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How Does Electromagnetic Interference Affect a Fiber Optic Wireless Network?

Joseph Macon ECPI University

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Table of Contents
Materials................................................................................................................................................3 Procedures.............................................................................................................................................4 Conclusion............................................................................................................................................5

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Abstract What is Electromagnetic Interference? Its defined as the high frequency that affects the operation of an electronic device. This experiment is being conducted to see whether or EMI or RFI will affect a fiber optic wireless network. Fortunately EMI/RFI does not affect fiber optic cabling, the one computer that did go offline that triggered the idea for this experiment also prompted me to update the firmware on the router as well.

Hypothesis If electromagnetic interference also known as (EMI), or radio frequency interference also known as (RFI)can cause a wireless signal to drop, then its possible that it could be causing a computer on my network to lose its signal occasionally.

Materials Greenlight 20Mb Fiber Optic Broadband Internet Netgear Wireless N300 Router (Purchased at Staples) HP DV-7 4282US Laptop (Purchased at Staples) Acer Aspire Laptop (Purchased at Staples) RCA 32in Flatscreen television (Purchased at Wal-mart) Magnavox 19in television Panasonic 900w Microwave (Gift: Source unknown)

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Procedures 1. Begin by powering on the router. 2. Connect each computer wirelessly to the network, unless its set to connect automatically. 3. Give the network time to build cache. 4. Turn on microwave and set for 10 minutes. 5. Turn on 32 inch TV along with microwave 6. Finally turn on 19 inch TV after the 32 inch tv.

Observations Wireless Network Started with turning on the 900w Panasonic microwave for 10 minutes while a Stouffers lasagna dinner was cooked, there was not a change in either of the computes on the wireless network. While the microwave was on I turned on the RCA 32 Flatscreen Tv, still no change in the network. Finally the Magnavox 19 inch Tv was turned on, and a phone call was made from the Nextel i360 cellular phone, the wireless network was still unaffected.

Week update: After not being able to force a crash on the network through EMI or RFI the firmware received a manual update on the router and the broadcast channel has been changed from the default. Since then none of the wireless computers on the network have gone offline.

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Conclusion In conclusion it was proven based on facts as well as trial that the wireless signal was not being dropped due to EMI or RFI, but simply just updating the firmware of the router prevented the Acer laptop from continuously losing connection and also changing the frequency channel that is broadcast out from the router so that it doesnt interfere with any other devices.