Steam Link: Ok, what am I doing wrong. Getting no signal on initial setup.

[Hadrian]

I connected Steam Link to my TV, but I'm getting absolutly no signal. Here's what I have:

My PC is in my bedroom, and my television is in the adjacent room on the other side of the wall. My Comcast modem/router is in the same room as my TV (away from my PC). My PC connects to the router wirelessly.

1) I guess I should stop here and ask if having my PC wirelessly connect to my router is a problem? If so, this is kind of a dumb product.

I connected Steam Link to the HDMI 2 port on my TV, and tuned my television to that input. I've plugged in the power, and plugged the ethernet cable into my modem/router. I plugged in two wireless "Xbox for PC" receivers, and put fresh batteries in both wireless controllers.

After all of that, I'm getting absolutely nothing. I can't even tell if Steam Link is on (there is no power light indicator). I've unplugged and replugged everything. Still nothing.

Any suggestions?

[Kman]

The link works on wireless, although the performance will vary greatly depending on the router and distance.

Your Link doesn't seem to be on, and it doesn't seem to have a physical switch (which I agree, is kind of dumb).
It needs to be turned on with a controller with the Xbox/Steam button, BUT, when I myself tested the link with my wireless Xbox controller, it didn't seem to boot up the link, I originally assumed my Xbox button was dead and used the Steam controller instead. The controller worked fine otherwise.
Now maybe the wireless Xbox controller isn't supported to boot up the Link yet.

As of how you can access your Steam Link anyway, I'm trying to figure some ways, but bumping that thread up could maybe bring more experienced people than me.

[Dan]

Definitely try wiring in your desktop to see if that resolves any of your issues. I haven't seen your specific issue where you can't even see your desktop connection from the link, but if I'm wireless on both ends I get a lot of lag and black screens.

As for turning it on, try using your mouse and keyboard from your desktop.

The biggest frustration I've had so far is getting it in an initial working state. After everything is hooked up it actually works really well and I would expect that maybe you could turn it on with your Xbox controllers.

[Hadrian]

Thanks for the comments, guys, but I continue to be stumped by this.

Again, I have two xbox 360 wireless controllers for windows, along with two wireless receivers - the official ones for windows that came with the controllers.

I noticed that when I plug the wireless receivers into my PC's USB port, just as a test, the little green light comes on the wireless receiver. But when I plug the receivers into the Steam Link, I get no green light. I've tried all three USB ports on the Steam Link. One at a time, two at a time, you name it.

The most frustrating thing is, I have no idea if the Steam Link is "on" or how to turn it on. I've pressed every single button on the xbox 360 controller, including the center button. A green light flashes around the center button but that's about it. Woo-hoo.

I have Steam open on my PC. I have my TV tuned to HDMI2. Is there anything I need to do on the PC side, besides launch Steam and sign in?

Perhaps I have a bad power plug for the Steam Link? I'm at a loss.....

[Kman]

There's something I discovered while fiddiling around with my set up.
If you unplug the Link for say, 10 seconds, and plug it back it should boot up. You should then be able to use it.

To make sure the Link is on, there's light coming out of the ethernet port if there's an ethernet cable pluged in.

I don't think anything should be done PC side, the Link have a boot up screen and menu on its own to connect to the PC.

If you still can't see anything, I'd say try other HDMI ports, you may have already tried that but better check everything.

[Hadrian]

Hi guys, one final update here. After isolating all of the components, I determined that the Steam Link itself was the problem. It did not have light coming out of the ethernet port, which until I purchased a new Steam Link today, I wasn't aware to even look for. The second Steam Link powered up and is working (well sort of, Steam keeps disconnecting and closing itself on the PC end of things but I am only about 10 minutes into figuring out this new problem).

Thanks for all the support.

[Kman]

Steam happen to crash on my end too, but it doesn't really seem random, but triggered by specific games, at least on my end. Launching TF2 lead to a crash no matter what; that didn't happen when I was on the public branch of Steam, so I'll try to switch back to it.
If you are on the beta branch of Steam as well, I'd say try as well to switch back to public and see what happens.

[Private Hotsauce]

I have this same problem, I'm starting to think I might have a bad power plug as well... I switch to HDMI 2 on my TV and I just get a "No Signal" screen.

EDIT: Turned out that the included HDMI cable was the problem. Used a spare 30ft one I had laying around for a space of about 10 inches but at least it works.

[de_stralner1]

I bought the steam link today. I use mac. I switched to beta client. I connected it to my tv. I plugged in my XBox 360 wired controller. Nothing happened. My tv doesn't let me go to hdmi2 if there isn't anything connected. There was something connected. I checked the plug multiple times. It was fine. I replugged my controller multiple times. Nothing. I couldn't tell if it was on or not due to the absence of light indicators. No screen popped up. GG Volvo. You got me. I'm just gonna return it.

Sorry for the choppy writing, not in a good mood today.

[de_stralner1]

Also I do have an ethernet cable but the only plug for it is on a different floor.

[Kman]

Do the ethernet plug on the Steam Link light up?

[de_stralner1]

I can't reach the link with the ethernet because it's plug is on a different floor

[Kman]

To be sure your Link is working, try to plug it near you computer (ethernet and power plug) and see if the ethernet light flickers.
If it doesn't then it may not be working.

[de_stralner1]

I'll try

[de_stralner1]

Actually my ethernet cable is an old one, only had it because I didn't have wi-fi then, so it does not light up.

[Kman]

The cable do not light up, just the ethernet port on the Link.