wireless network interfering with sky TV reception?

Folks,


I have a standard 11g wireless network operating from a 2Wire 2700HGV router (aka BT "Business
Hub"). My neighbours have recently complained that their sky TV reception is bad - apparently the
reception pixellates and loses sound. They are convinced that its my wireless network interfering,
as they have noticed that is worse when I am working.


I have never heard of this - Is this possible?
If so what can be done to reduce or eliminate interference?
Change wireless channels?
Or install another piece of kit?



Thanks - Adam

Adam Lipscombe wrote:

> I have a standard 11g wireless network operating from a 2Wire 2700HGV
> router (aka BT "Business Hub"). My neighbours have recently complained
> that their sky TV reception is bad - apparently the reception pixellates
> and loses sound. They are convinced that its my wireless network
> interfering, as they have noticed that is worse when I am working.
>
> I have never heard of this - Is this possible?

No.

Geoff

> I have a standard 11g wireless network operating from a 2Wire 2700HGV
> router (aka BT "Business Hub"). My neighbours have recently
> complained that their sky TV reception is bad - apparently the
> reception pixellates and loses sound. They are convinced that its my
> wireless network interfering, as they have noticed that is worse when
> I am working.
>
> I have never heard of this - Is this possible?
> If so what can be done to reduce or eliminate interference?
> Change wireless channels?
> Or install another piece of kit?

Are they using a video sender using frequencies close to your wireless
network? Otherwise it seems unlikely.

Peter Crosland

"Adam Lipscombe" <adam.lipscombe@qucs.co.uk> wrote in message
news:1158915421.7421.0@proxy01.news.clara.net...
> Folks,
>
>
> I have a standard 11g wireless network operating from a 2Wire 2700HGV
> router (aka BT "Business Hub"). My neighbours have recently complained
> that their sky TV reception is bad - apparently the reception pixellates
> and loses sound. They are convinced that its my wireless network
> interfering, as they have noticed that is worse when I am working.
>
>
> I have never heard of this - Is this possible?

Yes its possible.
But its not very likely and would require a faulty router and/or a faulty
Sky.

Do they use a wireless video sender?
These operate on the same frequency as the 11g wireless LAN.
You can get picture interference if they are together.

Either problem can probably be reduced by moving the wireless farther away
if its possible.

> If so what can be done to reduce or eliminate interference?
> Change wireless channels?
> Or install another piece of kit?

You could got to 802.11a but its not cheap.
Best to get them to fix their Sky.

"Adam Lipscombe" <adam.lipscombe@qucs.co.uk> wrote in message
news:1158915421.7421.0@proxy01.news.clara.net...
> Folks,
>
>
> I have a standard 11g wireless network operating from a 2Wire 2700HGV
> router (aka BT "Business Hub"). My neighbours have recently complained
> that their sky TV reception is bad - apparently the reception pixellates
> and loses sound. They are convinced that its my wireless network
> interfering, as they have noticed that is worse when I am working.
>
>
> I have never heard of this - Is this possible?
> If so what can be done to reduce or eliminate interference?
> Change wireless channels?
> Or install another piece of kit?

It's possible, but I would count it fairly unlikely on a satellite system -
it is far more likely to be a an issue with your neighbour's system. It
should be noted though that us Radio Amateurs have a long history of having
to deal with TVI, and experience shows that blaming a neighbours poorly
designed or installed TV equipment doesn't go down at all well ;)

You can contact OFCOM and ask them to send an engineer out to check on the
cause of the interference, but they can (and often do) charge for this so
you are better off trying to resolve it yourself; powering down your WiFi
and see if the problem persists would be an obvious first step.

--
Richard Parkin

Roll on October 1, 1993...

Richard Parkin wrote:
> You can contact OFCOM and ask them to send an engineer out to check on the
> cause of the interference, but they can (and often do) charge for this so
> you are better off trying to resolve it yourself; powering down your WiFi
> and see if the problem persists would be an obvious first step.

But don't _tell_ them you've done it, obviously.

Geoff

Adam Lipscombe <adam.lipscombe@qucs.co.uk> hath wroth:

>I have a standard 11g wireless network operating from a 2Wire 2700HGV router (aka BT "Business
>Hub"). My neighbours have recently complained that their sky TV reception is bad - apparently the
>reception pixellates and loses sound. They are convinced that its my wireless network interfering,
>as they have noticed that is worse when I am working.

Sounds like there hasn't been any effort made to isolate the problem
or the source. Rhetorical questions to ask:

1. Is it all the time or intermittent inteference?

2. Is it on all channels or just some channels? Is there any pattern
to the channels the show interference.

3. Pixelation and loss of sound are symptoms of lack of signal. What
does the settop box signal strength show? A marginal signal will
cause these symptoms without outside interference.

4. How far away is his antenna and his set top box from your
wireless? Just curious as a sanity check.

5. Is his RG-6/u coax cable from the dish to the settop box properly
crimped? An exposed shield anywhere along the line will allow
external signal to enter. It will also cause some signal loss which
kinda sounds like what he's setting.

>I have never heard of this - Is this possible?
>If so what can be done to reduce or eliminate interference?
>Change wireless channels?
>Or install another piece of kit?

It's possible but very unlikely.

1. The DBS satellite receiver downconverts from 12-13GHz to 0.950 to
about 2200MHz. It's the 2200MHz that's a problem. Your 2.4GHz signal
might be sneaking into his settop box and causing problems. However,
it would take a very strong signal to do this, and it would only
appear on some channels, not all channels. See question #2 above.

2. Is your neighbor using a 2.4Ghz wireless TV extension (i.e. X10)?
Your wireless device can certainly interfere with those. Same with an
802.11g wireless video extension.

I really doubt that you're the cause of the neighbors problem.
However, you might be helpful in explaining that there's little your
access point can do to cause general signal loss and that re-aligning
the dish or repairing the coax cable might be a good idea.

--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@comix.santa-cruz.ca.us
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

On Fri, 22 Sep 2006 10:15:43 +0100, Geoff Winkless wrote:

> Adam Lipscombe wrote:
>
>> I have a standard 11g wireless network operating from a 2Wire 2700HGV
>> router (aka BT "Business Hub"). My neighbours have recently complained
>> that their sky TV reception is bad - apparently the reception pixellates
>> and loses sound. They are convinced that its my wireless network
>> interfering, as they have noticed that is worse when I am working.
>>
>> I have never heard of this - Is this possible?
>
> No.
>
> Geoff

Very broad statement as you don't know all the circumstances!!!

Dave

Geoff Winkless wrote:
> Richard Parkin wrote:
>> You can contact OFCOM and ask them to send an engineer out to check on the
>> cause of the interference, but they can (and often do) charge for this so
>> you are better off trying to resolve it yourself; powering down your WiFi
>> and see if the problem persists would be an obvious first step.
>
> But don't _tell_ them you've done it, obviously.
>
Do it the other way, tell them you've powered off when you haven't. That
way, if they say it's gone away then it's obviously not your problem and
if they say no change then it's obviously not your problem either
because your stuff was 'off'.

--
Dave
mail da ve@llondel.org (without the space)
http://www.llondel.org
So many gadgets, so little time

On Fri, 22 Sep 2006 18:22:08 +0100, in alt.internet.wireless , gort
<me@privacy.net> wrote:
>
>Very broad statement as you don't know all the circumstances!!!

Please come up with a plausible way for 2.4Ghz signals to interfere
with shielded coax cable (other than by wrapping the coax round the
wireless router, or somesuch...!).

--
Mark McIntyre

Dave {Reply Address In.sig}" <"noone$$ wrote:
> Geoff Winkless wrote:
>> Richard Parkin wrote:
>>> You can contact OFCOM and ask them to send an engineer out to
>>> check
>>> on the cause of the interference, but they can (and often do)
>>> charge for this so you are better off trying to resolve it
>>> yourself; powering down your WiFi and see if the problem persists
>>> would be an obvious first step.
>>
>> But don't _tell_ them you've done it, obviously.
>>
> Do it the other way, tell them you've powered off when you haven't.
> That way, if they say it's gone away then it's obviously not your
> problem and if they say no change then it's obviously not your
> problem either because your stuff was 'off'.

The other way is to set it to beacon as often as possible & then go
away for a few days. It can't be you as you weren't at home.

Rest assured, unlees you've done something rad. with you wifi the
problem lies with your neighbours equipment, it's just that they want
to blame someone else so that they don't have to pay.

It's the very reason I erected all my aeriels but without cable runs &
left them for a month or so, it's amazing how many people complained
but were put bang to rights when I showed them there were no feeds,
they haven't bothered me since.

On Fri, 22 Sep 2006 21:00:44 +0100, Mark McIntyre wrote:

> On Fri, 22 Sep 2006 18:22:08 +0100, in alt.internet.wireless , gort
> <me@privacy.net> wrote:
>>
>>Very broad statement as you don't know all the circumstances!!!
>
> Please come up with a plausible way for 2.4Ghz signals to interfere
> with shielded coax cable (other than by wrapping the coax round the
> wireless router, or somesuch...!).

Poor cable, direct pick via the sky box, IF interfernce as you don't
know its actual 2.4GHz or another frequency. As I said, you made such a
bold statement without knowing all the facts. Oh yes, ever heard of the
rusty bolt effect ?.

Dave

On Fri, 22 Sep 2006 22:09:07 +0100, in alt.internet.wireless , gort
<me@privacy.net> wrote:

>On Fri, 22 Sep 2006 21:00:44 +0100, Mark McIntyre wrote:
>
>> On Fri, 22 Sep 2006 18:22:08 +0100, in alt.internet.wireless , gort
>> <me@privacy.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>Very broad statement as you don't know all the circumstances!!!
>>
>> Please come up with a plausible way for 2.4Ghz signals to interfere
>> with shielded coax cable (other than by wrapping the coax round the
>> wireless router, or somesuch...!).
>
>Poor cable, direct pick via the sky box, IF interfernce as you don't
>know its actual 2.4GHz or another frequency.

Fair enough, if you have the router right next to your sky box , and
both are poorly insulated, I guess they might mess with each other.
I've not done the sums mind you, is there a shared harmonic?

>As I said, you made such a
>bold statement without knowing all the facts.

No I didn't. Check the attributions and don't assume a response is
from the OP.

--
Mark McIntyre

"Adam Lipscombe" <adam.lipscombe@qucs.co.uk> wrote in message
news:1158915421.7421.0@proxy01.news.clara.net...
> Folks,
>
>
> I have a standard 11g wireless network operating from a 2Wire 2700HGV
> router (aka BT "Business Hub"). My neighbours have recently complained
> that their sky TV reception is bad - apparently the reception pixellates
> and loses sound. They are convinced that its my wireless network
> interfering, as they have noticed that is worse when I am working.
>
>
> I have never heard of this - Is this possible?

Theoretically. The most likely cause is harmonic coupling between the
router (2G4Hz) and the first IF in their receiver (950 - 2150MHz), probably
at 1G2Hz. This might affect BBC channels on tp13.

Another possibility is direct coupling at the LNB to give a false IF at
12G150MHZ, which might affect tp23 ($ky sports channels, Eurosport and C4).

There might also be leakage through the mains, phones or common aerial
wires.

> If so what can be done to reduce or eliminate interference?

Move the router (away from where their dish / box is); turn router if it has
more than one aerial. Use cables if possible.

> Change wireless channels?

Yes. This will at least change the affected channels.

> Or install another piece of kit?

Filter on the mains.
ADSL filter on the phone wire into their $ky box.
Install separate TV aerial (if shared)
High pass filter on TV lead.
Bit of kitchen foil on the wall if their receiver is just the other side.

>
>
>
> Thanks - Adam

Another factor is that $ky reception on 45cm dishes is marginal, especially
in the north. Trees, rain and wind movement can all upset reception and
cause the effects described. If your using the PC happens to coincide with
bad weather then the drop outs are probably just coincidental. Persuade
your neighbours to ask $ky for a bigger dish, or just buy them a 60cm one
(~£20).