Won't start

[bradmaclovin]

When I try to start playing, I connect to my desktop. My desktop screen starts displaying pixelated smoke(?) my tv blacks out and my computer has exited steam and the tv returns to the connect screen. I just bought two of these things ( accidentally) and would really enjoy some help.

[roughnecks]

Did you ever start Big Picture in your Desktop?
"pixelated smoke(?)" makes me think you never saw Big Picture's splash screen before today?

[dragen]

Same situation here, but it only happens over WiFi. If I connect the Steam Link over ethernet, I get no problems.

@roughnecks what's happening is that Big Picture mode starts on the desktop, the stream tries to start on the Steam Link, then the Steam Link disconnects from the network and goes back to the connect screen. I'm not sure if it's a hardware issue like the WiFi card in the Steam Link, perhaps the router itself, or maybe just a software glitch, but I can't even use my Steam Link in any other room than my computer because it won't work on WiFi.

[LikeWhenYouDie]

Same issue. Big picture starts on computer, but steam link kicks back to connecting to network. Can't use wired connection. So, i can't play my steam games. Wonderful.

[attenzionee]

Originally posted by LikeWhenYouDie:

Same issue. Big picture starts on computer, but steam link kicks back to connecting to network. Can't use wired connection. So, i can't play my steam games. Wonderful.

same issue, but i use a wired connection. how the fk can i start games on my TV?

[roughnecks]

Is your Link version up-to-date?

[attenzionee]

Originally posted by roughnecks:

Is your Link version up-to-date?

i think so. recieved it yesterday and link just updated three times at the first start.

[LikeWhenYouDie]

Originally posted by roughnecks:

Is your Link version up-to-date?

Yep, both link and steam client up to date.

[dragen]

100% updated, even reset the thing and updated again. No luck.

[LikeWhenYouDie]

Valve apparently doesn't want us to use their service.
Buy a Steam Link they say, play your games on your tv they say. Lies. I've bought a piece of hardware, which is useless. Bought games, I now won't play. Jokes on me I guess. Congrats Valve.

[Xjph]

Are you able to enter Big Picture Mode on your desktop without streaming? It sounds like the streaming starts up okay and Steam just crashes after the Big Picture starting animation.

[LikeWhenYouDie]

Originally posted by Vithigar:

Are you able to enter Big Picture Mode on your desktop without streaming? It sounds like the streaming starts up okay and Steam just crashes after the Big Picture starting animation.

Yep. I can start big picture directly from the PC just fine, and still not connect.
Connecting from Steam Link actually fires big picture on the PC. It starts connecting, launches big picture, and then decides 'nevermind'. Go to PC, and big picture mode is up and running, fully able to navigate using the PC itself. But, will never actually connect, weither or not big picture is already running on PC, aside from sometimes a second or so of the initial loading animation.

[roughnecks]

Have you tried streaming to a different client (another PC, maybe)? You know, just to check if streaming works at all and Link is the real problem.

[LikeWhenYouDie]

Originally posted by roughnecks:

Have you tried streaming to a different client (another PC, maybe)? You know, just to check if streaming works at all and Link is the real problem.

Streaming too and from wife's laptop works just fine. Link can't stream from either my PC or her Laptop.
Oddly, Link worked when I first hooked up it. But then didn't play with it for a couple months, as I was finishing up a PS4 game. Going back, nothing network wise or computer wise changed, but now it refuses to work. Even tried factory reset on Link. No firewall on computer, or router. After which, been through a few port fowarding guides. Even tried making PC DMZ, as well as Link DMZ. Changed wifi channel a couple times in case neighbors were interfering.
PC is wired, both Link and Laptop are wireless. Would love to try to wire the Link, but unless I run a 100 foot cord across my house...

[dragen]

Has anyone gotten this to work at all? I'm still having the same issues of it being unusable.

[bradmaclovin]

I'm the one that started this whole conversation and the answer is no.