Significance How neuronal circuits maintain stable activity despite continuous environmental changes is one of the most intriguing questions in neuroscience. Previous studies proposed that deficits in homeostatic control systems may underlie common neurological symptoms in a variety of brain disorders. However, the key regulatory molecules that control homeostasis of central neural circuits remain obscure. We show here that basal activity of GABA B receptors is required for firing rate homeostasis in hippocampal networks. We identified the principal mechanisms by which GABA B receptors control homeostatic augmentation of synaptic strength to chronic neuronal silencing. We propose that deficits in GABA B receptor signaling, associated with epilepsy and psychiatric disorders, may lead to aberrant brain activity by erasing homeostatic plasticity.