Once the Australian entertainment company Dish first developed the Hopper, TV-watching instantly became something else. As the company’s CEO unveiled the Hopper in the 2012 International CES, the DVR system began treading a path of awards and prizes for its innovative features.
From then, DISH customers were presented with the Joey, which brought the home entertainment game into a whole new level. With the Joeys, TV shows recorded by the Hopper could be simultaneously enjoyed everywhere else in the house.
The only thing Hoppers asked in return was a stable internet connection that could maintain the connection between the device and the server. As with the Joeys, the same kind of connection was demanded, as the satellite devices had to always keep in touch with the Hopper to streamline the content onto another TV set.
But what happens when the internet connection is not stable enough to keep the devices paired and running? The answer to that question has been sought out by many users in online forums and Q&A communities all over the internet.
As reported by these users, there is an issue that hinders the Joey from maintaining the connection with the Hopper and, consequently, causing the connection to break.
For sure, there are issues that might affect the functioning of the Hoppers and Joeys, in the same way every other electronic device that works with an internet connection is prone to suffer with eventual problems.
However, should you find yourself amongst those users, bear with us as we walk you through five easy fixes any user can attempt in order to get rid of the disconnection issue with Hoppers and Joeys.
The best thing is that none of the five fixes can cause any damage to the equipment, so go ahead and walk through them to get your connection up and running.
How To Fix Joey Keeps Losing Connection To Hopper
- Check Your Network Connection
First things first. The lack of an internet connection, or even a lack of stability will cause a disruption in the signal between the devices and break the streamline. So, before troubleshooting the devices, let’s first check if the internet connection is working properly.
The easiest way to have your internet connection checked is to open your browser and load any webpage. As the page is being loaded, keep an eye for a possible lower speed, as that may already be an indicator that your connection is not working as it should be.
In the event you do notice anything, close all the browser’s tabs and Windows and give your modem or router a restart. Forget about reset buttons on the back on the device and simply disconnect the power cord from the modem or router. Then, give it at least two minutes before plugging the power cord back onto the device.
Although the restart procedure is underestimated by many, it actually works as a highly effective troubleshooting process. Not only for checking and correcting minor configuration issues, but also for clearing the cache from unnecessary temporary files and getting the device to resume its activity from a fresh starting point.
So, every time you feel like there is something wrong with your internet connection, go ahead and just reset your modem or router before trying anything more difficult.
Just keep in mind that, should it happen too often, you might want to consider contacting your ISP, or Internet Service Provider, to have the connection checked.
- Remove All Possible Coax Lines
It is not always possible to perform a stable connection between the Hopper and the Joeys without the use of an intermediate. There are all kinds of houses and buildings, and it often happens that obstacles may be in the way.
Additionally, some of these obstacles might not be properly overcome without a diplexer or a splitter.
Even though diplexers and splitters come in handy when one has to go around walls or cover longer distances between the Hopper and the Joeys, they can also be the source of a connection issue.
Therefore, should you be experiencing loss of connection between the Hopper and the Joeys, we strongly recommend you remove all possible diplexers and splitters.
Also, as you are altering the connection flow, give the devices a restart by unplugging their power cords and giving them a minute before plugging it back again.
By doing so, you will allow both devices to restart fresh and redo the connection without any intermediates that might be causing the disruption.
Not every diplexer or splitter may be removed, since some of them are actually what is allowing the connection between the Hopper and the Joey to be established.
Nevertheless, as these gadgets have been reported too often as the cause of the disconnection issue, you might want to rethink the whole setup of Hoppers and Joeys in your house in order to avoid using them.
Should it be impossible to have them removed, there is always the chance a restart of both devices will restore the connection and get them working properly once again.
- Set Up A Wired Connection
As it has been reported, many users are experiencing the disconnecting issue due to a poorly established wireless connection. Fortunately, the developers thought about it and inserted a coaxial port for ethernet cables on both the Hopper and the Joey.
That is to say, they never trusted all customers would have a proper wireless connection, and these ports would allow them to enjoy home entertainment of the best quality through the use of cables.
Therefore, should you attempt the two first fixes and still experience the disconnecting issue between the hopper and the joeys, go ahead and set up a wired connection.
Apart from enabling a wired connection, the developers of the Hopper and the Joey also made it possible through a dedicated cable, which is called MoCA. Standing for ‘Multimedia over Coax’, this connection delivers the same speed and stability as an Ethernet cable, but through the coaxial cord.
That means you won’t have to remove the Ethernet cable you have connected to your modem or router to use it with the hopper. So, go ahead and set up a wired connection between your Hopper and your Joey and have them streamlining the content with great speed and stability.
Additionally, once the wired setup is properly established, you can configure a wireless connection once again and lose the coaxial cables that might be running through your living room.
- Check The Connection’s Health In The Menu
Before you get your hands dirty and start setting up wired connections or going through all possible wireless network troubleshooting tips, take a look at the status of the connection between the devices.
In order to do so, go to the general settings through the main menu and locate the diagnostics tab. Once you get there, find the system info section and check the status of the network connectivity of the receivers.
Once you are there, check if there are at least four green bars in the connection status, as that is the minimum amount of signal the joey needs to properly function. Should you notice less than four green bars, give your receiver a restart and allow it to perform a reconnection afterwards.
- Check Your Cables
As mentioned above, one of the possible fixes of the disconnecting issue is to setup a wired connection between the Hopper and the Joeys. Nevertheless, should the connection be established through frayed or malfunctioning cables, the result might not be that great.
This is because the cable’s health is directly responsible for the quality of the connection. Make sure the cables are in optimal condition and, should that not be the case, have them replaced by original ones.
By ensuring the cables are in proper condition, you will be giving your DVR and satellite system a better chance to work properly.
In the end, you can always contact the company’s customer support and explain the issue. Their highly trained professionals will be glad to aid you with their expertise and, should it need it, schedule a technical visit to repair any possible setup issues with your Hopper and Joeys.
On a final note, should you find out about other ways to repair the disconnecting issue with hopper and joey, make sure to let us know in the comments section as that might help other readers getting rid of this issue.
Hey my dish hopper going blank and coming back on i tried resetting but it keeps doing the same thing and suggestions.