Third service call for same issue, long post.

[olds403]

I want to have my ducks in a row for the upcoming 3rd service call since December for the same issue. I have posted about our issues with the wireless joey in the master bedroom several times previously, I apologize if this is getting tiresome but the issue is getting tiresome to say the least.

Hopper with Sling is in the living room downstairs. Was getting pixilation and freezing/black screen and "Starting Up 9999" and "Please wait refresh in progress" errors on the upstairs wireless joey. Dish replaced the HWS a week before Christmas and added a snap, the system was mostly trouble free for 3 months.

Mid-March, the pixelization and freezing and errors return, not sure why. Made some adjustments with position of the WAP and WJ but not much improvement. The problem would come and go, happening anywhere from weekly to every 10 days.

Finally it got really bad again around Memorial day, called dish and they sent a tech about a week ago. This time the tech replaced the WAP, didn't really check much else. I told him I had previously switched the WJ in the master with another from another bedroom and the problem continued so he didn't think replacing the Joey would accomplish anything. He had just replaced a WAP at another call and thought that would fix it.

After the WAP was replaced it was worse, HWS was laggy, and slow, worse than before the snap was installed. I reset everything and it got a LITTLE better but still worse than before the WAP was replaced. Sometimes if you hit the skip button you have to wait 30-60 seconds for it to happen. It is giving the Starting Up 9999 and Please Wait refresh in progress errors much more often. Probably 3-4 times last night between 6pm and 8pm before I finally reset everything again.

I have been told that this is a communication issue between the Hopper with Sling and the Wireless Joey. With the "new" WAP I am consistently getting 48-60 signal strength at the WJ. I want to make sure that it gets fixed this time. It has been suggested that a Hopper Internet Connector will fix this issue, I want to make sure that the issue is fixed this time, because if it isn't the wife wants to dump Dish, and I really like the Hopper.

What causes the "Starting Up 9999" and "Please Wait refresh in progress" errors. Do these come from the Hopper, or do they originate with the Joey? When they happen, if we are watching a DVR program, the screen will go blank for a few minutes then come back on its own to live tv. I will have to go back to the DVR and resume the program we were watching. It is getting old trying to watch something and having to resume it 3-4 times before you finish it. Dish doesn't seem to be able to get ANY information from the diagnostics. I am sorry to keep asking about this but I want to make sure the tech fixes it this time. Thank you for any information you may provide, I do appreciate it.

 

[olds403]

I did shoot some video on my phone of the behavior, hopefully that will help the Tech when he comes.

 

[HipKat]

What causes the "Starting Up 9999" and "Please Wait refresh in progress" errors. Do these come from the Hopper, or do they originate with the Joey? When they happen, if we are watching a DVR program, the screen will go blank for a few minutes then come back on its own to live tv. I will have to go back to the DVR and resume the program we were watching. It is getting old trying to watch something and having to resume it 3-4 times before you finish it. Dish doesn't seem to be able to get ANY information from the diagnostics. I am sorry to keep asking about this but I want to make sure the tech fixes it this time. Thank you for any information you may provide, I do appreciate it.

I bet you a dollar those errors come from the snap. I see it on new connects. It's annoying but works itself out. Pull the snap and see what happens.
So, 2 questions - at what point do you demand a Hopper 3 so you don't need the snap and it is totally impossible to run a cable to the rooms where the wireless Joeys are - even to get closer to relocate the WAP?

 

[olds403]

Thank you for responding. I was not aware of issues with the Snap. If I could get them to give me a Hopper 3 to resolve the issues that would be great, but the wife would NOT do another 2 year contract.

There is a cable outlet in the same room, but not on the same wall as the tv. I am going to have the tech check it and see if it is connected to the dish, I don't know if it is on the same circuit as there is also cable coming into the house for internet service. I can have him move the wire to the Dish system and install the HIC and a second WAP in the bedroom. I hope this won't cost any more money and they will absorb the costs to make this work correctly.

I unplugged the snap and reinstalled it. Before I unplugged it it showed status N/A, after plugging it back in it shows ready. Do these things turn themselves off?

 

[HipKat]

Thank you for responding. I was not aware of issues with the Snap. If I could get them to give me a Hopper 3 to resolve the issues that would be great, but the wife would NOT do another 2 year contract.

There is a cable outlet in the same room, but not on the same wall as the tv. I am going to have the tech check it and see if it is connected to the dish, I don't know if it is on the same circuit as there is also cable coming into the house for internet service. I can have him move the wire to the Dish system and install the HIC and a second WAP in the bedroom. I hope this won't cost any more money and they will absorb the costs to make this work correctly.

I unplugged the snap and reinstalled it. Before I unplugged it it showed status N/A, after plugging it back in it shows ready. Do these things turn themselves off?

Not normally. I should’ve said to uninstall it and let it go for a while and see what happens but if you don’t have any more problems, great. If you do try it without the snap and I would absolutely try to get that other cable into the system so you can relocate the access point or at least add a second access point

 

[fpembleton]

Not normally. I should’ve said to uninstall it and let it go for a while and see what happens but if you don’t have any more problems, great. If you do try it without the snap and I would absolutely try to get that other cable into the system so you can relocate the access point or at least add a second access point

I had the same problem after installing a SNAP. Removed it and the receiver wanted it back. Got with tech support , they said remove SNAP and they had me hit one of the restore options and it has been fine since then.


Sent from my iPhone using SatelliteGuys

 

[olds403]

Thanks for the info, tech will be here this morning. I moved the dresser in the master bedroom to give him access to the coax outlet in that room. Will see what happens, I at least want the second access point, and it would be nice to get the H3 as well. It was going crazy yesterday with Starting Up 9999 and Refresh errors. It freezes and the audio keeps going so when the picture does come back it is out of synch with the audio. I had 5 or 6 Starting Up messages in a couple hours yesterday, did several power cord resets on everything and reinstalled the Snap twice to get it to recognize it.

The thing that really puzzles me is why did the system work perfectly for 3 months when they replaced the HWS and installed the Snap in December? We had no issues until mid-March.

 

[olds403]

Tech was awesome! When I told him the problem needed to go away today, he said jokingly "nothing like a little pressure". He asked what was going on, observed the problem first hand on the bedroom tv, then said there were a couple options. He told me that he could not run 2 WAP in the same system, so it was going to either be move the WAP to the bedroom for the whole house or switch to a wired joey.

I told him that I would love a wired solution if he could figure one out. He ended up calling his service manager, who authorized him to go into the attic to look for existing cables. He found one that was part of the original Dish installation, then drilled a hole through the header to run a coax in the wall behind the tv. His service manager actually came to help him since he was 20 and had never done that before. The manager cut the hole in the wall, installed the box, trimmed the cable and put a wall plate on it.

They then switched the WJ in that room for a Joey 3 since I am going to try to get a Hopper 3 for my troubles for all these service calls and problems. The joey 3 is WAY faster than the WJ and is rock solid with the wired signal. I am very happy and tipped the young tech generously for his over and above service. Wife is happy too, bonus!

 

[HipKat]

Tech was awesome! When I told him the problem needed to go away today, he said jokingly "nothing like a little pressure". He asked what was going on, observed the problem first hand on the bedroom tv, then said there were a couple options. He told me that he could not run 2 WAP in the same system, so it was going to either be move the WAP to the bedroom for the whole house or switch to a wired joey.

I told him that I would love a wired solution if he could figure one out. He ended up calling his service manager, who authorized him to go into the attic to look for existing cables. He found one that was part of the original Dish installation, then drilled a hole through the header to run a coax in the wall behind the tv. His service manager actually came to help him since he was 20 and had never done that before. The manager cut the hole in the wall, installed the box, trimmed the cable and put a wall plate on it.

They then switched the WJ in that room for a Joey 3 since I am going to try to get a Hopper 3 for my troubles for all these service calls and problems. The joey 3 is WAY faster than the WJ and is rock solid with the wired signal. I am very happy and tipped the young tech generously for his over and above service. Wife is happy too, bonus!

That's awesome - except you totally can have 2 WAPS. On a Hopper 3, that's how you have to link 6 Wireless Joeys

 

[olds403]

Now I just have to figure out the internet/wifi situation. In the evenings the internet slows way down, makes VOD glitchy, was even a problem on the ROKU last night. I am thinking it might be too much traffic on the entire network. We have 100Mb service and nothing faster is available in our neighborhood.

 

[Bobby]

Now I just have to figure out the internet/wifi situation. In the evenings the internet slows way down, makes VOD glitchy, was even a problem on the ROKU last night. I am thinking it might be too much traffic on the entire network. We have 100Mb service and nothing faster is available in our neighborhood.

Are you using wifi off of that internet connection? If you are you might try direct ethernet instead. Your neighboring wifi users may be tying up bandwidth.

 

[olds403]

I am using wifi from our secured cable modem for the Roku. I used wifi scanning to check for a lesser used channel that I set the modem to use. I am sure everyone in the neighborhood has the same provider as choices are limited. It has worked without major issues in the past so I am not sure what has changed other than volume of users on the providers network in the neighborhood with the stay at home orders and increased streaming. I may play with the positioning of the modem and the devices that are having issues.

I have a hardwired ethernet connection to the Hopper, and I am assuming that the hopper provides the VOD to the Joey 3 that was just installed. VOD on the Joey 3 just installed has been as glitchy as the wifi to the Roku lately. I would think that the ethernet connection at the Hopper would kind of idiot proof the connection for the Dish system (other than the other 2 wireless joeys that I am not worried about at this time).

 

[Jim5506]

Have you run an Internet Speed Test while you were having problems?

Speedtest by Ookla - The Global Broadband Speed Test

Use Speedtest on all your devices with our free desktop and mobile apps.

www.speedtest.net

 

[olds403]

Have you run an Internet Speed Test while you were having problems?

Speedtest by Ookla - The Global Broadband Speed Test

Use Speedtest on all your devices with our free desktop and mobile apps.

www.speedtest.net

I have not, I can do that tonight if it acts up again (who am I kidding, of course it will act up lol)

 

[olds403]

Ok, so the HWS tested at 69Mb download speed, should not be a problem for VOD.

I did call retention and they are going to upgrade me to a Hopper 3 with no contract for all the trouble that I have had. They will be out to install that in a couple weeks. Things are looking up, now I just need to figure out the internet/VOD issues.

 

[HipKat]

Ok, so the HWS tested at 69Mb download speed, should not be a problem for VOD.

I did call retention and they are going to upgrade me to a Hopper 3 with no contract for all the trouble that I have had. They will be out to install that in a couple weeks. Things are looking up, now I just need to figure out the internet/VOD issues.

Can you get into your router and assign a static IP for the Hopper? Since I did that on mine, I haven't seen any interruptions in connectivity

 

[olds403]

Can you get into your router and assign a static IP for the Hopper? Since I did that on mine, I haven't seen any interruptions in connectivity

Yes, I should be able to do that without any trouble. I had all my equipment with assigned static IP addresses at my old house, I just haven't gone to the trouble to do it here since moving. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[HipKat]

Yes, I should be able to do that without any trouble. I had all my equipment with assigned static IP addresses at my old house, I just haven't gone to the trouble to do it here since moving. Thanks for the suggestion.

I hope it helps. I was having a problem with my Hopper 3 just losing connectivity and it's connected via Ethernet to a Velop Mesh Router. Very aggravating. The nightly update and reboot would fix it, so if I was on the road, just for that night, I'd be without Dish Anywhere. A friend of mine showed me how to set Static IP's on Velops and I haven't had the problem one time, since