RFI from router cables - RFI Forum at eHam.net

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eHam.net Forum : RFI : RFI from router cables

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RFI from router cables	Reply
by VE3TMT on May 28, 2008	Mail this to a friend!
I am using a Netgear wireless router for the laptop upstairs and my shack computer is hardwired to the router which is connected to the cable modem. I am getting RF from the system every 50 khz or so from 160-20m. I have tried powering the router by a battery and the noise is still there. If I shut the router off it goes away. If I unplug the ethernet cable between the router and modem it goes away. So is the noise coming from the router or the modem. If I bypass the router altogether and plug my computers ethernet cable directly into the cable modem everything is quiet. So it appears to the the cable between the router and modem. If I unplug the same cable at the modem end the noise is still there, it only disappears when I unplug it from the router end. All the antenna cables are closer to the modem than the router. Any ideas? Max VE3TMT

RE: RFI from router cables	Reply
by WA7NCL on May 29, 2008	Mail this to a friend!
Try clamp on ferrites on the modem / router cable. I would consider buying another brand or model of router. They are not expensive and you could spend a lot of time on fixing the one you have. The repeating frequency of the RFI seems strange for an ethernet signal. I would have guessed that you had RFI from the wall wart or other switching power supply or RFI from some CRT display (horizontal sweep frequency) I have an older non-wireless netgear router. It is quiet. The older netgear stuff is built in metal boxes. Maybe you can find a router geared more to commercial service that has a metal enclosure with better RFI that the one you have? Sometimes this RFI stuff is like the lotto!

RE: RFI from router cables	Reply
by KI4CRA on May 29, 2008	Mail this to a friend!
Max, I'm using a Buffalo Tech. wireless broadband router, of course I am totally wireless, at least my laptop is. The router is hard wired to my desktop and the modem. I've ha no issues with this one. I did have an older Linksys wireless broadband router, had some issues with the router itself, but no noise. I too think, try the ferrite chokes, if that doesn't take care of your problems I think it would be time to replace not only the router, but all the cables you are using. Hope this helps. 73 de Mark AI4HO AEC Indian River Co. Fl. Tech Specialist Indian River Co. Fl.

RE: RFI from router cables	Reply
by VE3TMT on May 29, 2008	Mail this to a friend!
I may end up looking for some higher end ethernet cables. The old router was a Trendnet and it gave off the same noise. I would have thought the Netgear would be quieter. I did try something else but couldn't get the laptop to find the wireless router. I plugged the cable modem into a 4-port hub. The two basement computers were plugged into ports 1 and 2. I ran a cable from port 3 on the hub to the Netgear router. The lights came on to show connection and the laptops wireless receiver will find the router, but I can't seem to connect to the internet from the laptop. If I could get this to work, I can just unplug the wireless router when the laptop isn't being used, which isn't that often. But for some strange reason, it won't access the internet. Max

RE: RFI from router cables	Reply
by WA3SKN on May 30, 2008	Mail this to a friend!
Max, you are working with square waves here... lots of harmonics! The short answer is shielding, shielding, shielding. Make a Faraday shield around the router and any switches out of some aluminum foil and ground it. Try shielding the CAT 5 cables and grounding at one end, this is better than ferrites. Those plastic cases and un-shielded cables do not block RF very well! Oh, and do plan for some ventilation. Don't block the air holes! Good Luck! 73s. -Mike.

RE: RFI from router cables	Reply
by WM2P on June 1, 2008	Mail this to a friend!
I had all sorts of RFI with Linksys and if you do a Google you will find others with the same problem. I bought a Belkin wireless and my problems went away. Same cables, different brand.

RE: RFI from router cables	Reply
by N0MUD on June 18, 2008	Mail this to a friend!
Max, I am also using the Net Gear and I have the main net gear boxes in the radio shack. I have one desk top in the shack, one desk top in the living room and I also use an HP laptop with the Net Gear disk that slides into the side of the laptop and I have NO interferance from any of them. I'm using the wires that came with system and the system I am using is totally wireless for all three computers. I guess maybe I am lucky. Only thing I could think of is maybe upgrade your Net Gear unless yours is the upgrade model and/or read all the blogs and see what everyone has to say. Pick and choose as you see fit and good luck. 73s, Mike N0mud

RE: RFI from router cables	Reply
by KI6FOM on January 30, 2009	Mail this to a friend!
I know this thread is a little old so you may have solved your problem already, but this may help others. I too had this awful noise from the twisted pair cables in my installation. I tried all kinds of stuff including ferrites, rerouting cables, and swearing a lot. It turned out the solution was simple. I just bought a cheap wireless card for my shack computer and switched over to strictly wireless. The only cable in my installation is from the modem to the router and I kept it very short (and left the ferrites on it, though I don't think they are needed). This totally solved the problem and the wireless card was less than $20. Hope this helps. Don - ki6fom

RE: RFI from router cables	Reply
by WB4BYQ on March 29, 2009	Mail this to a friend!
I solved the RFI Birdes from my neighbors LinkSys wireless router and PC with shielded cat5 cables. One shielded cat 5 from the cable modem, and the other from the PC, both to the LinkSys device. I did not use any type 31, or 43 snap on ferrite cores.

RE: RFI from router cables	Reply
by N7ZM on April 11, 2009	Mail this to a friend!
I am completely wireless except for Gateway into phone DSL line. Absolutely no RFI. Change out your equipment for wireless equipment that talk together up in the GHZ. 73 Ron N7ZM

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