Internet disconnects when TV is turned on

[Eureka]

So, this is a weird thing that's been happening in our apartment. We have comcast internet, using a comcast modem/router along with a piggybacked Rosewill router. While it doesn't happen to me as often, my roommate loses all internet connection when the TV is turned on. We have a Samsung Smart TV and a HD cable box. Basically what happens is that we lose internet functionality (no websites load, games freeze, etc), but Windows reports a full router connection and full internet access.

The first question is, what is doing this? I originally thought it was the comcast user limit but we also have a second router that's piggybacked onto the modem, so that's not the problem.

Secondly, why does my internet not go down, but his does? I have a Rosewill RNX-N300X adapter on my computer, he uses the built-in adapter on his Asrock Z77 mITX board.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Weird.

Anyways, the first thing that you should try, is connecting one of the PCs wired to the cablemodem. Then run something (streaming radio is good), and then turn the TV on. If you lose internet, then the problem is with your cablemodem or your connection (signal levels, etc.)

If you don't lose internet, then it is something with your routers.

Try using the router connected to the cablemodem next, with a wired PC. Then try wireless.

 

[Cabletek]

So, this is a weird thing that's been happening in our apartment. We have comcast internet, using a comcast modem/router along with a piggybacked Rosewill router. While it doesn't happen to me as often, my roommate loses all internet connection when the TV is turned on. We have a Samsung Smart TV and a HD cable box. Basically what happens is that we lose internet functionality (no websites load, games freeze, etc), but Windows reports a full router connection and full internet access.

The first question is, what is doing this? I originally thought it was the comcast user limit but we also have a second router that's piggybacked onto the modem, so that's not the problem.

Secondly, why does my internet not go down, but his does? I have a Rosewill RNX-N300X adapter on my computer, he uses the built-in adapter on his Asrock Z77 mITX board.

So I have seen this before and yes it is weird. 2 possibilities,

1. TV is damaged and shooting noise into cable system

2. a splitter is damaged and when the tv goes on, something is directing the signal that way instead of splitting it properly.

If you have another tv to hook it up in place of the one currently there, try that and see if the problem stops. If it does then the tv you had is likely injecting noise. Otherwise you may need to change some splitters, assuming when you said TV you meant actual TV and not internet streaming to it.

Third possibility the wireless in the TV is bad, if it supports it, and it is causing wireless noise, wiring directly to the modem will test this out if it stays on, wired, then its something to do with the wireless.

 

[wirednuts]

is the tv hooked to the internet via ethernet wire or wireless?

 

[Eureka]

The TV uses a wireless connection. Still haven't had a real good chance to play with it... been away from the apartment over the weekend.

 

[MtnMan]

So I have seen this before and yes it is weird. 2 possibilities,

1. TV is damaged and shooting noise into cable system

2. a splitter is damaged and when the tv goes on, something is directing the signal that way instead of splitting it properly.

OP said he had a HD cable box, cable connects to that, them probably HDMI to the set.

Have the cable company replace the cable box.

 

[styrafoam]

I had a friend whose PSP would kill the connection for everything else on wifi as soon as it connected, it was on an old linksys router. He solved it with a new router.

 

[Eureka]

Found out the problem is between the routers and the computers.

We started pinging the routers in Windows whenever the internet is "down". I would get around 8ms pings, but my roommates were getting 300-400ms pings. This happens whenever the Samsung Smart TV is on. One router is on channel 6, the other is on channel 11.

I'm assuming that it's because they all use laptops and the built in wifi on mITX boards. I have a dedicated PCI network card with 3 antennae. I'm guessing it's that while mine has enough signal strength to talk through the TV, the other ones are getting overshadowed by the Smart TV (the routers are in the TV stand). Going to test this theory for a bit, but the problem's downstream from the router.

 

[momcat14]

I am having this same problem with only one laptop. Our tablets and my husband's laptop have no issue. We have a new Samsung smart TV wirelessly connected. Our router is a Netgear WNDR3700. Laptop is a Dell with windows 7. If you bring the laptop closer to the router, connection is restored. This is so weird! Please tell me how to correct this!! Thanks!

 

[Eureka]

For us, we ended up disconnecting the SmartTV from the network, I believe. Either that, or we switched it to a second router.

The problem is that the Smart TV is probably "outshining" the laptops... the laptops just don't have large enough antennas. You can try moving the router away from the Smart TV, or using a booster antenna on the router (look for high gain antennas).