How to stop the missus killing my broadband...

numpty with a crowbar · 31 Mar 2009

Not sure if this should be in electrics, telephones or computer hardware so bear with me.

When we moved into the house we had the whole place rewired - pretty standard rewire, separate upstairs & downstairs rings, radial for the cooker, one for the shed, blah-blah-blah. Because I was installing cat 5 cabling at the same time we put a radial into the upstairs cupboard where the patch panel was, so I could have a dedicated circuit for the router, switches, Wireless point, filestore etc (16A radial, running to one 13A socket wired in 2.5MM T&E in case anyone cares)

All is fine and dandy until the missus fires up her treadmill. At this point the broadband connection just seems to conk out, I can ping the router and get a response so comms seems to be ok, it's the actual BB connection that goes awol. Strange thing is that the treadmill is on a separate 32A upstairs ring and I thought having a separate circuit would prevent this sort of caper happening - clean earths and all that....

So - how the hell can I stop my BB signal dying whenever the treadmill fires up? All help appreciated

bernardgreen · 31 Mar 2009

What does the treadmill do ?

Does it have an internet connection ? ( I have seen a gym machine with an internet connection for internet "radio" and exercise program downloading )

numpty with a crowbar · 31 Mar 2009

bernardgreen said:
What does the treadmill do ?

So tempting to reply with "it goes round and round"

bernardgreen said:
Does it have an internet connection ? ( I have seen a gym machine with an internet connection for internet "radio" and exercise program downloading )

Nope - just a bog standard 13A plug on it, no ethernet connections or anything.... which is why it's such a mystery...

FourFootMedia · 31 Mar 2009

When you say "broadband" I assume you mean ADSL? If so, is the treadmill anywhere near your phoneline? As that will cause interference on the line, making the connection drop.
Much like when your neighbour puts cheap chinese flashing lights on the outside of their house at christmas

DeadJoe · 31 Mar 2009

is any part of your broadband connection wireless? It could be RF interference. Even if not wireless, I have heard of connections going down due to insufficient shielding of the patch cables. You might need to invest in some Cat 5e shielded cable, or maybe find some way of reducing the RF interference created by the treadmill...

nozspark · 31 Mar 2009

Cut the plug off

numpty with a crowbar · 31 Mar 2009

Yep it's ADSL - the phoneline comes straight into the cupboard where the router/modem & patch panel are - the treadmill is across the landing ind in a different room. There are 2 x cat 5e cables running into that room, one to a printer and the other to a desktop in there. Have tried powering both off when the treadmill is on and it still happens

I do have wireless as well but again, the wireless access point is in a different room on the "clean" radial circuit.

Could it be EMI getting into the circuit somehow? And is there any sort of filter I can use?

holmslaw · 31 Mar 2009

nozspark · 31 Mar 2009

Serious question now..

Does your broadband drop out????
a) only when the tread mill starts up (it's ok while it's running)
b) for the whole time the treadmill motor is running

and

c) has this fault oly just started?? OR
d) has been there all the time you have had the treadmill

If it isn't a brushless motor then it could be a smoothing capacitor that's gone or the brushes are on their way out

numpty with a crowbar · 31 Mar 2009

nozspark said:
Serious question now..

Does your broadband drop out????
a) only when the tread mill starts up (it's ok while it's running)
b) for the whole time the treadmill motor is running

and

c) has this fault oly just started?? OR
d) has been there all the time you have had the treadmill

If it isn't a brushless motor then it could be a smoothing capacitor that's gone or the brushes are on their way out

Right then

Broadband drops out for whole duration of the treadmill being on (an hour + if SWMBO is on a real fitness kick)

The problem has been ever since we got the treadmill - I've just gritted my teeth and put up with it for a while but since I'm working from home more it's more of a pain these days

numpty with a crowbar · 31 Mar 2009

And yes, I have a spade - but no hamster

nozspark · 31 Mar 2009

I'd go with either the brushes, capacitor or even just a dodgy earth somewhere...

you could get a filtered socket/plug if you want, but I wouldn't guarantee that it'll help (it might though!!)

RF Lighting · 31 Mar 2009

Clicky

securespark · 31 Mar 2009

Is it something as simple as the treadmill resting on a cable under the carpet & when your other half gets on, the connection is broken?

numpty with a crowbar · 31 Mar 2009

RF Lighting said:
Clicky

Ho-ho...

Secure spark - the network cables are run between the floor & ceiling (clipped to the joists and run directly through holes drilled in them) plus the floor is laminate so can't be a nipped cable.... They run close to the power cables but not that close as I tried to keep some 30cm separation from the power to try and cut out interference.
I'm almost at the point where I might isolate the network in that room & disconnect the cables from the patch panel.... Though might try a filtered socket - any recommendations?

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How to stop the missus killing my broadband...

holmslaw

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