Connecting Humax TV boxes to WiFi Troubleshooting tips

If you are having issues connecting your Humax TV box to your Wi-Fi network these troubleshooting tips may assist you in getting it working.

1. Move the WiFi dongle to another USB port

Sometimes the position of the WiFi dongle can make a difference, so try moving the wireless dongle to the USB port on the other side of the box. If you have it plugged into the back, move it to the front (or vice versa). Switch the Humax box to standby when you remove and insert the dongle.

2. Add a USB extension cable

Sometimes moving the dongle away from the Humax box can make a big difference. to do this, purchase a USB Extension cable. Plug your WiFi dongle into one end, and plug the other end into the USB port at the back of the Humax box. Place the dongle as high as you can, and away from other electronic boxes - like your TV or amplifier- but avoid confined spaces or heat sources such as radiators which could cause the dongle to over heat. That will usually result in a better signal and thus a more reliable connection.

3. Distance from router

If there are obstacles between where the Humax box is installed and your wireless router or the distance is more than 5 metres you may not get a stable wireless network so try moving them closer together. Sometimes it helps to use a USB extension cable to position the USB wireless dongle in a location where it can get a stronger wireless signal from your router.

4. SSID network name length

Long SSID / WiFI network names, can prevent the Humax boxes from connecting. If you are unable to connect the Humax TV box to your wireless network and your network has a long name (longer than 15 character) then try shortening the name, in your router's settings. We suggest ones less than 15 characters in length, and with just letters and numbers in the name. No spaces or extended characters.

5. WPA or WPA2 passphrase length or spaces in password

Spaces or other extended character in the password or a very long WPA or WPA2 passwords can prevent the Humax box from connecting to a wireless network. We suggest using a password of maximum 10 characters long with just letters and numbers, with no spaces or other characters. Once you have changed the password in your router you will need to also change the password on the Humax box, and any other wireless devices that you have.

6. WEP security Key in lower case

If your router is using WEP security you should enter your WEP security key in lower case, without any colons, dashes or spaces.

7. Router needs rebooting

Sometimes you will need to switch off all networked devices, including the Humax, and then switch your router off for 30 seconds. When you switch the router back on, wait 5 minutes for the router to fully come online. Now when you turn the Humax on it should be able to get an address from your router.

8. Wireless channel setting in router

Wireless channels 1 to 4 cannot reliably be used with the Humax TV boxes. Most routers come with the wireless channel set to Auto so to make sure your router does not use channels 1, 2, 3 or 4 set it to Manual and select a channel higher than 4. Try setting it to 6 or 11.

If your Humax box drops the wireless connection a few seconds after establishing the connection, or it cannot connect at all, or the Humax can see nearby WiFi networks but cannot see your WiFi network try setting your wireless router to use a specific wireless channel instead of using Auto. Try channel 6 or 11. You can normally change this setting after logging into your router's admin webpage by entering the router's IP address in your web browser's address bar. If you need help on this, please consult your router's user manual or call your router manufacturer's support line.

9. Wireless security type setting on router

Sometimes you will need to set your router's wireless security type, or encryption type, to WPA or WPA2. Having your router set to a combined WPA/WPA2 or "WPA and WPA2" setting can prevent your Humax box from connecting to your wireless network. Also ensure if you have MAC address filtering enabled to either disable or add the WiFi adapter MAC address to the allowed list.

10. Test without any wireless security

If your Wi-Fi router supports extra wireless bands or modes try disabling any that you do not use or need. Some devices like the Humax and older tablets, Windows PCs and Mac computers,do not support 40MHz mode (aka wide mode) or the 5GHz band. Disabling them may reduce interference issues and free up more available bandwidth. 

13. Check your Humax box supports using this dongle

The WiFi dongle is not Compatible with 1st generation Humax Freesat & Freeview boxes,Humax Foxsat HD, Humax Foxsat HDR or Humax Freeview PRV-9300.

14. Interference from other devices

Ensure that any other devices like baby monitors, wireless doorbells or microwave ovens are not active when you are using the dongle as they can cause interference and drop outs of the WIFI signal.

WIFI signal bandwidth is split between all devices on the network, so if you already have several devices connected to your WIFI such as laptops, phones, tablet PCs, smart speakers etc there might not be enough spare bandwidth for reliable streaming. So you can try switching off other devices on your WIFI network and see if that helps with a more stable internet connection.

15. Update your Humax DVR software

Some models of Humax DVR's did not support using wireless dongles out of the factory and require an update to the DVRs firmware in order to enable this function. Please visit the Humax support website and look for any software updates for your Humax model number. You will then need to download this software update file onto a USB memory stick and insert it into your DVR USB port and follow through the instructions to update the software. After updating it should then allow you to use the Wi-Fi dongle on your Humax box