When your Sky box shows no signal, or the message “No satellite signal is being received”, start with the quick fixes. Wait out heavy rain or snow, restart the box at the wall, and check that the dish cables are finger tight in the back. If the message stays, the cause is usually a loose or wet cable, a faulty LNB or a dish that has moved. Most of these you can check yourself before you book a Sky engineer.
This guide covers Sky Q, Sky+ HD and older Sky digiboxes in the UK and Ireland. It also helps with Freesat boxes, which use the same kind of dish.
First, Check Which Sky Box You Have
- Sky Q: the main box is usually white, and the remote says Sky Q. It uses a wideband LNB on the dish.
- Sky+ HD: a black box with two cable sockets marked LNB 1 and LNB 2.
- Old Sky digibox: a standard definition box, now very rare.
- Sky Glass or Sky Stream: these work over the internet and do not use a dish. If you see a signal error on one of these, check your broadband, not the dish.
Is It a Sky Box No Signal Problem or a TV Problem?
Look at what is on screen. If the Sky box shows its own message, such as “No satellite signal” with the Sky menu around it, the box is working but cannot hear the dish. Keep reading.
If the TV shows plain “No Signal” or “No Input”, the TV is not receiving anything from the Sky box. Check the HDMI cable and choose the right input on the TV remote. Our guide on how to fix no signal on TV covers that case.
Quick Fixes for Sky Box No Signal
1. Check the weather
Very heavy rain, snow or a thick storm can block the satellite signal for a short time. Snow or ice sitting on the dish has the same effect. If the message appeared during bad weather, wait until it passes. The picture usually comes back on its own.
2. Restart the Sky box
Switch the box off at the wall, wait 30 seconds, then switch it back on. Give it a few minutes to start up fully. This clears many short faults, especially on Sky Q, which shuts down its satellite tuners if it misses a signal for a while.
3. Check the cables at the back of the box
Switch off at the wall first. Then check that each dish cable is screwed on finger tight. Sky Q and Sky+ HD use more than one cable from the dish, so check them all. Look for a bent centre pin or a cable that has been pulled tight behind furniture.
4. Run the signal check
On Sky Q, go to Settings, then Status, and look at the satellite signal. It should say locked, with readings for strength and quality. On Sky+ HD, go to Services, then System Setup, then Signal Test. If every tuner shows zero, the box is not hearing the dish at all. If only one tuner is low, that cable or one output of the LNB is the likely fault.
5. Swap the cables
On boxes with two or more inputs, switch off at the wall, swap the cables over and switch on again. If the fault moves with the cable, the problem is that cable or its LNB output, not the box.
Check the Cable From the Dish
Follow the cable from the box to the dish where you safely can. Look for these problems:
- A cable crushed in a window or door frame.
- Cuts, cracks or chew marks from pets or rodents.
- Joints wrapped in ordinary tape, which lets water in.
- Green or white rust on the F connectors at either end.
A wet or damaged cable is a very common cause. Satellite grade coax such as WF100 or PF100 should be used for the whole run, with connectors sealed against rain. Our guide on choosing coaxial cable for satellite TV explains what to look for.
Check the Sky Dish and LNB
Has the dish moved?
Strong wind, a falling branch or work on the house can knock a dish a few degrees, which is enough to lose the signal. In the UK, Sky dishes point at the Astra satellites at 28.2 degrees East. That means they face roughly south east and tilt slightly up. If yours now faces a different way to your neighbours’ dishes, it has probably moved.
Look for new obstacles too. A tree in full leaf, a new extension or scaffolding in front of the dish can all block the signal.
Is the LNB faulty?
The LNB is the unit at the end of the dish arm. It picks up the signal and sends it down the cable. Signs of a failing LNB include picture breakups on many channels before the signal drops, and faults that come and go with the weather or temperature. Water inside the LNB cover is another common cause. Sky Q needs a special wideband LNB, so a standard quad LNB from an older Sky setup will not work with it. Our guide on how to fix LNB on a satellite dish explains how to test and replace one.
Should you realign the dish yourself?
Only if you can reach it safely. Many Sky dishes are high on a wall and need a long ladder. If you are confident, our guide on how to align a satellite dish without a meter shows the method. Note the dish position before you loosen anything, and move it in tiny steps.
What About Error 25 and Error 29?
Older Sky+ and Sky+ HD boxes sometimes add an error number to the no satellite signal message, such as 25 or 29. These are still signal faults, not subscription problems, so paying again or resetting your account will not fix them. Work through the same steps: weather, restart, cables, signal test, then the dish and LNB.
Sky Box No Signal on a Communal Dish
If you live in a block of flats, your Sky box may share one dish on the roof. If your neighbours also have no signal, the fault is in the shared system, so contact your landlord or building management. They will usually arrange an approved installer. If only your flat is affected, check the cable and wall socket in your own home first.
When to Call Sky
Contact Sky if the signal check still shows nothing after you have restarted the box, checked the cables and ruled out the weather. Sky can run remote checks on your box and book an engineer to test the dish, LNB and cabling. If you rent or have a Sky protection plan, check what it covers before you pay for a private installer. Visit the official Sky Help site to run their guided troubleshooting or arrange a visit.
How to Stop Sky Signal Problems Coming Back
- Seal outdoor connectors. Self amalgamating tape or rubber boots keep rain out of the LNB connections.
- Trim trees each year. Branches grow into the dish’s view slowly, and the signal drops when the leaves come in.
- Check the bracket. A rusty or loose wall bracket lets the dish drift in the wind. Tighten or replace it before it fails.
- Keep cables tidy indoors. Do not bend them sharply behind the TV unit or trap them under furniture.
- Leave the box in standby. Sky boxes download updates overnight. Leaving them switched off at the wall for long periods can cause problems when you turn them back on.
A quick look at the dish and cables twice a year, especially before winter, catches most problems early. If you want to set up a new Sky box or remote, see our guide on how to set up a Sky TV box.
Common Questions
Why does my Sky box say no satellite signal when the weather is fine?
Usually a loose or wet cable, a faulty LNB or a dish that has moved. Restart the box, check the cables, then run the signal check to see which tuner has lost signal.
Will a reset delete my recordings?
Switching the box off at the wall does not delete recordings. A full factory reset can, so only do that if Sky tells you to.
Can I watch Sky without the dish while I wait for a fix?
Yes. The Sky Go app lets most customers watch many channels on a phone, tablet or laptop over the internet.
What direction do Sky dishes face?
In the UK, they face roughly south east, towards the Astra satellites at 28.2 degrees East. The exact angle depends on where you live.
Fixing Sky Box No Signal Step by Step
Most Sky box no signal problems come down to the weather, a box that needs a restart, a loose or wet cable, a faulty LNB or a dish that has moved. Check them in that order, use the signal check to narrow it down, and call Sky if the readings stay at zero. For other satellite services, see our wider guide on what to do when your satellite dish says no signal.
Frenzy valentine is a passionate blogger, developer, and entrepreneur. He is the founder and author of myfreshgists.com.