While looking for a decent TV service provider, DirecTV might as well be your first choice. Their enormous range of channels and outstanding quality of image and sound make them a solid choice for home entertainment.
Additionally, DirecTV offers a streaming catalogue that is technically infinite, which means the whole family gets to enjoy TV shows, movies and much more!
DirecTV delivers their service through an antenna system, which receives the signal from a satellite, and then distributes it to homes, which makes their stability a standout feature.
Throughout the U.S., Latin America, and the Caribbean region, DirecTV stands as a clear choice for their excellent quality of service.
However, such top-tier service demands an outstanding quality of equipment to deliver optimal performance. Therefore, the components of a DirecTV setup have to be of the highest quality.
And that has been reported not to be happening most lately. According to users, there is an issue that is causing the system not to identify one of the key components for the TV service setup, the SWM.
If you are experiencing the same issue, bear with us as we walk you through all the info you need to know in order to understand the functioning and importance of the SWM. Additionally, we will guide you through five easy fixes any user can attempt in order to get rid of the SWM issue.
What Is The SWM Component?
Before we jump to the part where we guide you through the easy fixes, give us a chance to explain to you what a SWM is and what function this component plays in the DirecTV setup.
The SWM, or Single Wire Multiswitch, is a device that allows multiple coaxial connections within the same box. Imagine an office that has many computers, and all those computers need an internet cable. Pulling one cable for each computer would seem like a nightmare for cabling, right?
So, that is where a multiswitch device comes in handy. It can receive up to 16 connections and distribute the signal that comes from one single cable, just like a big river bifurcating into many smaller ones.
When it comes to the DirecTV setup, the multiswitch distributes the signal that comes from the satellite to whatever number of TVs your house has. Surely, for every TV set you will need a receiver to connect the coaxial cable that comes from the multiswitch.
DirecTV Cannot Detect SWM
1. What Is The Deal With The SWM?
As mentioned before, the single wire multiswitch, or SWM, works as a distributor of signal from one to multiple cables. Those cables, then, go to the DirecTV receiver you have connected to your TV set. Unfortunately, that sequence might experience a rupture in the event the SWM does not work as it should.
It might happen that the component is worn out, either by time or due to natural phenomena, and therefore, cannot properly deliver the signal that is coming from the input cable.
Also, the SWM might not be the correct one for the amount of signal that the TV sets demand, in which case the whole system might suffer.
Thirdly, the quality of the component itself might not be good enough and the signal might end up not being properly distributed. To sum it up, there are several possible problems a SWM might experience.
So, anyway it goes, in order for you to enjoy your DirecTV entertainment sessions, you will need to keep the SWM in optimal condition. That means inspecting it every now and then, and not only when you notice something is out of place with your DirecTV system.
2. Make Sure Your SWM Can Handle That Much
Even though single wire multiswitches allow multiple connections that come out of the same input cable, they are still limited as to how many devices can be connected at once. For example, the most popular, the SWM8, can support up to 4 DVRs or 8 single-tuners.
Should you have more than 5 DVRs or more than 8 single-tuners, the SWM8 will not handle your setup. So, keep in mind that the combination of DVRs and single-tuners you currently have in your house cannot be more than what your SWM can support.
3. Give Your Receivers A Restart
The SWM issue has been reported to be also caused by configuration problems. As the multiswitch is delivering signal to a multiplicity of devices, a single issue with one of them might cause the whole system to fail.
Therefore, keep in mind that the problem does not always have to be caused by some major system failure.
Thankfully, a simple restart of the receivers can do the trick and get the issue fixed.
Bear in mind though that each receiver has to be restarted separately, or else the multiswitch might not deliver the signal to the correct device and cause a systematic configuration failure.
If you can already identify which receiver is causing the issue, then restart that one first. That might get the issue out of the way and save you the time and energy of restarting all the receivers you currently have.
The restarting procedure, even though disregarded by many specialists as an effective troubleshooting tip, is actually a feature that the system uses to assess and repair minor errors.
The procedure addresses minor configuration and compatibility problems, which might be one of the causes of the SWM issue. Should that be the case, the odds the issue will be fixed are fairly high.
4. Get Your SWM Replaced
Should you go through the three fixes above and still experience the SWM issue with your DirecTV setup, then your last resort, hardware-wise, should be to get a replacement for the component.
The need to replace the SWM might arise out of some sort of damage the component may have suffered. There are various reports of damage to SWM being caused by pets, natural phenomena or even by poorly installation setups.
So, make sure your single wire multiswitch is in perfect condition and, in the event you do notice any sort of damage, get it replaced. The cost of repairing a SWM is usually almost the price of a new one and the lifespan of the replacement will most likely be much longer.
5. Contact Customer Support
Should you attempt all the fixes above and still experience the SWM issue with your DirecTV, you might want to consider contacting their customer support department.
Their highly trained professionals are used to dealing with all sorts of issues, which means they will most likely have a few extra tricks up their sleeves.
Additionally, they can pay you a visit and deal with not only the SWM issue, but whatever problems you might be facing with your TV service. So, go ahead and give them a call!
On a final note, should you come across other easy ways to deal with the SWM issue with DirecTV, make sure to let us know.
Leave a message in the comments section telling us all about how you got around the problem and help us build a stronger community. Also, by sharing your expertise, you will be helping your fellow readers get rid of a few potential headaches.