topic Re: Installing wireless router near to electric meter and fuse box... in Broadband

Installing wireless router near to electric meter and fuse box...

jamessealey — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 09:05:19 GMT

Morning All
Am looking at relocating my dads wireless adsl router with a view to tidying things up and having less cables on show (keeps my mum happy ;D) however thought I should first check to see if there are any implications anyone is aware of from installing the router in the same cupboard the electric meter and fuse box are in?
James

Re: Installing wireless router near to electric meter and fuse box...

James — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 09:08:04 GMT

It's possible that there might be an element of interference which could cause poor speeds and disconnections.
However, it's also possible that that won't happen so it wouldn't hurt to try

Re: Installing wireless router near to electric meter and fuse box...

pierre_pierre — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 13:06:05 GMT

also, depending on the construction of the "Cupboard" you might get a significant reduction of WiFi signal

Re: Installing wireless router near to electric meter and fuse box...

jamessealey — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 13:37:27 GMT

WiFi signal currently belts out to the far end of the garden and hits 4 bars on the XP signal meter, have accounted for some reduction of signal strength but don't think it'l be an issue. Especially at this time of year....
I will get everything set up roughly then before I start drilling holes and routing cables just to check James, as you say won't hurt to try, just wanted to make sure I wasn't aware of some weird scenario where placing a wireless router next to an electric meter would result in some portal to a nth Dimension opening open, allowing all manor or nasty creatures etc to break through into this world and end life as we know it!
(Yes I have that Friday feeling today! 8))
James

Re: Installing wireless router near to electric meter and fuse box...

zubel — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 13:47:53 GMT

Hmm.. too much Quake?
Offhand, I can't think of any electrical reason why siting it near to mains lines would cause undue interference. ADSL bottoms out at about ~26kHz and I can't see any harmonics from a 50Hz electricity supply resonating that high.
Might be a different matter if you wanted to put your WAP in the middle of an electricity step-down site, running at 400,000v - the amplitude of the signal might be enough to tamper with the WAP. (although in practice, my office is located about 20 metres away from a pretty large substation and our wireless works fine :P)
The Factory
B.

Re: Installing wireless router near to electric meter and fuse box...

Oldjim — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 13:59:14 GMT

or in my case where the box also has a great big 3 phase relay to control the electric heating system

Re: Installing wireless router near to electric meter and fuse box...

mal0z — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 14:35:32 GMT

Although it's unlikely - also check the low level RF from the router doesn't affect the electricity meter - you don't want it to misread and show you having used more power than you have - of to show too little and you get prosecuted for theft

Re: Installing wireless router near to electric meter and fuse box...

pierre_pierre — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 14:39:22 GMT

Thought it was your socks Barry, looks like you are also close to the filter beds

Re: Installing wireless router near to electric meter and fuse box...

chillypenguin — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 14:42:46 GMT

Just keep the phone cabling well away from the mains, or you could end up wit a buzz on the line.

Re: Installing wireless router near to electric meter and fuse box...

jamessealey — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 15:00:02 GMT

You can't get much closer really Barry can you!
Re RF causing interferance, it's one of the old meters which has the silver disc that spins round and the glass front. I can remember as a kid when bored in the hosue going round swithcing on as much stuff as possible and seeing how fast I could make the disc spin!
Good job I know my dad won't be reading this forum
I'll take some pics when done, probably next weekend, once the install has been successful!
J

Re: Installing wireless router near to electric meter and fuse box...

James — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 15:04:07 GMT

Quote from: jamessealey
Re RF causing interferance, it's one of the old meters which has the silver disc that spins round and the glass front. I can remember as a kid when bored in the hosue going round swithcing on as much stuff as possible and seeing how fast I could make the disc spin!

I so used to do that too!

Re: Installing wireless router near to electric meter and fuse box...

pierre_pierre — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 15:37:56 GMT

you could lash out and get one of those new devices that lets you monitor the usage from your armchair, switch the HiFi - 1000W amp speaker lot and watch the remote display go Ahhhh

Re: Installing wireless router near to electric meter and fuse box...

jamessealey — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 15:55:12 GMT

Nah it wouldn't be any fun now as it would cost me money! Plus using high power consumption kit is cheating, although it is fun when I throw a party and drag out my PA gear and I can get the lights 'dipping' in time with the beat. The neighbours didn't like it at first, but now I just invite them!

Re: Installing wireless router near to electric meter and fuse box...

Alex — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 15:56:11 GMT

Quote from: Jameseh
Quote from: jamessealey
it's one of the old meters which has the silver disc that spins round and the glass front. I can remember as a kid when bored in the hosue going round swithcing on as much stuff as possible and seeing how fast I could make the disc spin!

I so used to do that too!

Yeah brings back memories, used to do that round my parents
I think it was when I first moved out as a student, and I equated that higher spin speed = higher bill, so I stopped!

Re: Installing wireless router near to electric meter and fuse box...

Mav — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 17:17:23 GMT

Quote from: Jameseh
Quote from: jamessealey
Re RF causing interferance, it's one of the old meters which has the silver disc that spins round and the glass front. I can remember as a kid when bored in the hosue going round swithcing on as much stuff as possible and seeing how fast I could make the disc spin!

I so used to do that too!

Me, three. Amazing the things we used to do to amuse ourselves before PCs were invented

Re: Installing wireless router near to electric meter and fuse box...

paulby — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 17:24:15 GMT

Quote from: pierre_pierre
you could lash out and get one of those new devices that lets you monitor the usage from your armchair, switch the HiFi - 1000W amp speaker lot and watch the remote display go Ahhhh

You mean one of these!

Re: Installing wireless router near to electric meter and fuse box...

jamessealey — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 17:25:34 GMT

OK, so starting to feel a little less guilty about my dads electric bills now some other people have 'fessed up to finding similar activites to pass the time!
Still think it's something he never EVER needs to hear about though

Re: Installing wireless router near to electric meter and fuse box...

pierre_pierre — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 17:59:38 GMT

some what like that, several people sell it with there own names on

Re: Installing wireless router near to electric meter and fuse box...

jamessealey — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 17:10:54 GMT

UPDATE
Well the router move was completed last night at my dads house, and was very successful! Pleased to report the router (now living about 2-3 feet from the meter) has synced at 1.9Meg downstream! The old line was lucky to get 1 meg! Who would of thought two phone lines originating from the same exchange and arriving at the same house could be so different!
I did try placing the router right next to the meter to see if there was any interference, but all looked ok, however cabling and asthetics meant i relocated to the bottom of the cupboard. Also, the router move has bizarrly boosted the wifi range considerably, I can now sit in the hotel bar accross the road and get online....