WI-FI and weather(thunderstorms)
07-03-2008, 09:42 AM
#1
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A question for you folks in parts of the world where thunderstorms are common? Do thunder/lightning storms disrupt your WI-FI?
Last night we had very strong thunder and lightning which is very unusual for the Pacific Northwest. Around the time of the storm it appears all WI-FI was jammed in my area. None of my devices could connect to the router wirelessly. My TIVO and TV all lost their IPs and I could not connect the wireless bridge. I thought maybe the router went bad except my wired internet worked fine. I could log into the router and all the WI-FI setting looked fine. Then on the laptop and I could not see any of the wireless networks in the neighborhood. It was like they all just disappeared.
This morning I turned on the laptop and I can see several WI-FI networks from around the area and was able to connect to mine, yet the thunder and lightning continue.
Has anyone else experienced this type of total blackout of WI-FI? Maybe the NSA was jamming us.
Last night we had very strong thunder and lightning which is very unusual for the Pacific Northwest. Around the time of the storm it appears all WI-FI was jammed in my area. None of my devices could connect to the router wirelessly. My TIVO and TV all lost their IPs and I could not connect the wireless bridge. I thought maybe the router went bad except my wired internet worked fine. I could log into the router and all the WI-FI setting looked fine. Then on the laptop and I could not see any of the wireless networks in the neighborhood. It was like they all just disappeared.
This morning I turned on the laptop and I can see several WI-FI networks from around the area and was able to connect to mine, yet the thunder and lightning continue.
Has anyone else experienced this type of total blackout of WI-FI? Maybe the NSA was jamming us.
07-03-2008, 09:48 AM
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Sounds more like a power outage might have caused it! 
07-03-2008, 09:58 AM
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The symptoms you describe do sound quite strange but I agree that the issue(s) were probably related to an electrical disturbance within your home or with some of your equipment. I don't think there's any connection between a thunderstorm and the presence of (or lack of) the WiFi radio signal...
07-03-2008, 10:27 AM
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Originally Posted by Rudy' post='615559' date='Jul 3 2008, 12:58 PM
The symptoms you describe do sound quite strange but I agree that the issue(s) were probably related to an electrical disturbance within your home or with some of your equipment. I don't think there's any connection between a thunderstorm and the presence of (or lack of) the WiFi radio signal...
Maybe, but the laptop was not on the grid and I could not see my neighbours. I also did not see any surge or dimming of lights and applicances.
07-03-2008, 11:15 AM
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Originally Posted by noonehome' post='615579' date='Jul 3 2008, 02:27 PM
Maybe, but the laptop was not on the grid and I could not see my neighbours. I also did not see any surge or dimming of lights and applicances.
MICROSOFT!
(that is unless you are using a Mac or Linux in the Seattle area -- is that even legal over there?
)
07-03-2008, 01:12 PM
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There is such a thing as "rain fade" for wireless communications, but is only a consideration for systems operating at frequencies above 20 GHz.
WiFi is generally 2.4 GHz. Some of the flavors are in the 5 GHz range, still well below.
WiFi is generally 2.4 GHz. Some of the flavors are in the 5 GHz range, still well below.
07-03-2008, 01:14 PM
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Originally Posted by UUronL' post='615753' date='Jul 3 2008, 05:12 PM
There is such a thing as "rain fade" for wireless communications, but is only a consideration for systems operating at frequencies above 20 GHz.
WiFi is generally 2.4 GHz. Some of the flavors are in the 5 GHz range, still well below.
WiFi is generally 2.4 GHz. Some of the flavors are in the 5 GHz range, still well below.
(BTW, you coming to the 'Burgh for the holiday or staying closer to home?)
07-04-2008, 11:12 AM
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I was talking with a co-worker yesterday and he too noticed in the morning following he could see fewer than normal WI-FI neworks in his neighbourhood.
Maybe some sort of Jamming? Except my co-work and I don't live near each other(13 miles distance).
Maybe some sort of Jamming? Except my co-work and I don't live near each other(13 miles distance).
07-04-2008, 12:32 PM
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Originally Posted by Rudy' post='615756' date='Jul 3 2008, 05:14 PM
So can you offer any other explanation for the symptoms described by the OP?
(BTW, you coming to the 'Burgh for the holiday or staying closer to home?)
(BTW, you coming to the 'Burgh for the holiday or staying closer to home?)
No, I won't be in the area. Coming in towards the end of July though.
I don't actually have anything specific that could have caused it. Wireless is kind of like listening to voices in a room. If one is loud enough, it's all you can hear. I would expect anything that had that serious an effect would be illegal by FCC laws. This likely wasn't what happened.
Another -possible- explanation is that something tripped up the wireless adapters. This could be due to an event originating from the AP, or from a wireless node within range.
Read this:
http://www.rootsecure.net/content/download...f_detection.pdf
07-05-2008, 01:57 PM
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Originally Posted by noonehome' post='616477' date='Jul 4 2008, 12:12 PM
I was talking with a co-worker yesterday and he too noticed in the morning following he could see fewer than normal WI-FI neworks in his neighbourhood.
Maybe some sort of Jamming? Except my co-work and I don't live near each other(13 miles distance).
Maybe some sort of Jamming? Except my co-work and I don't live near each other(13 miles distance).