Ask Slashdot: Why Does Wireless Gear Degrade Over Time?

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Ask Slashdot: Why Does Wireless Gear Degrade Over Time?

Posted by timothy on Sunday October 21, 2012 @06:58AM from the indifference-mostly dept.

acer123 writes "Lately I have replaced several home wireless routers because the signal strength has been found to be degraded. These devices, when new (2+ years ago) would cover an entire house. Over the years, the strength seems to decrease to a point where it might only cover one or two rooms. Of the three that I have replaced for friends, I have not found a common brand, age, etc. It just seems that after time, the signal strength decreases. I know that routers are cheap and easy to replace but I'm curious what actually causes this. I would have assumed that the components would either work or not work; we would either have a full signal or have no signal. I am not an electrical engineer and I can't find the answer online so I'm reaching out to you. Can someone explain how a transmitter can slowly go bad?"

21 of 615 comments (clear)

Min score:

Reason:

Sort:

The Hamsters get tired by Anonymous Coward · 2012-10-21 07:01 · Score: 3, Funny

and worn out. Also I think they have pretty short life spans.
1. Re:The Hamsters get tired by K.+S.+Kyosuke · 2012-10-21 07:17 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  So, if I had a pair of WiFi devices, couldn't they just reproduce and train replacement hamsters? And do I need to add extra grain for that?
  
  --
  Ezekiel 23:20
2. Re:The Hamsters get tired by jimmetry · 2012-10-21 08:07 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  Uh, yeah, but how do you think reproduction works? The stork (Fedex) will have to drop off your new baby hamster WiFi device before it can be trained.
3. Re:The Hamsters get tired by Alsee · 2012-10-21 08:54 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  The transmitter range isn't decreasing.
  It's actually due to the expansion of the universe. It's because your house is getting bigger. You just don't notice it because you are expanding at the same rate. Try going on a diet.
  -
  
  --
  - - You can't take something off the Internet! That's like trying to take pee out of a swimming pool.
4. Re:The Hamsters get tired by Anonymous Coward · 2012-10-21 09:53 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  sorry but the hamsters are not user replaceable. We install fresh hamsters in our refurbished models - I suggest you go look for one of those.
Magic Smoke by lobiusmoop · 2012-10-21 07:08 · Score: 4, Funny

Obviously the magic smoke, although not released suddenly, does gradually leech out of the components leading to loss of performance over time.

--
"I bless every day that I continue to live, for every day is pure profit."
1. Re:Magic Smoke by game+kid · 2012-10-21 08:34 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  The real secret: The router is an automated mage machine, and needs mana potions to keep casting Lv. 11 Transmit Packet.
  (What do you mean "the antenna isn't a Rubber-Sheathed Metal Staff of Aethertransmission +1"!?)
  
  --
  You can hold down the "B" button for continuous firing.
Re:Did the signal degrade, or the noise increase? by epSos-de · 2012-10-21 07:08 · Score: 3, Funny

Yes you are correct. Switch the WiFi channel or the transmitter to some number that is not used already. Channel 1, 11 and 6 are the most commonly used ones. Just use channel 2 and you will be 50% better than on channel one already.

--
~ Best man at your service.
Designed to fail by Anonymous Coward · 2012-10-21 07:12 · Score: 3, Funny

Not sure about wireless gear, but some devices (e.g. printers, light bulbs, fridges) are designed to break after a certain period of time, so that you would buy a new one.
Re:Did the signal degrade, or the noise increase? by WilliamGeorge · 2012-10-21 07:38 · Score: 3, Funny

How the hell did the parent post get modded funny?

--
William George
Re:Signal isn't chaning, the noise floor is by Gorobei · 2012-10-21 07:44 · Score: 3, Funny

Damn neighbors - I see 35 wireless networks from my mac: Jes's Awesome Network, Doris Family, Alex, Bellclaire Hotel, I Win, Epsteinland, buckduke, toujoursavectoi, sheilajaffe1, ming. And a bunch of hexcodes. Bit sad to not see HotWorkoutPants on the list today.
Re:Signal isn't chaning, the noise floor is by Gorobei · 2012-10-21 07:46 · Score: 3, Funny

Oh, Cliffs of Insanity just showed up - nice name.
Re:Capacitors and other parts are not invulnerable by Will.Woodhull · 2012-10-21 07:47 · Score: 3, Funny

You are probably on to something here.
I volunteered at Free Geek, a computer recycler / refurbisher, years ago when "fat caps" on the motherboard was a frequent reason for computers to be sent there. AIR, the problem was a lot of counterfit components being sold to reputable manufacturers. There were several big name manufacturers involved. Something like that could be happening in the router market. Going with the lowest bidder for the components is still important in low margin markets.
Another possibility is that a kid in the neighborhood is collecting the innards of smoke detectors as part of his unofficial science project, and is storing them too close to your house. A radioactive environment will shorten the life of capacitors and other components. Have you noticed whether any of your kids glow in the dark?
I'm kidding with that last, of course. Sort of.

--
Will
Re:Signal isn't chaning, the noise floor is by bennomatic · 2012-10-21 08:59 · Score: 5, Funny

And now we all know exactly where you live ;)

--
The CB App. What's your 20?
You need to fill your house with "Monster Air(tm)" by PolygamousRanchKid+ · 2012-10-21 09:24 · Score: 3, Funny

Monster Cables(tm) are much better for carrying electric audio signals, because they are outrageously expensive.
You need to buy cans of Monster Air to spray around your house.
You can find the product on their web site, and you really will be able to hear the difference on your wireless connections.
Probably.

--
Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!
Re:Signal isn't chaning, the noise floor is by Anonymous Coward · 2012-10-21 09:37 · Score: 5, Funny

The FBI is not conducting surveillance today, which is why you don't see HotWorkoutPants. See you next week.
Re:Did the signal degrade, or the noise increase? by ColdWetDog · 2012-10-21 09:41 · Score: 3, Funny

I'm not an electrical/radio engineer, but I could have designed a better standard...blindfolded.
Of course, you're a Slashdot Armchair Expert. We're just better than everybody at everything.
Goes without saying...

--
Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
Re:Signal isn't chaning, the noise floor is by Curunir_wolf · 2012-10-21 09:48 · Score: 3, Funny

The FBI is not conducting surveillance today, which is why you don't see HotWorkoutPants. See you next week.
That's not it. It always shows up here as "FBI surveillance Van #27" (although I do sometimes see #33).

--
"Somebody has to do something. It's just incredibly pathetic it has to be us."
--- Jerry Garcia
Re:Signal isn't chaning, the noise floor is by phantomfive · 2012-10-21 10:01 · Score: 4, Funny

Bit sad to not see HotWorkoutPants on the list today.
It's a guy don't be deceived.

--
"First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
Re:Familiar with the problem, and here's how I fix by Jhon · 2012-10-21 10:15 · Score: 4, Funny

"Bingo, I would wager that most households use wireless only now, since wireless only devices are becoming so popular. I just bought a house...not one inch of ethernet in the place. I don't know about you guys...but that would drive me crazy to make all my desktops wireless!"
Same here. My house was built in the 1950s. Guess they used mostly wifi back then, too.
Re:Signal isn't chaning, the noise floor is by 140Mandak262Jamuna · 2012-10-21 11:15 · Score: 3, Funny

#27 and #33? They are google vans, masquerading as FBI vans. The real FBI van masquerades as "Microsoft win8 q/a team". Microsoft bing van usually uses a very creative name "bing van".

--
sed -e 's/Chuck Norris/Rajnikant/g' joke > fact