• Quick note - the problem with Youtube videos not embedding on the forum appears to have been fixed, thanks to ZiprHead. If you do still see problems let me know.

Fluorescent light kills ADSL broadband connection

catbasket

Graduate Poster
C
Joined
Jan 25, 2002
Messages
1,478
I have an ADSL broadband connection which has been having occasional drop outs in the last week. I realised these had only started happening since I'd installed two new fluorescent lights in the loft. Amazingly, a bit of experimentation today has shown that it is indeed these new lights which is causing the broadband dropouts - lights off = b/band fine, lights on (either or both) = b/band drops out. Turn lights off again and b/band connection is okay again.

I don't understand how in Ed's name these lights can affect my ADSL connection. Can anyone explain how this is happening?

Extra info - lights are approx 4m from the nearest part of the phone line, they are on the same electrical circuit as the ADSL router, phone line length is approx 7.4km (I know that's quite a distance for ADSL, but it's been remarkably stable since a change of ISP in October last year).
 
Sounds like they might be messing with the electrical circuit which is messing with the router?
 
This doesn't go into a lot of detail, but it appears flourescent lights CAN interfere with DSL:
http://www.dslreports.com/faq/258
http://www.dslreports.com/faq/8511

It sounds like it could be either electrical coupling like Splossy mentioned or even RF coupling, although 4m sounds like pretty far for RF coupling.

Is this a wireless router, or is there a hard connection from the computer to the router? You may get some help by using shielded cables from the router to the phone jack.
 
It's a wireless router but the pc has no problem talking to the router even with the fluorescent lights on (lights in loft approx 7m above pc and router which are on the ground floor).

Interesting to see the mention of using an AM radio as an interference detector in your second link, slyjoe. I use an old AM radio tuned to 909 (BBC Radio 5 Live) when working in the loft and those two fluorescent lights completely drown out the signal when they are on. Two other fluorescent lights there cause no interference at all. I'll double check the wiring and if that's ok switch the troublesome lights for two of the trouble-free type.
 
Checked all wiring and it seemed ok, so I replaced the light units and broadband is now fine. Thanks for the tips!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top Bottom