Wireless Interference

[reflexboy]

I have a BT Voyager 2110 wireless router. My next door neighbour has a new Hotpoint washing machine with an electronic control panel. Everytime my router is on and I'm on the net it affects the spin cycle of his washing machine, causing it to stop or behave erratically. At first he though it was a fault with the machine so the engineer replaced various components to no avail. They then replaced the machine with another brand new identical model. The problem still persists. We have proved that the router is the cause of his washing machine problems by running several wash cycles with and without my router on. has anyone else heard of or suffered the same problem, and short of re-locating my router where do I go from here?

 

[Alfie]

I have a BT Voyager 2110 wireless router. My next door neighbour has a new Hotpoint washing machine with an electronic control panel. Everytime my router is on and I'm on the net it affects the spin cycle of his washing machine, causing it to stop or behave erratically. At first he though it was a fault with the machine so the engineer replaced various components to no avail. They then replaced the machine with another brand new identical model. The problem still persists. We have proved that the router is the cause of his washing machine problems by running several wash cycles with and without my router on. has anyone else heard of or suffered the same problem, and short of re-locating my router where do I go from here?

You could try putting a lead screen around the aerial between the router and wherever his washing machine is!

 

[Howard]

At work our wireless router drops the connection every so often ....

We think we have isolated it to when the central heating boiler turns on , say when the thermostat turns it on or when someone runs some hot water ...

So we think that the boiler is putting out some electrical interference ...

Surprised to hear that it is happening the other way round ....

 

[w124coupe]

Does your router have an external aerial?

If so, one of these http://www.tritium.co.uk/ will block most of the signal "behind" the dish and will also greatly improve cover in front of the dish.

Looks a bit weird but works very well.....

Otherwise its really down to the neighbour changing washer brands - if Wifi affects the machine then so will DECT phones and Microwave ovens - a case for "not fit for purpose" in a home environment?

 

[reflexboy]

At work our wireless router drops the connection every so often ....

We think we have isolated it to when the central heating boiler turns on , say when the thermostat turns it on or when someone runs some hot water ...

So we think that the boiler is putting out some electrical interference ...

Surprised to hear that it is happening the other way round ....

Me too! Its weird. Working for BT and working on faults, I have never come accross anything like this. My router is screwed to the wall between my house and my neighbour, and his washing machine is directly the other side. He also recons the signal strength of his freeview box reduces when I'm online???

 

[Howard]

Perhaps you could come and have a look at ours 'unofficially'

A lot of the time recently , my laptop will see the network , but either will not connect to it , or more regularly, will connect at 54mbps and have an Excellent signal , but pages will literally take 4 or 5 minutes to load ....

Apparently , there is a problem with the lines down here according to one of our resident lock keepers , to sort his home one out ( that had the same problem ) , BT pretty much had to run a new line to his house (noise on the line or something )

Any ideas ... sorry for hijacking it a bit ....

 

[w124coupe]

Another thought - your router will have a setup screen to set the channel for Wifi use (it might be set to "auto").

Channels 1, 6 and 11 are farthest "apart" - test each one and see if that stops the washing machine responding.

Or the neighbour could try a DIY Faraday cage - a piece of grounded metal flyscreen around the machine control panel.

 

[w124coupe]

Howard, don't confuse the signal between PC and router with the state of the connection from router to the ADSL line.

When you get your delay, it might be the router going through a re-sync - you can log onto the router and look through its logs.

If it is resyncing a lot, place a call for fault repair on the line (but make sure first that you have ADSL filters on ALL sockets with phones etc plugged in - don't forget sky boxes, dial-out alarms etc - they all need filters or will affect your broadband.

Also worth making sure the firmware on your router is up to date.

 

[reflexboy]

Howard, I have worked at your lock several times over the years and the cable that feeds the telegraph pole by the cottage is buried underground in the woods between the pole and Riverside Drive,(where you let us drive our vans in) . It's been a bit 'tempremental' for years, but typical BT, they won't spend money replacing the entire length, just sections of it. Also, as you are fed from Richmond Telephone Exchange (Sheen Road)you are right on the outer limits distance/cable length wise, to get broadband. A collegue of mine lives nearby in Ham and only just about manages 1 Meg. The lock is even further.

 

[reflexboy]

Perhaps you could come and have a look at ours 'unofficially'

Depends how good your 'unofficial' tea making skills are?

 

[Howard]

My tea making skills are unsurpassed in the Western world , i'm a lock keeper remember , 6 months of my year is spent doing nothing but making tea ....

The router is run by a 'hot spot' company, and we have a free account as it's on our site ......

It is on a dedicated broadband line that BT installed specifically for it , as the Agency wouldn't allow them to use one of our lines , would our normal phones need filters or only anything connected to that particular line ?

I can't comment on any of the firmware or the router diagnostics as i don't have access to that , but i would suppose that being that it's their business and what they do for a living that the hot spot company would keep everything updated ...... wouldn't they ?

Who knows , if it's run anything like our company , they're lucky their still in business

Thanks for the help BTW ... it's much appreciated .... :bannana:

 

[Howard]

Ah , the pole by the cottage ...

It must get about 30 gallons of dog wee a day over it ......

 

[reflexboy]

Ah , the pole by the cottage ...

It must get about 30 gallons of dog wee a day over it ......

Nice. Sorry, can't climb the pole to check the line as the dog wee has probably rotted it and I would have to deem the pole unsafe to climb! One sugar for me.Off the the pub for an emergency pint. Catch up soon mate

 

[Howard]

Yeah take care !

 

[Storm]

I don't know if this has been resolved - but it's highly unusual that a wireless router would affect another electrical device that doesn't communicated without wires.

If it was interfering with your baby monitor or DECT phones I would understand, but a neighbours washing machine - it just sounds unlikely - still if you've been able to prove that it is having an effect on it then fair enough.

Either way, as someone said before, it's not really your problem - the washing machine is clearly flawed if a weak wireless signal is causing it's programming to fault, the same issues will likely occur if any wireless devices are used also (phones, baby monitors) and maybe by other sources of interference/radiation (hoovers, microwaves).

I'd advise your neighbour to get shot of it.