The system and method described herein is used to determine the type of multi-switch connected to a direct-to-home satellite integrated receiver/decoder. The system looks for a predetermined marker pattern on the first port of a multi-switch using a first type of control signal (e.g., DiSEqC control signals) not knowing if this type of control signal will work, because the type of multi-switch is undetermined. If the marker is found on the first port, the system changes the control signal to address the third port of the multi-switch. If the marker is also acquired from the third port, and the second marker is the same as the first marker, then the multi-switch is ignoring the control signals and the process is repeated using a different pair of multi-switch ports (e.g., ports two and four) and/or a different type of control signal (e.g., tone control signals). However, if a different marker (or no marker) is found on the third port, then the multi-switch is responding to the control signals (e.g., DiSEqC control signals). Therefore, the type of multi-switch is determined (e.g., a DiSEqC type of multi-switch).