We're at the time of year when winter weather in the form of snow, ice, rain, and even cloud cover can get in the way. internet service. The chances of that happening depend on where you live and type of internet connection you have.
Satellite internet is most vulnerable to service interruptions due to weather conditions. Those with fixed wireless or 5G home internet the connection may also experience weather-related internet issues.
Cable, DSL and optical internet connections are much more reliable in winter weather conditions, but a particularly bad storm can affect internet in your area and in your home.
Before internet outages rain down on your parade, it's important to know what to expect from your service ahead of impending bad weather and what preventative measures you can take to reduce your chances of experiencing problems.
Satellite Internet is most vulnerable to bad weather
Perhaps unsurprisingly, satellite Internet users are likely to experience service interruptions due to snow and ice, heavy rain, and dense cloud cover.
Geostationary satellite signals, such as those from Hughesnett and Viasattravel quite a distance, about 22,000 miles, to and from your home. Any obstacle in the way, such as rain or cloud cover (and the signal-scattering water droplets that come with them), can disrupt your Internet service.
The dish itself can become jammed with snow and ice, which is less likely to cause problems than heavy rain or cloud cover, but can still affect your service.
Will your internet survive the next snowfall?
What to do with snow and ice
The rain and clouds will eventually pass, but snow and ice may linger for days or weeks in some areas. A light dusting of snow or a thin layer of ice will probably have little or no impact on your internet service, but a significant accumulation of an inch or more (where I'm in the South, an inch is really significant) can 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 sit on a roof, deck railing, or other hard-to-reach location, 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 safely reach the bowl, try to remove the snow by hand or with a soft-bristled brush such as a hand broom. Be gentle and try to avoid pushing or moving the dish as this, even by a few centimeters, can dislodge the dish and reduce the quality of the connection or lose the signal altogether. Avoid using anything that can scratch the surface, such as a windshield scraper, to avoid damaging the bowl.
In the case of ice build-up, applying a little warm water will usually solve the problem. For best results and to avoid dislodging the bowl or damaging internal components, use a spray bottle to apply a light stream of hot water until the ice is gone or internet service is restored. Again, you'll want to avoid using anything that could damage or move the bowl, like an ice scraper.
Will satellite heaters or lids keep my bowl clean?
It is often said that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. I don't know if this is entirely the case with satellite heaters and dish covers, but they are worth a shot.
The Starlink works great until the cats learn that the bowl provides some warmth on cold days. pic.twitter.com/uyH3Kbqrie
— Aaron Taylor (@Tippen22) December 31, 2021
You will probably get the best results with a dish warmer. Starlink dishes come with a built-in heater, much to the delight of the cold-weather kitties pictured above, but you can also buy one online for Hughesnet or Viasat for a few hundred dollars.
Keep in mind that they will also add some to yours electricity billbut most devices have a temperature gauge and automatically turn on when needed to prevent snow and ice build-up, helping to keep energy consumption low.
Satellite dish covers are a cheaper option, but they are usually less efficient. You'll have no problem finding a dish cover for under $50 online, but the results may be short-lived. Dish covers can accumulate dirt, dust and pollen, creating a great surface for snow and ice, so you may still be cleaning your dish by hand, even with a dish cover.
You'll just have to wait for cloud cover and heavy rain
Installing a rain shield to protect your satellite dish may seem like a simple solution to prevent temporary outages, but unfortunately, they probably won't help.
Because satellite signals have to travel miles to reach your home, they can encounter service-disrupting conditions anywhere along the way, not just near your dish. That's why you may experience weather-related internet outages, even if it's not raining or cloudy directly over your home. That's also why a rain shield won't help prevent connection problems. In any case, installing a solid surface over or around the dish can also block the signal, which can lead to even more service interruptions.
In the event of an internet outage due to rain or cloud cover, there is not much you can do except wait for it to pass and service to resume. 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 from Hughesnett and Viasatsuch as smaller, sleeker dishes and stronger Internet signals have helped reduce satellite Internet's vulnerability to rain and cloud coverage. You will also find innovative satellite technology with Starlinkwhich is distinguished by an improved vessel design along with low-orbit satellite technology that will help reduce weather disruptions. That's not to say that weather-related service outages won't occur with satellite Internet; they are just not as common as they may have been in the past.
Fixed wireless and 5G internet are not entirely clear
Over-the-air Internet services, such as fixed wireless Internet and 5G home Internet, are subject to many of the same service interruptions as satellite Internet, but to a lesser extent.
With both services, Internet signals travel much shorter distances, usually only 5 to 10 miles at most, so there's less chance of encountering bad weather along the way. Additionally, the fixed wireless and cell towers used for 5G are not miles above the Earth, meaning that cloud cover should not affect service.
Torrential rain, on the other hand, can be a different matter. Fixed wireless internet works by broadcasting internet signals in a line of sight between the tower and your home. Anything that interferes with that signal, such as seasonal rain, can disrupt the signal and therefore your internet connection.
Rain is less of a problem with 5G home internet services like AT&T Internet Air, T-Mobile Home Internet or Verizon 5G Home Internet because, unlike fixed wireless internet, 5G works by sending signals in all directions. Even if some signals are blocked or diverted by rain or snow, others will still reach your equipment and maintain your internet, even though the signal may not be as strong.
Snow and ice are also less of a concern with 5G because there is no external receiver. Fixed wireless service may require mounting a dish or receiver (although often much smaller than a satellite dish) that can accumulate frozen precipitation. Heaters and covers are more difficult to access for fixed wireless equipment, so you may need to manually remove any batteries if they interfere with your Internet connection.
What about cable, DSL and fiber?
Cable, DSL, and fiber lines go directly to your home, so they're not nearly as susceptible to weather disruptions as over-the-air delivery methods like satellite, fixed wireless, and 5G. Rain, snow and cloud cover 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 inclement weather is a power outage. Losing power to your home will likely render your modem and router inoperable, meaning that even if the internet signal still works to your home, you won't be able to use it unless your equipment has battery backup.
If your provider has hit a blackout, you may be out of luck. Severe weather can knock out the servers or ISP systems that deliver the internet, resulting in widespread outages. So even if the power isn't out at your home, bad weather can still affect your internet connection. Worse, you won't be able to do anything about it except wait for service to be restored.
There is also a small chance that electrical waves will interfere with cable or DSL Internet signals that are carried along highly conductive copper cables. The chances of this happening are higher with older DSL networks compared to newer cable Internet systems, but the risk is still relatively low with both types of service.
How Weather 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 weatherproofing or weathering sprays, cooking sprays to prevent snow from sticking, or anything else 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, making the surface more susceptible to snow or ice build-up.
Should I clean my satellite dish?
Cleaning your bowl is often not necessary except to maintain attractiveness. As mentioned above, cleaning your plate of dirt and other deposits can help prevent snow and ice build-up, but it usually won't improve performance.
If you decide to clean your satellite dish, do so gently using a soft sponge and warm water. Avoid using any cleaning agents other than mild dish detergent, as harsh chemicals can damage the surface of your dish. Ideally, you wouldn't want to clean the bowl with anything you wouldn't use to clean your TV screen.
Will extreme heat affect my internet service?
As with bad thunderstorms, extreme heat has relatively little effect on internet signals, but it can affect the systems that carry them. The increased energy demands during a heat wave put additional stress on the power grids, which can affect internet service in your home or somewhere on the road.