Glass

[OFSO]

Our internet, TV, phone etc comes from a 4G box inside the living room window. Being Moviestar the bband is pretty dire and when the temperature goes up to 34/36° it cuts out all together. I was messing about today and held the box outside the glass instead of inside and got around 40% more signal to my lasting surprise. Is glass that attenuating?

[PHXPhlyer]

I had low E windows installed a few years ago. they have a coating on the inner sides of both panes, I think.
That might cause some attenuation of the signal. Something that I had not considered until now.
When the OAT subsides to something below oven temps I may be tempted to experiment and test internet speeds with window closed then open.
Next time that I have to call tech support I'll try to remember to ask about this.

PP

[OFSO]

Tomorrow I'll drill thru the wall (massive so 1/2" hammer drill) fit a bracket outside, feed all the cables thru, and hang the 4G box outside. The terrace is well roofed so it will be protected from rain. Two extra antenna are on order from Big River, arrive Sunday.

[unifoxos]

These heat-reflective glass coatings are metallic-based, either pure metal or metal oxides or similar. Most metals conduct electricity and so also act as a shield for the lower frequencies of electro-magnetic radiation (unless you want them to, then they don't).

Double-glazed panels have stickers on them to ensure they are fitted with the correct side (the reflecting side) inside.

[CharlieOneSix]

I replaced my 30 year old double glazed windows with new Low E ones a few weeks ago. The weather station console in my study then stopped receiving data transmissions from the weather station 200 metres away in a field - it had been okay with line of sight through both my study window and the lounge window but I've had to relocate the console so it only has line of sight through one Low E window.

[llondel]

Yes, highly likely that there's a conductive layer on the glass attenuating the signal.

[OFSO]

The window of which I wrote was of 1982 origin and hence unlikely to have anything but glass in it. I spent this afternoon drilling holes big enough to get ethernet connectors on cables thru a double brick wall - drill on last legs. Not easy getting cables thru. 4/5 G box now sitting on bracket under terrace ceiling. I was congratulating myself with vastly improved reception but now thunderstorms have arrived and signal has been squosed down.

[OFSO]

What a nightmare. Damaged one CAT6 cable feeding it thru the wall - went intermittent, but hard to detect in thick cloud cover, rain and storms. Luckily Chinese shops sell everything here and are open on Sunday. Back home with a 5 metre length (and dates and grapes from Carrefour next door) after another five attempts cable slid thru the hole (walls are 24" thick) as if the other twenty failed attempts were a dream. All working.

[OFSO]

Idiot! IDIOT! Two days spend drilling a very thick wall, stringing cables and power feeds, bought new cable as I thought the old one damaged, every time it worked perfectly until I put the CAT6 cable in the duct with the others. Tidied everything up, signal back to zero or near zero, what was I disturbing? Finally lost patience, brought router back indoors, connected it up, perfect. So plastered over the holes I'd drilled, and set about tidying it up - and again, no signal. Ran new CAT6 cable outside the duct, all perfect. Put it in with the other cables, fail. Outside, perfect.
Well, I'm a coax man. Never think about cross-cable interference! Tomorrow, buy new separate ducting.
Idiot!

[G-CPTN]

Sounds like the classic ID 10T problem.

[PHXPhlyer]

Is cross-cable interference a thing with CAT5/6?
Only used CAT5 to connect computer to router.

PP

[OFSO]

If you run three CAT side by side in a duct, on my evidence, you can. I forgot my YIT training 60 years ago, how you rotate open copper wire telephone lines from pole to pole to avoid crosstalk.

[unifoxos]

The whole idea with Cat5 is to minimise cross-cable interference. I have completely filled 4 inch square ducts with them, sometimes with cables close to the 90m limit, all tested perfectly within spec.

[OFSO]

I've given up on Moviestar's 4G router. A ludicrous1.5Mb for 74 euros a month. Just ordered 300Mb plus a SIM card for the phone for 35 euros a month from Girona Fibre, recommended by a friend.

[Boac]

How will they ship the 300Mb to you?

[OFSO]

In pieces.... with a tube of quantum adhesive for reassembly....

[Boac]

I've never tried quantum adhesive - I hope it is fast-setting.

[jimtherev]

I've never tried quantum adhesive - I hope it is fast-setting.

Yes, but I hear that it can only generate a weak force