The Wi-Fi only works when it's raining

#1

Post by bonyt » Mon, Apr 01, 2024, 5:07 PM UTC

The Wi-Fi only works when it's raining
predr.ag

Re: The Wi-Fi only works when it's raining

#2

Post by I-M-S » Mon, Apr 01, 2024, 5:19 PM UTC

FYI this being part of "April Cools" series heavily implies it's not a real tech issue but a riff on the "We can only send an email within 500 km" / "Can't print on Tuesdays" kind of articles.

Re: The Wi-Fi only works when it's raining

#3

Post by mschuster91 » Mon, Apr 01, 2024, 5:20 PM UTC

I had more thought of an issue regarding bad grounding (i.e. grounding rods dried out and only work properly when the earth is wet), but trees are even more unexpected.

Re: The Wi-Fi only works when it's raining

#4

Post by ghayes » Mon, Apr 01, 2024, 5:24 PM UTC

I-M-S wrote: post #2

FYI this being part of "April Cools" series heavily implies it's not a real tech issue but a riff on the "We can only send an email within 500 km" / "Can't print on Tuesdays" kind of articles.

> Happy April 1st! This post is part of April Cools Club: an April 1st effort to publish genuine essays on unexpected topics. Please enjoy this true story, and rest assured that the tech content will be back soon!

The post’s disclaimer (and April Cool’s site itself) both imply that the goal is to touch on novel topics and should be genuine content of the author. That said, this story could clearly be apocryphal.

Re: The Wi-Fi only works when it's raining

#5

Post by user_7832 » Mon, Apr 01, 2024, 5:26 PM UTC

TIL about Fresnel Zones!

> Interestingly, objects outside the straight line between antennas can still cause interference! For best signal quality, the Fresnel zone between the antennas should be clear of obstructions. But perfection isn't achievable in practice, so RF equipment like Wi-Fi uses techniques like error-correcting codes so that it can still work without a perfectly clear Fresnel zone.

I wonder if other waves like pressure/audio waves also have a similar effect.

[1] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fresnel_zone

(Side note, is this story old? 802.11n isn't particularly new enough to upgrade to.)

Re: The Wi-Fi only works when it's raining

#6

Post by hwayne » Mon, Apr 01, 2024, 5:30 PM UTC

I-M-S wrote: post #2

FYI this being part of "April Cools" series heavily implies it's not a real tech issue but a riff on the "We can only send an email within 500 km" / "Can't print on Tuesdays" kind of articles.

Hi! I helped review this story, and also am one of the organizers of April Cools. Two things:

1. u/obi1kenobi told me it was a real thing that happened to him

2. The point of April Cools is that the things aren't jokes. They're real essays written with care, just outside of the author's usual writing topics. Some of the other ones we got this year are about hydroponics, current events in Sumo wrestling, parenting, and decaf coffee.

Re: The Wi-Fi only works when it's raining

#7

Post by bdavbdav » Mon, Apr 01, 2024, 5:32 PM UTC

mschuster91 wrote: post #3

I had more thought of an issue regarding bad grounding (i.e. grounding rods dried out and only work properly when the earth is wet), but trees are even more unexpected.

This was my thinking. Or some other poorly seated electrical connection that somehow got better when it was damp.

Re: The Wi-Fi only works when it's raining

#8

Post by smeeth » Mon, Apr 01, 2024, 5:32 PM UTC

I had an experience like this once! My my laptop would inexplicably and intermittently stop connecting to the internet.

It turned out my bluetooth headset was using the same band as the wifi but I only figured this out after a few months and a replaced wifi card. I wouldn't wish that experience on my worst enemy.

Re: The Wi-Fi only works when it's raining

#9

Post by hinkley » Mon, Apr 01, 2024, 5:34 PM UTC

I remember hearing about a few common failure modes for early internetworking of adjacent buildings. The first being running a bare twisted pair cable between buildings. Worked fine until the next lightning storm, and then a nearby strike fries the equipment on both ends. You have to use grounded conduit to run strands between buildings my dudes.

But the other one was setting up WiFi between buildings, and tended to be more of a problem in academia because the yearly cycles make it a bit more likely. If you set it up in the fall, and everything works all winter until spring comes, when the water in the deciduous tree leaves attenuates the signal. The nasty part of this one is not the failure mode but the timing. Everyone has been happily using and depending on their sweet sweet bandwidth for six months and poof, it’s just gone one fine April morning.

Re: The Wi-Fi only works when it's raining

#10

Post by pvg » Mon, Apr 01, 2024, 5:36 PM UTC

hwayne wrote: post #6

I-M-S wrote: post #2

FYI this being part of "April Cools" series heavily implies it's not a real tech issue but a riff on the "We can only send an email within 500 km" / "Can't print on Tuesdays" kind of articles.

Hi! I helped review this story, and also am one of the organizers of April Cools. Two things: 1. u/obi1kenobi told me it was a real thing that happened to him 2. The point of April Cools is that the things aren't jokes. They're real essays written with care, just outside of the author's usual writing topics. Some of the other ones we got this year are about hydroponics, current events in Sumo wrestling, parenting, an…

the organizers of April Cools.

The org name April Tools was right there!