Heat and broadband

Broadband Discussions
1

It’s going to be 38 degrees here today and already it seems that my Virgin Media connection is struggling. I wfh, so this could be a problem if it continues.

Anyone else having issues with the heat and their broadband connection?

1 Like
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You beat us to it @greenwellys! (though be fair it’s impressive that any of us can bear to sit in front of a roaring laptop in this heat :melting_face:)

The Broadband Genie team have just updated their advice on broadband speed and extreme weather here and it’s sort of reassuring that it’s not your imagination:

  • the semiconductors (such as silicon chips) that live in most of our devices can malfunction if they get too hot :hot_face:

  • most gadgets from mobiles to gaming consoles - and yes, broadband routers - have an optimal temperature range, and that range definitely doesn’t go up to the 40°C+ we could see this week (think about your office window, car dashboard etc.) :face_with_thermometer:

  • even the cabinets in the street can get too hot (telecoms engineers have even been known to open the doors and shade the equipment with umbrellas!):beach_with_umbrella:

There are a few tips and more stats on the link above - we’d love to hear from the community if you’ve tried these, are going to give them a go, or have another suggestion!

And we hereby forbid the “it’s summer” argument. Normal “hot” summer in the UK is “warm enough to warrant a second Cornetto run” - a big Red warning from the Met Office and 35000 lightning strikes overnight is extreme in anyone’s book! :cloud_with_lightning:

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I’m also experiencing issues in the Midlands. My partner didn’t believe me that our internet could be slower because of the heat. I feel like anything is possible in the UK when it comes to the weather hah! :sweat_smile:

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Ha! And now you have the verdict in black and white, with tables and everything! Pretty sure that everyone here would agree your partner owes you an ice cream for losing that argument @WiFi_Neighbour! (Feel free to share this post as proof of your Mivvi-Solero-Calippo-worthiness​:shaved_ice:- we’ll back you up.)

Anyone done any speed tests before / after it’s been hot today? (although we’re all rejigging our definition of hot this week…:woozy_face:)