DISH Network troubleshooting can be complex, especially if you are unfamiliar with satellite signal operations and diagnostic terms used in the receiver for troubleshooting. Please be aware that if you call DISH Network, you will need to perform the following steps again with the tech on the phone. Basic troubleshooting steps are simple and eliminate most problems that arise with the DISH Network equipment.
What can I do first?
If you have no signal, a blank screen, DVR issues or basically any other issue that might arise, you can do what is called a "soft reset." Press and hold in the power button on the front of your receiver for 30 seconds and release; now wait for it to come back up. This will resolve a majority of issues.
What if the soft reset didn't work?
If the soft reset did not solve your problem, next we can move on to the "hard reset." Unplug the receiver and leave it unplugged for two minutes; now plug it back in. Once back on, see if your problem has been resolved.
Still not working; now what?
If your signal is lost and it's stuck on acquiring satellite signal, you can check signal strength by going to "Menu" then pressing 6-1-1; this will take you to a "Point Dish" screen. From here you can select "Check Switch," and then at the bottom select "Test." This will start the Check Switch process and hopefully get your satellite signal connection back. If the signal boxes at the end of the Check Switch test show red or "X," this means there is no signal and you will need a technician.
Can I try to move my own dish?
If you have advanced knowledge of the position of satellites in the sky and how it covers the continental United States, along with a compass and signal-strength meter, you can find the satellites. However, this is best left up to DISH Network technicians as they are trained in this area.
None of this applies to me; my DVR isn't working.
If your DVR isn't working, most likely it is a hard-drive or software issue causing some glitches. You need to contact DISH Network technical support, and they can check for known issues. If it is not a hard-drive failure and they see that there are no known issues listed that match the problem you are experiencing, then ask them to submit an uncommon trend report for the engineers to fix.
Tags: Check Switch, DISH Network, satellite signal, soft reset, DISH Network