Broad Band Strike

samtron

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Whenever I get local thunder storms ( sometimes even when minor ones) my broadband stops working. Sometimes it will reconnect automatically, but other times I have to reset the router manually, and even then it probably won't start again until the weather has cleared up a bit.
I have tried contacting tech support at Nildram , but normally when I hear something like "you are in que position 14" , i just hang up.

Any ideas? :eek:
Does anyone else suffer with the same issue?
 
Having actually been hit by lightning, I exit all trades and disconnect my computers and broadband when the thunder is within two seconds of the lightning.......
Richard
 
I've had the same problem - even very heavy rainfall can cause disruption, but Ive never had to manually retsart. I am a long way from the exchange and I believe the length of cable is a factor in this disruption - I note you are London and I can only assume that this is not an issue per se for you, but perhaps the BT cables need reinforcing
 
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Not uncommon. Just like you sometimes get interference on the TV in storms, same thing happens with phone lines. Your ADSL signal drops out because the decibel reading on the line usually increases in bad weather, the modem/router loses the sync with the ADSL signal, and there goes your connection.
 
rossored said:
Not uncommon. Just like you sometimes get interference on the TV in storms, same thing happens with phone lines. Your ADSL signal drops out because the decibel reading on the line usually increases in bad weather, the modem/router loses the sync with the ADSL signal, and there goes your connection.

Does anyone know if its possible to fit "filters" to improve matters?
 
Mr. Charts said:
Having actually been hit by lightning, I exit all trades and disconnect my computers and broadband when the thunder is within two seconds of the lightning.......
Richard

Richard, I know you like your stocks to be HOT, but on that day they were even toooooooooooooooooooo HOT for you handle :eek:
 
Me too !

samtron said:
Does anyone know if its possible to fit "filters" to improve matters?
Samtron

And i thought I was the only one. I had a real problem a couple of weeks ago with my wireless router. There had been a power cut or some kind of outage, but I don't know if it was a thunderstorm that day.

I had problems for days, some normality, then frequent problems until recently when everything seems to be fine.

I thought it was my router/modem at fault, but I'm not so sure now. I'm BT Broadband. Their support is standard i.e. they ask precisely the same questions each time - can you ping www.bbc.co.uk (BBC must love the ratings on their site !). They very rarely test the line, because BT Broadband seem to be totally divorced from BT themselves.


I still haven't really got to the bottom of it or have full confidence in the service, although I have signed up to the new service for another year (if only to get another free modem - I've been through about 3 so far). I am thinking I must protect my equipment with power serge units.

For those who have replied so far or who are about to reply, may I ask who your broadband supplier is to see if there is any pattern in the problems ?

Charlton
 
And i thought I was the only one. I had a real problem a couple of weeks ago with my wireless router. There had been a power cut or some kind of outage, but I don't know if it was a thunderstorm that day.
Power outages are often accompanied by surges and can wreak havoc with electronic equipment, it is a wise idea to consider a UPS, this will protect your computer from power fluctuations and also your phone line, not to mention giving you enough time to exit or manage any open positions.
Sadly I know not of what can be done for adsl signal dropout.
 
My telephone line goes underground to the exchange. I guess that must make a difference compared to exposed over ground via telegraph pole lines.
 
Charlton said:
Samtron

And i thought I was the only one. I had a real problem a couple of weeks ago with my wireless router. There had been a power cut or some kind of outage, but I don't know if it was a thunderstorm that day.

I had problems for days, some normality, then frequent problems until recently when everything seems to be fine.

I thought it was my router/modem at fault, but I'm not so sure now. I'm BT Broadband. Their support is standard i.e. they ask precisely the same questions each time - can you ping www.bbc.co.uk (BBC must love the ratings on their site !). They very rarely test the line, because BT Broadband seem to be totally divorced from BT themselves.


I still haven't really got to the bottom of it or have full confidence in the service, although I have signed up to the new service for another year (if only to get another free modem - I've been through about 3 so far). I am thinking I must protect my equipment with power serge units.

For those who have replied so far or who are about to reply, may I ask who your broadband supplier is to see if there is any pattern in the problems ?

Charlton

My ISP is www.freedom2surf.net who I have been with for 2 years and would not consider changing from at present.

One of the things than can cause problems is actually the speed of the connection. A faster connection requires you to be closer to the exchange and have a reasonable quality of line. For example, a client of mine who lives about a mile up the road can get a 2MB connection, but I can still only get 512K because the quality of the line between him and me deteriorates so rapidly. I had a BT engineer out after I went to 1MB briefly and the noise level on my line here is too high for that speed of connection by a few decibels (you can also check this yourself with most ADSL routers). If you're getting regular problems ask your ISP if they have done a whoosh test (it determines if your line is capable of supporting the speed). A lot of the time the ISP will just rely on BT's say-so that the line is capable, without actually testing it.
 
Does anyone know how to quickly test (display) the up/down transfer rates?
 
Mr. Charts said:
Having actually been hit by lightning, I exit all trades and disconnect my computers and broadband when the thunder is within two seconds of the lightning.......
Richard

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/features/basics_lightning.shtml
Proabability of being struck by lightning is ~1/3,000,000
Hope you are luckier with your trades!

I have ADSL with cable modem back-up.
Never had both of them fail at the same time.
 
jmreeve said:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/features/basics_lightning.shtml
Proabability of being struck by lightning is ~1/3,000,000
Hope you are luckier with your trades!

I have ADSL with cable modem back-up.
Never had both of them fail at the same time.

Does anyone know if Broad Band via cable is more reliable than telephone line broad band and if cable bb is affected by thunder storms in the same way telephone bb appers to be? :rolleyes:
 
Cable should be more resiliant to thunderstorms as it works at works in a higher part of the
frequency spectrum.

Overall my ADSL line is more reliable than my cable connection just because the NTL local
cable network is crap. With ADSL is you do have a dedicated line going back to the exchange
wheras with a cable connection you are multiplexed with a whole load of other users.
 
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