Newbie question: do I need a new switch

[vw412fan]

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

 

[Agonizing Fury]

Any possibility we could get a little more info from you? What is the model number of your receiver? Is the 500 Quad a "Legacy" or "Dish Pro" Quad? (A Legacy Quad will have a Grey inset Dish Network Logo on the Back side, a Dish Pro Quad will Have a Dish Pro Logo in Black on the backside.) What kind of cable is running from your receiver to the LNB. Is the system properly grounded? Any other info that might be relevant.

Thanks

Agonizing Fury

 

[oldford]

Do you have an external switch? is it a Dish branded switch? If so what is the number on it?

Eric

 

[harshness]

Did you run a check switch at any point?

Have you received a software update yet?

 

[boba]

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]

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]

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

 

[Agonizing Fury]

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.