these devices is available on Linux.

WhiteBeard

Oct 13, 2026

EarDemon said:
If it wasn't for what I want, I wouldn't need any of this.

Do I need a collection of handheld radios, scanners and speed enforcement countermeasures? Nope, but I want them. Very little, if any of the software used to interface with these devices is available on Linux.

To each there own but I've found that Windows can't do much more than Linux can. Can't have everything.

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EarDemon

Oct 14, 2026

WhiteBeard said:
To each there own but I've found that Windows can't do much more than Linux can. Can't have everything.

For niche use cases, yes I agree. Kali for ethical hacking and security testing, and running a Cacti server for network monitoring are the two things I have experience in. Plus thousands and thousands of other things, but for every day use I just can't see it. The owner of the GMRS repeater that I pay to access is changing the Tx DPL tones tomorrow, while Chirp is available on Linux, the software to program my MXT500 is not.

I run Fedora and Ubuntu in VMWare, honestly I don't care much for the UI of either of them and I don't feel like spending days/weeks to customize the UI to make it look Windows-like when I could just use Windows. The cartoonish dock at the bottom of the screen reminds me of Apple products.

harshness

Oct 15, 2026

EarDemon said:
I don't care much for the UI of either of them and I don't feel like spending days/weeks to customize the UI to make it look Windows-like when I could just use Windows.

What is so fantabulous about the Windows UI? By many accounts, it has been going downhill since Windows 7.

There are Linux desktops that offer Windows or Mac UIs, yet you don't hear much chatter about them outside of questions about when the creators might get sued.

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EarDemon

Oct 15, 2026

harshness said:
What is so fantabulous about the Windows UI?

Because it's what I prefer. I know I've said this a few times, I use Open Shell to give me the cascading start menu a la WIN 95 and NT4.0. The only reason I went from Windows Vista to 7 back in the day was because of Classic Shell. I cannot stand anything other than the OG start menu from 30+ years ago. I'm using ExplorerPatcher to give me Windows 10 UI elements of the taskbar and right click context menus.

If you could take a look at how I set up Windows 95, you'd find many similarities to how I use 11.

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EarDemon

Oct 15, 2026

I could probably use that as a starting point, but I don't like the full size icons. If you have to click on each folder that's also a no-go for me, it has to be cascading.

I used to have Peppermint Linux in a VM, that was about as close as I could get to recreating a Windows NT4.0 style of menu structure, but I could never get it to scale properly in VMWare on a 4K display and eventually gave up.

Whatever the boot up time it's fine with me. The longest part of my bootup is the HP SureStart BIOS integrity check. Once that is done, it's only a few more seconds. I haven't done this reg tweak yet since the reformat, but I switched the bootup animation to the Windows 10 style spinning circle of dots, and it's two and a half rotations. I can live with that.

harshness

Oct 16, 2026

EarDemon said:
Because it's what I prefer.

I hope you don't believe that makes it wonderful (especially when you're using workarounds for Microsoft's malfeasance).

I use LibreOffice as opposed to Microsoft office (even in Windows) because it's UI is like the Office of old, so I'm putting my money where my mouth is (in a manner of speaking). The ribbon was one of the worst ideas to come out Redmond.

HipKat

Oct 16, 2026

EarDemon said:
I could probably use that as a starting point, but I don't like the full size icons. If you have to click on each folder that's also a no-go for me, it has to be cascading.

I used to have Peppermint Linux in a VM, that was about as close as I could get to recreating a Windows NT4.0 style of menu structure, but I could never get it to scale properly in VMWare on a 4K display and eventually gave up.

Whatever the boot up time it's fine with me. The longest part of my bootup is the HP SureStart BIOS integrity check. Once that is done, it's only a few more seconds. I haven't done this reg tweak yet since the reformat, but I switched the bootup animation to the Windows 10 style spinning circle of dots, and it's two and a half rotations. I can live with that.

I used to pin the C: drive to the Win Taskbar and it would open in cascading style

"MysteryMan"

22 minutes ago

2026-10 Preview Update Builds: 26300.9818 and 26200.9818 (KB5127936) has been released. Moderate time needed for those choosing to perform a manual download/install/restart. Quality improvements only. No new operating system features.

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TWiT Tech Podcast Network

24 minutes ago · posted in TWiT Tech Podcast Network

Windows Weekly 1007

Time for another AWESOME video from the TWIT Network!

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MT4ptWNv2E

Direct YouTube Link - Windows Weekly 1007
TWIT's Website
TWIT Live Feed

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Scott Greczkowski

Staff member HERE TO HELP YOU! Cutting Edge

Last reply 48 minutes ago · posted in The Chit Chat Club

Song Name Game Part 3!

Sometimes a thread gets so many posts in it that is can cause issues for the server so that why today we introduce The Song Name Game Part 3!

So let the game continue!

The last song was added by Bobby who posted...

One Meat Ball - Andrews Sisters

CONTINUE ON AND HAVE FUN! WELCOME HOME TO SATELLITEGUYS.US!

Here are the original rules for the game as posted by WebbyDude back in 2006. http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/68645-Song-Name-Game

Just name a song title and the band who performed it. The next person does the same thing, but needs to list a song title or band name which includes a word from the previous entry. Pick songs from any genre.

Example:

Long Live Rock and Roll -- Rainbow

Rainbow in the Dark -- Dio

Another example:

Ride the Lightning -- Metallica

Lightning Strikes -- Ozzy Osbourne

Get it?

An additional note: we all know that song titles, sometimes, use profane words. Because this is a family friendly website it is advised that you clean up that title up a bit. This is accomplished by using something like sh!t instead of the real word. Thanks....

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harshness

Today at 9:54 AM

Show and Tell - Al Wilson

sdfntx

Today at 10:24 AM

On with the Show - The Rolling Stones

gms49ers

Today at 10:41 AM

The Show Must Go On - Pink Floyd

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Today at 11:20 AM

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Van

Last reply 53 minutes ago · posted in What's Cooking?

Whats for breakfast?

Who says dinner or lunch has to be the only good meals of the day?

Honey butter grits with scrambled eggs and grilled boneless pork ribs on flakey biscuits washed down with cranberry juice.

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dfergie

Oct 17, 2026

Dos cackleberrys over easy on top of 2 corned beef hash patties fried in skillet... Chocolate milk.

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TRG

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Cold morning today, only 32 degrees. Fired up the oven and made cinnamon rolls (from a tube) and a pot of coffee.

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TRG

Thursday at 4:10 PM

2 egg burrito with bacon and a side of hashbrowns. Coffee.

TRG

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This one was really, really good!

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Booredatwork.com

54 minutes ago · posted in BooredAtWork.COM