As a native of North Carolina, I became acquainted with the frequent summer storms that seemingly come out of nowhere. And while I like to open windows to indulge in the smell of rain or curl up with a good book when it’s cloudy, rainy weather is less than ideal if it causes an internet outage.
It is true that extreme weather conditions such as heavy rain, high wind speeds, winter conditions and even high clouds can interfere with your internet serviceindependence of type of internet connection You have. Satellite internet is the most vulnerable to service interference due to weather conditions, but those with fixed wireless or 5G home internet the connection may also have problems with the internet regarding the weather. Cable, DSL i fiber internet connections are far more reliable. However, a particularly strong storm with the potential to cut off electricity – like a hurricane – could affect internet in your area and in your home.
Before the internet outage starts to fall on your parade, it is important to know what to expect from your service before the upcoming bad weather and what preventive or countermeasures you can take to reduce your chances of having problems.
Read also: Here’s the best way to get started with your home ISP
Satellite internet is the most vulnerable
It may not be surprising that you are most likely to encounter service disruptions due to rain, snow and ice, heavy cloud cover and so on with satellite internet.
Satellite signals have to travel a long way to get from orbiting satellites – which often fly about 22,000 miles or more above the ground – to your home. Any obstacle in the way, such as rain or heavy clouds and water droplets that disperse the signal that comes with them, can disrupt your internet service.
Not only that, but the container itself can get stuck with snow and ice, which, although less likely to cause problems from heavy rain or cloud cover, can still affect your service.
Starlink has the best potential among satellite internet providers.
John Kim / CNET
Heavy rain and cloud cover are satellite kryptonite
Installing a rain shield or something to protect your satellite dish may seem like a simple solution to prevent temporary outages, but unfortunately it is unlikely to help.
Because satellite signals must travel miles to reach your home, you may encounter conditions that interfere with service anywhere along the way, not just near your antenna. Therefore, you may experience internet outages due to the weather even if it is not raining or cloudy directly above your home. This is also the reason why a rain shield will not help prevent connection problems. If nothing else, placing a solid surface over or around your antenna can also block the signal, which can lead to even more service interference.
So, in case of internet interruption due to rain or cloud coverage, you can do nothing but wait for it to pass and the service to continue. However, it’s not all bad news, as satellite providers have made improvements in recent years to minimize the impact of bad weather on your internet connection.
Design and technological improvements by HughesNet i Viasat, such as smaller, sleeker antennas and stronger internet signals, have helped reduce satellite internet vulnerability to rain and cloud coverage. You will also find innovative satellite technology Starlinkcontaining an improved vessel design along with low-orbit satellite technology to reduce downtime. while significantly improving speed, latency and overall performance. This is not to say that weather problems will not happen with satellite internet; they are simply not as common as they may have been in the past.
But you can do something with snow and ice
Rain and clouds will eventually pass, but snow and ice may remain in some areas for days or weeks. Light snow or a thin layer of ice will probably have little or no impact on your internet service, but a significant build-up of an inch or more (here in the south, an inch is really significant) could cause a problem.
When snow or ice builds up on your satellite dish and affects your Internet service, you may be able to remove it yourself – as long as you can do it safely. It is not uncommon for satellite dishes to be located on a roof, deck railing or other hard-to-reach place, which can make access and cleaning difficult and dangerous, especially in icy conditions. Do not attempt to clear snow or ice from the container if you cannot access it safely.
If you can reach the container safely, try removing snow by hand or with a soft-bristled brush, such as a hand broom. Be gentle and try to avoid pushing or moving the container as this, even by a few inches, can push the container out of position and reduce signal quality or lose signal completely. In addition, avoid using anything that can scratch the surface, such as a windshield scraper, to avoid damaging the pan.
In case of ice accumulation, applying a little warm water will usually solve the problem. For best results and to avoid moving the container or damaging any internal components, use a spray bottle and apply a light stream of warm water until the ice disappears or the Internet service returns. Again, you will want to avoid using anything that could damage or move the pan, such as an ice scraper.
Will dishwashers or lids not work for me?
It is often said that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of medicine. I don’t know if that’s entirely the case with satellite dish heaters and covers, but it’s worth a try.
You will probably get the best results with a dish warmer. Starlink cookware comes with a built – in heater (to your great satisfaction kittens in cold weather which may be tempting to turn your meal into a personal oasis), but you can also buy online for HughesNet or Viasat for a few hundred dollars. Keep in mind that they will also increase your electricity bill a bit, but most devices have a temperature gauge and turn on automatically when needed to prevent snow and ice from accumulating, which helps keep energy consumption low.
Satellite antenna covers are a cheaper option, but are usually less efficient. You won’t have a problem finding a lid for less than $ 50 online, but the results can be short-lived. Dish lids can accumulate dirt, dust and pollen, creating a base surface for snow and ice, so you can continue to clean the dishes by hand, even with a dish lid.
Fixed wireless and 5G internet are not entirely clear
Wireless internet services such as fixed wireless internet and 5G home internet are prone to many service disruptions as well as satellite internet but to a lesser extent.
With both services, Internet signals travel much shorter distances, usually only five to a maximum of 10 miles, so you are less likely to encounter bad weather on the road. In addition, the fixed wireless and mobile towers used for 5G are not miles above the Earth, which means that high cloud coverage should not affect service.
Heavy rain, on the other hand, can be another matter. Fixed wireless internet works by transmitting internet signals in a straight line or fixed position between the tower and your home. Anything that interferes with that signal, such as a seasonal downpour, can disrupt the signal, and thus your internet connection.
Rain is a minor problem with 5G home internet services such as T-Mobile or Verizon because, unlike fixed wireless internet, 5G works by sending signals in all directions. Even if some signals are blocked or diverted due to rain or snowfall, others will still reach your equipment safely and maintain your internet, although the signal may not be as strong.
Snow and ice are also less of a concern with the 5G as there is no external receiver. Fixed wireless service, however, requires the installation of an antenna or receiver (though often much smaller than a satellite dish) that could accumulate frozen rainfall. Heaters and covers are harder to find for fixed wireless equipment, so you may need to manually remove all deposits if they interfere with your Internet connection.
Spectrum’s charter cable service is the third largest in the United States – it is also CNET’s favorite cable Internet provider as a whole.
Screenshot of Sarah Tew / CNET
What about cables, DSL and fiber?
Cable, DSL and optical lines lead directly to your home, so they are not nearly as prone to weather interference as wireless delivery methods such as satellite, fixed wireless and 5G. Rain, snow and clouds will not affect your internet service, except in extreme cases where the line is damaged over time due to exposure.
The biggest threat to your cable, DSL or fiber internet during bad weather is a power outage. Losing power in your home will probably make your modem and router non-functional, which means that even if the internet signal still goes to your home, you will not be able to use it unless your equipment has a spare battery.
And if a power outage hits your ISP, you may not be lucky. Severe weather conditions can damage the servers or systems of ISPs that deliver the Internet, resulting in massive outages. So even if there is no electricity in your home, bad weather can affect your internet connection. What’s worse, you won’t be able to do anything about it other than wait for the service to return.
There is also a small possibility that electric shocks interfere with cable or DSL internet signals, which are transmitted by highly conductive copper cables, and affect the quality of your connection. The chances of this happening are higher on older DSL networks compared to newer cable internet systems, but the risk is still relatively low in both types of services.
How time affects your internet FAQ
Can I use weather protection sprays on my satellite dish?
It is not recommended to use any type of chemical coating on your satellite dish, including weather-resistant or spray sprays, cooking sprays (to prevent snow from sticking), or anything else that is not intended for use on a satellite dish. In addition to potentially damaging the surface of the container, many sprays can attract dirt, dust and pollen, creating a surface prone to snow or ice build-up.
Do I need to clean my satellite dish?
Cleaning dishes is often not necessary except to maintain the attractiveness of the curb. As mentioned above, cleaning the container of dirt and other deposits can help prevent the accumulation of snow and ice, but otherwise it will not improve performance.
If you decide to clean your satellite dish, do so gently using a soft sponge and warm water. Avoid using any cleaning products other than mild dishwashing detergent, as strong chemicals can damage the surface of your dishes. Ideally, you would not want to clean your dishes with anything you would not use to clean the TV screen.
Will extreme heat affect my internet service?
As with bad thunderstorms, extreme heat has relatively no effect on internet signals, but it can affect the systems that transmit them. Increased energy needs during the heat wave additionally burden the electrical networks, which can affect the internet service in your home or somewhere on the road.