son disconnected SWM box. now my direct tv doesn't work. ugh

 swm stands for single wire multiiswitch so if there ts one cable connected to your receiver you have a swm if there are two cable then you have  an old multiswitch, weeknees.com and solidsignal.com have wiring diagrams for both

By SWM box I assume you mean the SWM power inserter (see pic).    The coax that feeds towards the dish must be connected to the port marked "power to SWM" and if that coax is connected to a splitter, that coax must be connected to the red power passing port of the splitter.  The other "signal to IRD" port of the power inserter may or may not be connected to a receiver.

The coax is connected to both ports that have "SWM" on it.  What I can't get is the one next to it.  Where does that go connected to?

Don't understand your question.  The power inserter as only one port that has the term "SWM" on it and that port must connect as I outlined.  The other "signal to IRD" port may feed a receiver coax signal or may be capped and unused.

The SWM power inserter (see below) has two entries.  One that says "Signal to IRD" and the other "Power to SWM".  The cable connection coming in from the outside is on the other side of the room.  The technician ran a cable so that it can reach my son's tv.  All I have is that white cable, the receiver box and the SWM power inserter.  I remember seeing two cables screwed in to the receiver box; one white and another black.  That is what I don't know what two cables they were.  I"m assuming the white one connected is the one from the satellite coming in-the other I don't know.  Originally there were both coaxial cables connected and coming out of the SWM power inserter, so I know those go screwed in somewhere.  At this point, this is where I am at.

OK so I think I hit paydirt.  I'm just waiting for my bigscreen t.v. to come on; I brought up 3 out of 4 t.v.s  What I did is connect the cable coming in from the outside satellite to the "Power to SWM", then the  "Signal to IRD" to "Satellite in" on the converter box, then the "out to tv" on the converter box to Cable in on the actual t.v. and voila! 

Yay!  For someone who knew nothing about these boxes, I guess it was a lucky fluke!

Thanks all

You're welcome, glad to see you up and running.  The moral of the story?  Don't move the Power Inserter.