new install.. wireless Joey signal strength at 12... need to go wired?

[zim2dive]

just got a new install, 1 Hopper + 2 wireless Joeys. Wireless access point is on 1st floor at 1 end of the house.. and the problematic wireless Joey is on the 2nd floor at the other end of the house (bonus room above garage).

Signal strength is showing 12-14.. and I'm seeing a fair amt of picture breakup. I'm thinking we need to get that location converted back to a wired Joey

any other ideas?

(I may be able to relocate the wireless AP to the middle of the bottom floor with a long ethernet cable).

 

[Jim5506]

If the signal goes through more than one wall or floor, it is best to is best to use wire.

 

[JM42]

(I may be able to relocate the wireless AP to the middle of the bottom floor with a long ethernet cable).

You can also use a HIC to connect the WAP if you already have a wired Joey closer to the wireless location.

 

[zim2dive]

You can also use a HIC to connect the WAP if you already have a wired Joey closer to the wireless location.

I have a wired Hopper, and 2 wireless Joeys (for the moment).

The WAP needs some external antennae. Even my nearby wireless Joey (1 floor directly above) only shows a signal of 45-50.

EDIT: tell me more about the HIC.. ie. will it talk to the Hopper over coax.. ie. so I could locate the HIC on the 2nd floor, and thus relocate the WAP to the 2nd floor? (and thus I could keep the wireless Joeys)

EDIT2: anything special about the ethernet cable from Hopper to WAP? (ie. crossover?).. with the idea being that I could take a 50' cat6 cable and relocate the WAP to somewhere in the middle of the 1st floor to improve the coverage (reduce the distance to the furthest point)

 

[JM42]

HIC is the Hopper Internet Connector. It is a Moca<->Ethernet bridge. Either the longer Ethernet cable or the HIC should work. The only reason to use the HIC is if coax is already in place that can be connected to the node, or maybe if it would be easier to run a coax cable to the node vs an Ethernet cable to the Hopper.

Nothing special about the Hopper<->WAP Ethernet cable.

If the install was done by Dish, I'm pretty sure a reading of 12-14 is far below the threshold Dish has set for a wireless install. I would call them back out to fix it.

 

[zim2dive]

HIC is the Hopper Internet Connector. It is a Moca<->Ethernet bridge. Either the longer Ethernet cable or the HIC should work. The only reason to use the HIC is if coax is already in place that can be connected to the node, or maybe if it would be easier to run a coax cable to the node vs an Ethernet cable to the Hopper.

Nothing special about the Hopper<->WAP Ethernet cable.

If the install was done by Dish, I'm pretty sure a reading of 12-14 is far below the threshold Dish has set for a wireless install. I would call them back out to fix it.

the installer was either inexperienced or lied... I specifically asked if there was a signal strength indicator on the wireless Joey (I was worried about the distance), and he said there was none.... I later found it navigating the WJ menus. I'll go with "inexperienced" b/c he seemed to have a bit of trouble getting the WJs to pair to the WAP and had to call his boss.

He said if we had trouble they would come back and swap for a wired Joey.. made no mention of other options.

Would the HIC be an extra charge?

 

[ChadT41]

The WJ and WAP being as new as it is, I would assume a lot of inexperienced techs. Still in it's infant stage, and people getting to know all the details about it.

 

[JM42]

Normally if needed as part of the install, Dish will not charge for a HIC. If you were to just order one after the fact, they are something like $25-$30.

Again, if this is a new Dish install, they should not have left things with a signal strength that low. Get them to fix it.

 

[ChadT41]

The bb power line connector is $30 but the HIC bought through dish after the fact was $99. Checked amazon(couldn't find a price on dish) and it was $111, so I am assuming it is still the same. Usually they will give it for free though, just like the wifi adapter and the power line connector.

 

[dvrexpander]

I would run a line to the location rather than use wireless from that distance. Try to wait 13 days if you can before calling Dish back and having someone roll back otherwise it will hammer that tech into a lower pay scale and you don't want to take food from his plate.

 

[JM42]

The bb power line connector is $30 but the HIC bought through dish after the fact was $99. Checked amazon(couldn't find a price on dish) and it was $111, so I am assuming it is still the same. Usually they will give it for free though, just like the wifi adapter and the power line connector.

???????

The HIC has never been anywhere close to $100. It is missing from the Dish Store now, but was either $25 or $30.

HIC $25 at Amazon

HIC $33 at Solid Signal

HIC $40 at Dish Depot

 

[bigjohnok]

The WJ and WAP being as new as it is, I would assume a lot of inexperienced techs. Still in it's infant stage, and people getting to know all the details about it.

I with the few I have done I tell a customer that the wireless setups are basically a 1 one room set up due to technical issues, especially if they already purchased a wap and if have multiple wireless joeys, I will get the work order modified into wired joeys and install one wireless joey. I install a hic then wap then the wireless joey behind the tv.

Never had a issue with a customer by being upfront with them with the limitations of equipment.

I do the same for people that are getting satellite internet, I ask can you get land based service. If they say yes I tell them the limitations of satellite internet.

 

[zim2dive]

The tech gave me his phone # if there were any install issues (probably a strategy to head off any complaints making it back to Dish).. now that I know what options/solutions exist... we'll see where things go.

So I gave him a call, and he then called up his chain for ideas, and the initial idea that came back down was to try swapping the Hopper + WAP with the nearer WJ from the 2nd floor... ie. that will place the Hopper + WAP in the middle. I'm willing to give that a go myself (easy enough to move the gear around) ... will see how that improves signal strengths. Only potential issue will be if the Hopper is loud at night.

 

[bigjohnok]

The tech gave me his phone # if there were any install issues (probably a strategy to head off any complaints making it back to Dish).. now that I know what options/solutions exist... we'll see where things go.

So I gave him a call, and he then called up his chain for ideas, and the initial idea that came back down was to try swapping the Hopper + WAP with the nearer WJ from the 2nd floor... ie. that will place the Hopper + WAP in the middle. I'm willing to give that a go myself (easy enough to move the gear around) ... will see how that improves signal strengths. Only potential issue will be if the Hopper is loud at night.

that is going to require cable swaps at node

 

[zim2dive]

that is going to require cable swaps at node

I'll be heading under the house to swap the cable which is going to the downstairs location, and connect whatever was sourcing it, it to the cable which feeds the MBR... if that is what you are talking about. (several shows recording this evening, so I'll do this sometime tomorrow).

 

[bigjohnok]

I'll be heading under the house to swap the cable which is going to the downstairs location, and connect whatever was sourcing it, it to the cable which feeds the MBR... if that is what you are talking about. (several shows recording this evening, so I'll do this sometime tomorrow).

cool just take some tape and a sharpie or something to mark the cables so that you know where it was originally hooked up if you have to swap cables around multiple times.
then go into menu>settings>network setup> whole home to link your joeys back to hopper and it also gives you a moca status check too.

 

[ChadT41]

Only the bb power line connector was $30, the wifi adapter was $25 and the HIC was $99. That's what it entered in the dish system as. That was at release of the HIC. If it had gone down at any point in the dish store, not sure, and as previously mentioned, it is not showing a price currently.

 

[JM42]

HIC was at the lower price within 3 weeks of Hopper release. I got one with the install and bought a second HIC a week or so later. Bought two more about six months after that for my Dad.

Online statements don't go back that far, but I'm 99% sure the price was $25. 100% sure it was no more than $30.

I have checked price several times since and recommended to friends (who have bought them) as a cheap Ethernet over coax solution. Those were ebay or Amazon purchases, but were always around the $25 point.

 

[ChadT41]

From dish directly they were $99. I sold and waived them all the time back at that time. I was in out broadband department, taking calls back then, and as soon as someone even said something that sounded like hopper, it was transfered there. eBay and Amazon are almost always going to have a Cheaper price. Especially from people that were getting them free form people like me waiving them off. That all said, I wonder if dish is even installing them anymore, and that would be why there is no current price. I love the HIC and swear by it on my own setup. Most techs(if you're gonna have one installed) include it in the work order. So an even higher number of people not paying for them, making it easier on eBay and Amazon again.

 

[KAB]

HIC was $30 from Dish a few months ago. Bought at Amazon for $25.00 If Dish is not listing them, they are probably out of stock.