Wireless Joeys Freezing

[Airedale]

I recently moved and have been having freezing/pixeling issues ever since. The installer was a contract, not Dish, employee. He had to run 100' of coax from the dish. After the installation and subsequent issues, Dish sent an actual employee who found several errors that the contract guy made. (Unapproved connectors, missing splitter, etc.) After the "repairs", the Hopper tv seemed solid, but both Joeys were still freezing. One Joey is about 30' and the other 40' from the Wireless Access Point. The one that is 40' away shows a signal level of 62-70 while the closer one is 54-63. Both signal strength levels bounce around and both are extremely sensitive to the Joey being moved inches. Another Dish employee spent two hours here yesterday moving the Joeys and WAP, trying to peak their signal. Nothing helped with the freezing. Both Joey tv's freeze at the same time and their signal strength doesn't seem to be the issue when it freezes. Tech replaced the WAP, but that didn't help. My home WiFi router is in the same closet as the WAP/Hopper. Separating them within cable constraints didn't help.

Then today, the Hopper tv froze. Hadn't seen that happen since the "repair". The satellite signal level is in the 60's, so that is almost marginal and may be the cause of the occasional Hopper freeze. The Joeys are pretty much unwatchable for a baseball game. The freeze can be a second or two or last half a minute. I'm thoroughly confused and frustrated. Anybody have any thoughts on this??? My equipment was originally installed 18 months ago, so it is relatively new, but never had an issue at the previous house.

Thank you.

Jerry

 

[tjboston5676]

1st thing I’ll address is that there’s bad techs on the contract side and internal dish side. So no need for bashing just because it’s not an actual dish employee. In my area the actual dish employees are garbage and the contract company (that I work for) will run circles around them all day. It’s a personal work ethic thing not an employer thing.,

Now to the troubleshooting. Sounds like something is causing interference. WiFi and the access being close together can definitely cause your issues but sounds like you tried separating and didn’t help. How far did you seperate them? It’s recommended 20ft separation. Also some routers can cause issues when the main hopper is connected to them via wifi. One troubleshooting step you can try is on the hopper go to settings, then to internet, then at the top you’ll see two tabs. Need to go to advanced tab and in there turn off bridging. This will stop sending internet to the joeys so wouldn’t be able to use Netflix or anything requiring internet. But what we want to see is if it fixes the problem. If yes then you will want to use a different WiFi router. If it does not fix it you can turn bridging back on. At that point if separating from wifi router nor turning off bridging works then it may be outside interference and at that point the only option is to install wired joeys.

 

[scoob83]

I recently moved and have been having freezing/pixeling issues ever since. The installer was a contract, not Dish, employee. He had to run 100' of coax from the dish. After the installation and subsequent issues, Dish sent an actual employee who found several errors that the contract guy made. (Unapproved connectors, missing splitter, etc.) After the "repairs", the Hopper tv seemed solid, but both Joeys were still freezing. One Joey is about 30' and the other 40' from the Wireless Access Point. The one that is 40' away shows a signal level of 62-70 while the closer one is 54-63. Both signal strength levels bounce around and both are extremely sensitive to the Joey being moved inches. Another Dish employee spent two hours here yesterday moving the Joeys and WAP, trying to peak their signal. Nothing helped with the freezing. Both Joey tv's freeze at the same time and their signal strength doesn't seem to be the issue when it freezes. Tech replaced the WAP, but that didn't help. My home WiFi router is in the same closet as the WAP/Hopper. Separating them within cable constraints didn't help.

Then today, the Hopper tv froze. Hadn't seen that happen since the "repair". The satellite signal level is in the 60's, so that is almost marginal and may be the cause of the occasional Hopper freeze. The Joeys are pretty much unwatchable for a baseball game. The freeze can be a second or two or last half a minute. I'm thoroughly confused and frustrated. Anybody have any thoughts on this??? My equipment was originally installed 18 months ago, so it is relatively new, but never had an issue at the previous house.

Thank you.

Jerry

Sounds like interference? My microwave has caused issues like this. I also had a UHF transmitter to basically cast the signal from one tv to another. That caused issues. As soon as I sorted that out my issues went away.

Do you have any electronics running? Cordless phones? An old wifi router? Could be something in your new house causing interference. I’ve found even closing a door somewhere in the house can sometimes interrupt the wireless Joey.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Airedale]

1st thing I’ll address is that there’s bad techs on the contract side and internal dish side. So no need for bashing just because it’s not an actual dish employee. In my area the actual dish employees are garbage and the contract company (that I work for) will run circles around them all day. It’s a personal work ethic thing not an employer thing.,

Now to the troubleshooting. Sounds like something is causing interference. WiFi and the access being close together can definitely cause your issues but sounds like you tried separating and didn’t help. How far did you seperate them? It’s recommended 20ft separation. Also some routers can cause issues when the main hopper is connected to them via wifi. One troubleshooting step you can try is on the hopper go to settings, then to internet, then at the top you’ll see two tabs. Need to go to advanced tab and in there turn off bridging. This will stop sending internet to the joeys so wouldn’t be able to use Netflix or anything requiring internet. But what we want to see is if it fixes the problem. If yes then you will want to use a different WiFi router. If it does not fix it you can turn bridging back on. At that point if separating from wifi router nor turning off bridging works then it may be outside interference and at that point the only option is to install wired joeys.

TJ: Didn't mean to ruffle any feathers on the "contract" comment. I'm new (18 mo.) to Dish Network (15-year DirecTV customer before) and at the previous house, Dish sent out a contract employee for initial installation. He told me that because of the trees he could not mount the dish on the roof and would have to put it on a post, which would have been an issue with the HOA. Then, he told me he didn't have any Wireless Joeys (it was on the order) and would have to reschedule. Then, he told me how much better my acre would look if he was cutting it. Next day a Dish employee came out and mounted the dish on the roof and we had flawless service for a year and a half. This time, the contract guy was more interested in selling me a $250 wall mount than anything else. Small sample size, so I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions.

Bridging was already Off. (Not a Netflix user.) However, I don't have anywhere near a 20 ft. separation from my WiFi to my Hopper/WAP. Both are in the same office closet. My old internet provider doesn't service my new home area, so this is a different internet provider.

Thank you for your reply!

 

[Airedale]

Sounds like interference? My microwave has caused issues like this. I also had a UHF transmitter to basically cast the signal from one tv to another. That caused issues. As soon as I sorted that out my issues went away.

Do you have any electronics running? Cordless phones? An old wifi router? Could be something in your new house causing interference. I’ve found even closing a door somewhere in the house can sometimes interrupt the wireless Joey.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I noticed a fairly substantial decrease in the Joey signal, just by closing a door, too, although it didn't seem to affect the freezing problem. These things are sensitive. I do have a Cell Hot Spot unit in the same closet as the wifi and Hopper/WAP, but I turned it off and it didn't help the issue. I guess my next step is to power down my WiFi router and see if that fixes the freezing issue.

 

[tjboston5676]

I noticed a fairly substantial decrease in the Joey signal, just by closing a door, too, although it didn't seem to affect the freezing problem. These things are sensitive. I do have a Cell Hot Spot unit in the same closet as the wifi and Hopper/WAP, but I turned it off and it didn't help the issue. I guess my next step is to power down my WiFi router and see if that fixes the freezing issue.

If that fixes it we do have ways to relocate the access point to a different location using coax cable.

 

[ethanlerma]

If that fixes it we do have ways to relocate the access point to a different location using coax cable.

HIC to the rescue?

 

[tjboston5676]

HIC to the rescue?

Yep

 

[Airedale]

I turned off my internet router/modem. (Incidentally, it is new from Xfinity; just last month when I moved.) The freezing issue got better, but both Joeys had an occasional freeze/pixeling. While I had the router off, I separated it as far away physically as possible from the WAP. Both the dish and xfinity coax cables enter a utility box in my office closet and each has only a couple of feet of slack. There are no coax jacks anywhere in the house, but I need to know more about how the HIC would connect.

When I turned the router back on, the freeze occurred more frequently, but the fact that it didn't disappear completely when off, gives me pause.

 

[tjboston5676]

I turned off my internet router/modem. (Incidentally, it is new from Xfinity; just last month when I moved.) The freezing issue got better, but both Joeys had an occasional freeze/pixeling. While I had the router off, I separated it as far away physically as possible from the WAP. Both the dish and xfinity coax cables enter a utility box in my office closet and each has only a couple of feet of slack. There are no coax jacks anywhere in the house, but I need to know more about how the HIC would connect.

When I turned the router back on, the freeze occurred more frequently, but the fact that it didn't disappear completely when off, gives me pause.

So a hic allows you to run a coax cable to elsewhere and also has an Ethernet port that you. Connect the wap to. This allows you to have your access point away from the WiFi and usually closer to tge joeys, further reducing any issues.

 

[That American Girl]

Bridging was already Off. (Not a Netflix user.) However, I don't have anywhere near a 20 ft. separation from my WiFi to my Hopper/WAP. Both are in the same office closet. My old internet provider doesn't service my new home area, so this is a different internet provider.

Thank you for your reply!

Move your router away from the WAP. Even if your new internet provider has to put the router in a different spot.

I had my Spectrum router/modem about 4 feet from my WAP originally, and it would cause the WiFi Joey in my room/office to freeze and/or drop.

Had Spectrum come put and put the router on a shelf across the room away from the WAP, and haven't had an issue since.

 

[Almighty1]

If all else fails, then it's time to use Belden 7731A which is broadcast digital quality coax cable that is of the RG-11 variety instead of the RG-6 used.

https://www.markertek.com/product/b...-coaxial-cable-solid-bc-14awg-black-1000-foot

 

[Airedale]

Final Resolution: I later disproved my theory that the Xfinity Wifi Router was interfering with the Dish signal by leaving it unplugged for a longer period and observing the continued freezing issue. Dish sent another technician out and he spent two hours moving the joeys and wap around, calling it fixed, to no avail. I disconnected every possible source of interference I could fathom, even my wireless printer. In desperation, I called Dish and asked to terminate. They promised they would get to the bottom of it and fix the issue and give me a one-month credit for my trouble. Tuesday Dish sent out two techs, one with 22 years with the company. They changed out the wap, both joeys, and added a terminator on the splitter type device on the coax in the attic. No help, so the only thing left, other than outside interference, was the Hopper. Voila! Hopper replaced and the problem is no mas. It's been so intermittent, where it will go 20 minutes clean, and then start freezing/pixelating again continuously, that I was skeptical. It took me a full 24 hours to accept that the issue was resolved, and everything is good 48 hours later.

One side note: Coincidentally, I received my Dish bill today. The promised credit showed up, but so did a $120 charge for MLB-Extra Innings, which had been paid in full over the past four months (Apr-Jul). Seems that when they de-activated the original Hopper they had to terminate the Baseball Package, but when they activated the new Hopper, it created a new charge. Spent 45 minutes on hold and online with an overseas agent before I finally asked for a supervisor. She corrected the overcharge in five minutes, so all's well that ends well.

A big "Thank You" to all you satellite guys (and gal) who weighed in on this.

 

[tjboston5676]

Now that you mention that I installed a hopper a few months ago that had bad ethernet ports right out of the box. You could wiggle it and it would cut in and out. Didn't even think about it when you were troubleshooting.

 

[Airedale]

Now that you mention that I installed a hopper a few months ago that had bad ethernet ports right out of the box. You could wiggle it and it would cut in and out. Didn't even think about it when you were troubleshooting.

One of the intermediary steps the last two techs tried was to utilize the existing ethernet connection and placing individual wap's at each joey. (I'd been telling them since day one that there were ethernet jacks at each tv and interconnecting cables in the closet where the Hopper was.) They finally tried connecting the Hopper via ethernet to the wireless joeys. Of course, that was with the original Hopper, so connecting to ethernet didn't improve the freezing. Whatever the issue was with the Hopper, it's all good now.

Thanks again.

 

[blatimer1983]

How many wireless Joeys does Dish allow to have on account?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk