Sound interference from the internet?
Sound interference from the internet?
About a month ago I upgraded my service to 1 gig. I rely on a Google Wi-Fi router with just two Ethernet ports, so I set up a switch to connect other devices. I’m with Distributel and have never experienced stable internet before, but since the upgrade, I’ve noticed my connection drops every few days. Usually I restart the modem and it works again for three or four days—still not perfect but functional. Recently, I saw someone working on the internet outside and they shut down my connection. They mentioned there was a problem with my line causing noise that affected neighbors. They left without returning. My ISP didn’t know anything and said someone would come over Sunday or Monday to fix it. What could be behind this supposed interference?
Something inside your house is causing ingress into the lines. Can be many different things. Some of the more common ones are LED lights and grow lights, but could also be stuff such as HAM Radio and such depending on the upstream frequencies your ISP uses for its upstream channels. Usually these are between 15-40mhz range but can vary depending on the configuration they're spec'd for.
I own many LED lights but lack radios, grow lights, and machinery. It seems like these changes might be connected to the recent service introduction.
In the networking realm there are no such things as random events. Was a fresh splitter added when you received the service upgrade? It seems likely a new modem was installed. Occasionally, if splitters aren't properly capped or terminated to restrict open ports, they might also allow unwanted ingress.
Internet delivered through coaxial cable mainly transmits an RF signal. You're familiar with other RF sources like broadcast TV, cellular phones, and Wi-Fi. Cable providers typically operate between 5 MHz to 950 MHz, though they may extend up to 1.7 GHz depending on the service. These frequency ranges overlap with those used by various other services. For instance, T Mobile owns portions of the 600 MHz band, which falls within the same spectrum as cable companies. If your wiring or connectors are damaged, it can allow external interference into the system. The cable company will identify this noise and isolate it. It seems they monitor disturbances coming from your home.
I’m not sure how they’d handle fixing the problem. It’s been five years here, and this is the first issue I’ve encountered. Probably we’ll just have to wait and observe.
If the problem lies on their side of the network, they resolve it. Outdoor wires are designed to withstand UV rays but aren't completely resistant, so they degrade over time—typically after several decades. If the issue is inside your home, it’s usually your responsibility. This often means swapping out cables or connectors. Still, it might be as basic as an open port. What I mean is, with a 4-port splitter you only use 3 ports, that extra port can create interference. I’ve seen people use splitters to extend wires before, which is a mistake and often causes problems. The correct method would be using a barrel connector instead. The cable company should be able to pinpoint the source of the noise.