Has my microwave destroyed my 4g router?
Discussion
We have a 4g router (DLink DW920) That has worked fine for 18 months, kept in the back bedroom.
Last week whilst decorating the bedroom we temporarily relocated the router to the kitchen, on the window ledge about 18 inches away from the microwave.
We soon realised that when the microwave was on it was interfering with the router and causing it to drop the signal so we moved the router back to the bedroom where its previously always worked fine, but now it seems to be permanently damaged and is constantly dropping the signal every 5 minutes or so and taking many many attempts to re-establish a connection to the Internet despite the signal being very strong.
So has the microwave permenantly fried it?
Last week whilst decorating the bedroom we temporarily relocated the router to the kitchen, on the window ledge about 18 inches away from the microwave.
We soon realised that when the microwave was on it was interfering with the router and causing it to drop the signal so we moved the router back to the bedroom where its previously always worked fine, but now it seems to be permanently damaged and is constantly dropping the signal every 5 minutes or so and taking many many attempts to re-establish a connection to the Internet despite the signal being very strong.
So has the microwave permenantly fried it?
Edited by Dylano on Monday 27th February 17:35
I wouldn't have thought so unless it was in the microwave.
The Microwave will affect the wifi signal and it may have caused the router to consider interference and alter channel selection. So I would probably manually set a sensible channel or do a factory reset on the router and give it a couple of days.
The Microwave will affect the wifi signal and it may have caused the router to consider interference and alter channel selection. So I would probably manually set a sensible channel or do a factory reset on the router and give it a couple of days.
I have tried pressing the reset button numerous times and also left it fully switched off for 24 hours but it's still just as bad.
Still Constantly dropping the signal and then refusing to immediately pick up the signal straight away again if you switch it off-on.
Have to switch it off for at least 30 mins before attempting to re-establish a connection and then your lucky if it lasts 10 minutes before dropping out again.
The signal strength from my ISP is fine for the brief periods we do get a connection, 15-20 mbps.
Still Constantly dropping the signal and then refusing to immediately pick up the signal straight away again if you switch it off-on.
Have to switch it off for at least 30 mins before attempting to re-establish a connection and then your lucky if it lasts 10 minutes before dropping out again.
The signal strength from my ISP is fine for the brief periods we do get a connection, 15-20 mbps.
I have read that "acceptable" levels of leakage from a microwave can effect the signal to a router as they both work on the same frequency 2.4ghz, but I'm not finding anything to suggest it can result in permenant damage as mine appears to have suffered!
I'd be surprised if the microwave is badly leaking, it's a good quality relatively new one that's had little use.
I'd be surprised if the microwave is badly leaking, it's a good quality relatively new one that's had little use.
I also query the microwave. They are powerful things.
One story I have heard during some training was an area around Lincoln where mobiles and emergency radios were at random cutting out. Ofcom eventually traced the source to a fish and chip shop who got bored with opening and closing their microwave door, removed it and bypassed the safety cutout.
Needless to say they lost their microwave!
One story I have heard during some training was an area around Lincoln where mobiles and emergency radios were at random cutting out. Ofcom eventually traced the source to a fish and chip shop who got bored with opening and closing their microwave door, removed it and bypassed the safety cutout.
Needless to say they lost their microwave!
It won't be the microwave.
Annoyingly, it's not a black & white answer, as there are a number of things it could be, from struggling to find a Wifi channel due to 'noise', damaged cable (coz you moved/disconnected it) or connection back to the exchange still settling down.
First port of call: Check the connection from the hub to the interweb. Get a network cable and plug yourself in. If it's fine, your problem is with the wifi... If not, your problem is with the back haul to the exchange.
HTH
M
Annoyingly, it's not a black & white answer, as there are a number of things it could be, from struggling to find a Wifi channel due to 'noise', damaged cable (coz you moved/disconnected it) or connection back to the exchange still settling down.
First port of call: Check the connection from the hub to the interweb. Get a network cable and plug yourself in. If it's fine, your problem is with the wifi... If not, your problem is with the back haul to the exchange.
HTH
M
Thank you for the further replies.
I'm still convinced the microwave was interfering with the signal when it was in the kitchen but why it's remaining problematic now it's been moved back into the bedroom is a mystery.
I think pretty unlikely I damaged it whilst moving it, I was careful with it.
The back bedroom receives by far the strongest 4g signal than anywhere else in the house so I don't see why it should be struggling now when it's had no problem connecting to and maintaining a connection there for the past 18 months.
Can actually hear the router make a clear 'tick' sound every time it drops the connection.
I'm still convinced the microwave was interfering with the signal when it was in the kitchen but why it's remaining problematic now it's been moved back into the bedroom is a mystery.
I think pretty unlikely I damaged it whilst moving it, I was careful with it.
The back bedroom receives by far the strongest 4g signal than anywhere else in the house so I don't see why it should be struggling now when it's had no problem connecting to and maintaining a connection there for the past 18 months.
Can actually hear the router make a clear 'tick' sound every time it drops the connection.
Dylano said:
Can actually hear the router make a clear 'tick' sound every time it drops the connection.
Hmm, seems strange. Have you done anything to the socket it plugs in to?I'd get onto the web interface of the device and check any system logs to check if it's just losing signal or actually rebooting itself.
Well just for anyone who's interested it does finally seem to have fixed itself (I'm a complete tech luddite, "Web interface" is utterly lost on me!)
After leaving it unplugged for a further 12 hours it did seem to finally be maintaining an Internet connection BUT another problem then arose in that it was requiring the password to be entered for any devices trying to connect to it and even though I was 100% entering the correct password it just kept saying it was incorrect.
As a final throw of the dice before I introduced it to my lump hammer I pressed the reset button again and that finally did the trick, it is now allowing devices it recognises to connect to it and has continued to hold the Internet connection.
After leaving it unplugged for a further 12 hours it did seem to finally be maintaining an Internet connection BUT another problem then arose in that it was requiring the password to be entered for any devices trying to connect to it and even though I was 100% entering the correct password it just kept saying it was incorrect.
As a final throw of the dice before I introduced it to my lump hammer I pressed the reset button again and that finally did the trick, it is now allowing devices it recognises to connect to it and has continued to hold the Internet connection.
Trust me...Microwaves blat out a lot of RF. Keeping 1000 watts of 2.4Ghz RF inside a metal box with a door and a mesh window is not possible.
You really shouldn't have anything with an antenna too near to it.
Don't believe me? Get yourself an SDR and tune it to around 2.4Ghz. Marvel at the noise they generate from a few feet.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6N3P842Nay8
You really shouldn't have anything with an antenna too near to it.
Don't believe me? Get yourself an SDR and tune it to around 2.4Ghz. Marvel at the noise they generate from a few feet.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6N3P842Nay8
Timothy Bucktu said:
Trust me...Microwaves blat out a lot of RF. Keeping 1000 watts of 2.4Ghz RF inside a metal box with a door and a mesh window is not possible.
You really shouldn't have anything with an antenna too near to it.
Don't believe me? Get yourself an SDR and tune it to around 2.4Ghz. Marvel at the noise they generate from a few feet.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6N3P842Nay8
I agree.You really shouldn't have anything with an antenna too near to it.
Don't believe me? Get yourself an SDR and tune it to around 2.4Ghz. Marvel at the noise they generate from a few feet.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6N3P842Nay8
I'm still convinced it was the microwave that caused the issue to arise in the first place rather than it just being a coincidence.
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