Web Development Insight

This article is not directly related to web development but I think a lot of people will benefit from it.

I’m sure a lot of people have cable modem. My recent experience probably affects most people who live in an establishment that is several years old.

Problem

The cable connection I have is good: 10MB is what the ISP says but I can get 12MB on a good day…when it is connected. I noticed I have had dropouts lately - the cable modem disconnects for a while then reconnects. Blame always went to my ISP. I did the usual reboots, turn off the cable modem for 2 minutes, woof woof. No luck.
Finally, today, cable modem would not connect. The ISP ran tests and said I had no signal. I asked: no signal or weak signal? You’re right: a weak signal. An appointment was scheduled for tomorrow.

Solution

The electrical engineer part of me said go out and check the connection at the house. Which I did. I opened the cable box (held by a nail) on the side of the house and checked it. The ground wire was not installed correctly. It was wrapped around a screwhead rather than put in a screw tightener (the wire is put between the tip of a screw and metal. The screw is tightened against the bare wire to give it an electrical connection). I gleefully ran to check the cable modem: still not connecting.

I went back to the scene of the crime and decided to check where the ground wire went. It was held against the main house ground wire with a tightener. I loosened the tightener and whoa…the wire and the main ground wire were white. The white coating is oxidation of the copper wire. I cleaned both connections with steel wool until they were bright and shiny. Then they were reconnected.

Next I checked the connection where the main house ground wire connects to a metal stake driven into the dirt. Same thing. Both the house wire and the stake were not shiny. So I steel wooled both and reconnected. I glumly walked to check the cable modem: yahoo! a connection! And 12MB download speed!

Epilogue

My house is 11 years old so it doesn’t surprise me the ground wires were corroded. What bothers me is that since the main house ground wire was corroded was my family at risk? After all the 3rd prong on an outlet is (supposed to be) connected to earth ground through the main house ground wire. If the connection is bad is the entire house not safe? I’ll try disconnecting the ground wire and measuring the outlet with a 3 prong socket tester.

My closing suggestion is to check your whole house ground connection or get someone to do it - especially in an older house.

My guess is all electronics, and family members, are better off, starting today.

Doug