Please help a newbie

[DanaD1]

I am a DirectTV newbie with no chance of ever getting cable at this new address. My experience so far with Directtv has been less than desirable and I am so fed up. I have had 2 different technicians come out to set up a DVR with whole home (or whatever it is called) and still have NO DVR!!

This home had Directtv service previously........the house was vacant when we purchased it so I do not know how things were set up but this is what I have been told. There are 4 lines coming out of the dish in the attic and 5 working outlets. The living room has two coaxial lines but one is not active. I cannot have a DVR because it takes 2 lines and we currently only have 1 working line for each tv. The 1st tech was for the initial install and said he could not find where the lines went once they reached a certain point and did not know if there was a switch(?) so he could not do anything. I insisted that he at least get the tv's working and he reluctantly did that for us. The 2nd guy that came out here was determined that he would help us get a DVR but in the end he left without being able to do it..... This time he and my husband pulled all the flooring up in the attic trying to locate this switch. Apparently there is no switch. He determined that there must not be a switch and that since there are 4 lines coming in and 5 receiver connections there must be a splitter somewhere. He said that is there was a splitter then we would not be able to cut the lines to add the switch because then we risk messing up what we have.... such as only getting even or odd channels on the tvs that must be split.

I went out and bought a Tivo thinking I would solve my own problem but it was not compatible with satellite.

I am now contemplating having an electrician come out and totally rewire this house with coaxials so that we can get the damn switch that we have to have but that will be very expensive. And then I still have to deal with Directtv to get it all connected.....

I would like to know IF I can connect an HD receiver with no DVR to the internet? Most of the tv connections in the house have a phone line right next to it. I thought I could move the modem and router to my bedroom and connect the receiver directly to the router with an ethernet cable. I could at least get Netflix or something like it to watch back episodes of things I have missed on tv but it still doesn't solve the DVR dilemma.

Any help, suggestions, and/or advice would be appreciated.

 

[KE4EST]

to the site!

Just wanted to welcome you to the site and someone will come along and help, it has been so long since I installed Directv though I can't really give you a good answer so I will let someone else answer.

 

[Bodo Fenrirsson]

I am a DirectTV newbie with no chance of ever getting cable at this new address. My experience so far with Directtv has been less than desirable and I am so fed up. I have had 2 different technicians come out to set up a DVR with whole home (or whatever it is called) and still have NO DVR!!

This home had Directtv service previously........the house was vacant when we purchased it so I do not know how things were set up but this is what I have been told. There are 4 lines coming out of the dish in the attic and 5 working outlets. The living room has two coaxial lines but one is not active. I cannot have a DVR because it takes 2 lines and we currently only have 1 working line for each tv. The 1st tech was for the initial install and said he could not find where the lines went once they reached a certain point and did not know if there was a switch(?) so he could not do anything. I insisted that he at least get the tv's working and he reluctantly did that for us. The 2nd guy that came out here was determined that he would help us get a DVR but in the end he left without being able to do it..... This time he and my husband pulled all the flooring up in the attic trying to locate this switch. Apparently there is no switch. He determined that there must not be a switch and that since there are 4 lines coming in and 5 receiver connections there must be a splitter somewhere. He said that is there was a splitter then we would not be able to cut the lines to add the switch because then we risk messing up what we have.... such as only getting even or odd channels on the tvs that must be split.

I went out and bought a Tivo thinking I would solve my own problem but it was not compatible with satellite.

I am now contemplating having an electrician come out and totally rewire this house with coaxials so that we can get the damn switch that we have to have but that will be very expensive. And then I still have to deal with Directtv to get it all connected.....

I would like to know IF I can connect an HD receiver with no DVR to the internet? Most of the tv connections in the house have a phone line right next to it. I thought I could move the modem and router to my bedroom and connect the receiver directly to the router with an ethernet cable. I could at least get Netflix or something like it to watch back episodes of things I have missed on tv but it still doesn't solve the DVR dilemma.

Any help, suggestions, and/or advice would be appreciated.

First off,what kind of dish do you have,is it a slimline? Do you have a SL3 LNB? Is it four cables running out? Did the technician consider setting up a SWM LNB? With a SWM LNB,only 1 cable would come out of the LNB,& it would have to be connected to a splitter,either 2-way,4-way,or 8-way,depending on how many DVR/receivers you wanted hooked up. With the SWM set-up,you'd only need ONE cable to hook up to your DVR. Are you trying to get HD?

 

[DanaD1]

First off,what kind of dish do you have,is it a slimline? Do you have a SL3 LNB? Is it four cables running out? Did the technician consider setting up a SWM LNB? With a SWM LNB,only 1 cable would come out of the LNB,& it would have to be connected to a splitter,either 2-way,4-way,or 8-way,depending on how many DVR/receivers you wanted hooked up. With the SWM set-up,you'd only need ONE cable to hook up to your DVR. Are you trying to get HD?

We have HD receivers..... We were trying to do the SWM but for some reason neither technician was able to do it. The first couldn't find the "switch"...... if he were able to find the "switch" he could replace it with the SWM and get us hooked up with the DVR. I guess just adding a switch was not an option??? The 2nd guy said there probably was no "switch" but there must be a splitter somewhere because 4 lines in the attic and 5 active connections so he said he couldn't add a switch without knowing where the splitter was.

I don't have any idea about the SL3 or not.

 

[Bodo Fenrirsson]

We have HD receivers..... We were trying to do the SWM but for some reason neither technician was able to do it. The first couldn't find the "switch"...... if he were able to find the "switch" he could replace it with the SWM and get us hooked up with the DVR. I guess just adding a switch was not an option??? The 2nd guy said there probably was no "switch" but there must be a splitter somewhere because 4 lines in the attic and 5 active connections so he said he couldn't add a switch without knowing where the splitter was.

I don't have any idea about the SL3 or not.

okay, this is a SL3 LNB(I'm showing the 1-cable SWM version,but the 4-cable version is the same,it just has 4 cables coming out instead of 1) http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.as...itch-(SL3SWM)&c=DIRECTV Dishes&sku=8546300073 It gets the 99,101,& 103 satellites. This is a SL5 LNB(Again,I'm showing the 1-cable SWM version,but the 4-cable version is the same,it just has 4 cables coming out instead of 1) http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.as...In-Multiswitch-(SL5SWM)&c=DIRECTV Dishes&sku= in addition to the 3 satellites that the SL3 gets,this one also gets the 110 satellite(which has nothing on it),& 119 satellite(which is where some local channels & Spanish programing is on). Depending on cost,it might just be better to,in addition to hooking up a SWM LNB,just lay out new cable that you know is placed where you need it & has the splitter where you know it is. You might should ask the technician how much it would cost to lay new cable. it sounds like the technician didn't want to go looking around in the attic for the cables & splitter/multi-switch. Look for a multiswitch in your attic that looks something like this http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?p=WB68 or this http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.as...rt-Multiswitch-(SAM6802)&c=Multiswitches&sku= . You'll just have to follow the cables yourself first(watch out for Black Widow or Brown Recluse spiders) working first from the direction of the Dish & LNB,& then you can back track from where you want to hook up your DVR. make a mental note of them when you find them,including the odd splitter if you find one,& then let the technician know exactly where they are. happy hunting.

 

[caseyf57]

Hello DanaD1,

I think that the extra cable was either a spare or one of the cables from the satellite dish to the house that went bad and was left while another cable replaced it. You have a legacy type dish or legacy lnb which has 4 cables coming from the dish and go into your house. The first dish is called the sidecar due to the splitting into 2 sections of the lnb on the dish. The second picture is the newer dish type called the slimline which lookls like it has an sl3 lnb which is the 3rd picture. The 4th picture is a slimline dish with an sl5 lnb which is the 5th picture. There are way too many variables in the description you have given for an easy solution done remotely but I would start at the satellite dish and disconnect all the cables from the dish and put 1 or 2 new cables to one of your receivers/dvrs assuming you have DirecTV equipment. The cable(s) go into the satellite input of a receiver (1 cable) or a dvr (2 cables). When you power on the receiver/dvr it should at least give you something on a TV screen (attempting a satellite setup). You could go to the menu if it did not do a satellite setup on its own and then go down to settings and help then settings again then try to do a satellite setup manually. If you or your hubby feels uncomfortable with this the I ould contact Directv a last time and see if the could send out a supervisor and technician(s) to get your system working. If they do not then ask them for a recommendation of any satellite installation company that does DirecTV installations. Getting a satellite system installed should not be as hard as sending someone to the moon!

 

[Bodo Fenrirsson]

Hello DanaD1,

I think that the extra cable was either a spare or one of the cables from the satellite dish to the house that went bad and was left while another cable replaced it. You have a legacy type dish or legacy lnb which has 4 cables coming from the dish and go into your house. The first dish is called the sidecar due to the splitting into 2 sections of the lnb on the dish. The second picture is the newer dish type called the slimline which lookls like it has an sl3 lnb which is the 3rd picture. The 4th picture is a slimline dish with an sl5 lnb which is the 5th picture. There are way too many variables in the description you have given for an easy solution done remotely but I would start at the satellite dish and disconnect all the cables from the dish and put 1 or 2 new cables to one of your receivers/dvrs assuming you have DirecTV equipment. The cable(s) go into the satellite input of a receiver (1 cable) or a dvr (2 cables). When you power on the receiver/dvr it should at least give you something on a TV screen (attempting a satellite setup). You could go to the menu if it did not do a satellite setup on its own and then go down to settings and help then settings again then try to do a satellite setup manually. If you or your hubby feels uncomfortable with this the I ould contact Directv a last time and see if the could send out a supervisor and technician(s) to get your system working. If they do not then ask them for a recommendation of any satellite installation company that does DirecTV installations. Getting a satellite system installed should not be as hard as sending someone to the moon!

I have to agree,it sounds like the technician just doesn't want to track down the cables & set the OP up right. Maybe "THEY(the technicians)" are afraid of running into Black Widow or Brown Recluse spiders.I'm not trying to denigrate all technicians,I wouldn't want to run into any of them critters either. But there has to be a way to set up DTV for the OP,even putting up a new dish & laying down new cable,with applicable multiswitches or splitters.

 

[Jimbo]

I have to agree,it sounds like the technician just doesn't want to track down the cables & set the OP up right. Maybe "THEY(the technicians)" are afraid of running into Black Widow or Brown Recluse spiders.I'm not trying to denigrate all technicians,I wouldn't want to run into any of them critters either. But there has to be a way to set up DTV for the OP,even putting up a new dish & laying down new cable,with applicable multiswitches or splitters.

This is where I would have looked into after the first person said they couldn't find the switch or splitter.
Start from scratch.

 

[DanaD1]

Thank you for the input..... I will go outside tomorrow to see exactly what we have but I believe it is the slimline dish(or picture #2). No one has been able to follow the cables past a certain point. This house was a custom build a few years ago and it seems that maybe the cable was pre-layed(?) during construction and the hardwood floor upstairs may have been put over the cables. My husband did pull all the attic flooring up in both attics trying to find the cables and/or switch(es) with no luck.

I did ask about installing all new cables and a new dish and that could have been done................. with the lines coming in from the outside walls all around the house. I asked for clarification of what that meant..... Did that mean it came in through the brick at the back of the house where it would not be visible to the front of the house and I was told no.... that each room that was to have a connection would have the cable coming in from an outside wall all around the house. I wanted 7 connections and did not want to ruin the curb appeal of a very expensive very beautiful home......

We had an electrician come out today and he wanted to know exactly what we needed done ............ of course, I was not home but really neither my husband nor I really know what we need done!! This is sooo frustrating!

 

[osu1991]

If you're going to pay to have an electrician or someone pull new cables in the walls.
Then you want to have them all pulled from each location you want a receiver wired, to a central location (attic, garage, closet) where you have easy convenient access. Then have wires pulled from that central location to the outside where the Dish is located. This way you can put the switch inside with easy access for repairs or troubleshooting.

If you're pulling 1 line, its not going to cost anymore to pull a second wire, so I would have 2 coaxes pulled at this time to each location, because you never know when you might need an extra coax at a location. If you need ethernet at a location, then this would be the time to have ethernet cable pulled along with the coax.

 

[Bodo Fenrirsson]

Thank you for the input..... I will go outside tomorrow to see exactly what we have but I believe it is the slimline dish(or picture #2). No one has been able to follow the cables past a certain point. This house was a custom build a few years ago and it seems that maybe the cable was pre-layed(?) during construction and the hardwood floor upstairs may have been put over the cables. My husband did pull all the attic flooring up in both attics trying to find the cables and/or switch(es) with no luck.

I did ask about installing all new cables and a new dish and that could have been done................. with the lines coming in from the outside walls all around the house. I asked for clarification of what that meant..... Did that mean it came in through the brick at the back of the house where it would not be visible to the front of the house and I was told no.... that each room that was to have a connection would have the cable coming in from an outside wall all around the house. I wanted 7 connections and did not want to ruin the curb appeal of a very expensive very beautiful home......

We had an electrician come out today and he wanted to know exactly what we needed done ............ of course, I was not home but really neither my husband nor I really know what we need done!! This is sooo frustrating!

If you have an electrician lay cable for you,make sure it is RG6 swept tested to 3 GHz(they should understand what that means). DIRECTV (usually) uses black coaxial cable outdoors & white coaxial cable indoors.

 

[DanaD1]

I FINALLY have my Direct TV fixed.... sort of... After much research and many phone calls, I finally found someone that was WILLING to help me see this through. She actually listened and understood my frustration and was very patient in walking me through what was needed and very helpful in informing me more about this very elusive switch. Once she told me it would most likely be something that looked liked an electrical box possibly located in a CLOSET not in the ATTIC..... I finally found it in guest bedroom closet. And by the way, WHY would a technician(or actually 2) not know to look around the house rather than just in the attic?????

Anyway, I insisted on a VIP install and upgrade which meant a supervisor would accompany the technician and assist in the install. It took a supervisor and 2 other technicians 5 1/2 hours to actually get 2 more outlets installed and to switch the system over to the swim(?). I got the new Mac-Daddy (HR34) DVR with whole home for free because of all the trouble I have had.

My only problem is that we cannot seem to get it connected to the internet. The techs had a little trouble getting it connected during the install but eventually got it done. After they left I realized that nothing else could connect to my wireless network. I kept getting a pop-up on my laptop(MacBook) that another device was using the same IP address and I needed to change the IP address on my laptop..... The next morning I still could not connect to the network and the DVR was not connected either. I contacted Linksys about reconfiguring the router but was told my router was probably not able to handle all the new technology..... iphones, iPads, smart tv, wireless printers, wii, and the new DVR..... so I purchased a new router and finally got it set up and everything connected EXCEPT the dang DVR!! I don't know if the DVR is not recognizing the network or if the network is not recognizing the DVR..... ***I have had the DVR connected twice and both times something happens that my laptop says there are 2 devices with the same ip then I realize that nothing is connecting to the wireless and I end up having to completely reset the router and do a new setup and install on it.

Any advice? I have kept in touch with the supervisor.... he tried to walk me through the connection of the DVR over the phone yesterday but I have company visiting from out of town and could not spend an hour over the phone with him. I told him I would keep trying and get with him today. Today he called me and I told him about the IP address thing and he said he would get in touch with I.T. and get back with me but I told him I was busy and it could wait a few day until after Thanksgiving..... Only thing is that I didn't realize at that time that my whole wireless network was messed up just like it was with the old router. Ugh....

 

[Joe Diamond]

This seems to be a nickel job...EZ There was a time when competent people would do satellite installations....and in their truck was a toner. Once a week a job like this would come up and "ringing out the lines" needed to be done.

Then you complete the installation.

Joe

 

[DanaD1]

This seems to be a nickel job...EZ There was a time when competent people would do satellite installations....and in their truck was a toner. Once a week a job like this would come up and "ringing out the lines" needed to be done.

Then you complete the installation.

Joe

What does that mean?

 

[glen4cindy]

DanaD1, I'm an I.T. guy, and, duplicate IP addresses should never happen on a network, and assuming you have your WPA security properly setup on your network, and no nearby neighbors trying to "leach" your Internet, one simple way to get things going again would be to power off everything on the network, (I know, this stinks) but, I mean everything connected, laptops, desktops, Wii's, PS3's, DirecTv's Etc, AND the Router.

Now, #1, Power on the router, and let the lights settle down. Now, one by one, turn on each DirecTv, and go thru the Menu, Settings, Network Setup, and get each box connected to your wireless network. Then, you will be ready to connect each other device to the wireless network, i.e. your laptop, iPad, iPhone, Wii, PS3 whatever, and you should not see the duplicate IP address.

Every once in awhile, our routers need a reboot, and sometimes, this just requires giving our receives a "nudge"....that's what I've found.

 

[Joe Diamond]

What does that mean?

The first guy should have been able to do your installation. At least he should have been able to communicate to you that the pre wired system in your new home should have a drawing to allow techs to work on it without searching the whole building.

Glad you got it all figured,

Joe