Network bugs (with multimedia!) - aka There's an ant colony living in my router.

[Eug]

A few years ago, I put a home WiFi router in my backyard gazebo, for network access in the yard.

I discovered the spiders and potato bugs like it, presumably because it's slightly warm, and provides shelter under it. I periodically would remove the router, wipe away the webs and dead bugs, and then put it back.

However, although it's been working fine with my iOS devices and MacBook Pro, this cheap 802.11g router doesn't play nice with my Android devices. So I replaced it with a cheap 802.11n router yesterday. When I removed the old router, this is what I found:

It had the usual junk on it, but this time there were occasional ants crawling in and out of the crevices. It was more impressive when I opened it up though.

Video

The white things are pupae.

 

[ViRGE]

Ants are known to love electronics. In fact I'm a bit surprised they didn't short it out.

 

[Mixolydian]

Ants are known to love electronics. In fact I'm a bit surprised they didn't short it out.

Are ants conductive? :hmm:

OP can you please explain your setup? I see the blue device is the router, what is the white box and the cables?

 

[Eug]

The gazebo is far from the house, but has electrical there. So, initially I had it set up with powerline networking extending the network to the gazebo. That's the white box. So:

Blue line = Electrical extension cord.
White box = Powerline adapter

However, I didn't mention I also had an IP camera in the gazebo, spying on deer that were eating our garden plants. While this setup was fine for internet access and a VGA IP camera, when I upgraded to an HD camera, the speed wasn't reliable enough. So, I eventually ran (outdoor) CAT6 from the house to the gazebo and removed the powerline networking, so that white box is now gone.

 

[who?]

Do you have a remote control sprayer to hose down the deer?

 

[ViRGE]

Are ants conductive? :hmm:

They're small enough, so yes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vVUh-194vU&feature=player_detailpage

 

[WHAMPOM]

A few years ago, I put a home WiFi router in my backyard gazebo, for network access in the yard.

I discovered the spiders and potato bugs like it, presumably because it's slightly warm, and provides shelter under it. I periodically would remove the router, wipe away the webs and dead bugs, and then put it back.

However, although it's been working fine with my iOS devices and MacBook Pro, this cheap 802.11g router doesn't play nice with my Android devices. So I replaced it with a cheap 802.11n router yesterday. When I removed the old router, this is what I found:

It had the usual junk on it, but this time there were occasional ants crawling in and out of the crevices. It was more impressive when I opened it up though.

Video

The white things are pupae.

Those are the tiny ants I once found nesting in my phone. Picked up the handset and it was covered with the little things, opened up the main body outside and blew them out with compressed air.

 

[pontifex]

http://conradiator.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/mm-anthill.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hex_(Discworld)

 

[Jeff7]

That might be an RP-SMA connector on there.
(On SMA, the male/female thing makes sense - the male has a pin, and the female has a socket.
On RP-SMA, it's switched. An RP-SMA male has internal threads and a socket, and the female has a pin and external threads.)


In any case, my suggestion would be to have the router running somewhere more protected, but keep the antenna outside: With an extension cable. You may need to scroll down a bit, the page's layout is a bit odd.)

Or get yourself a ridiculous antenna (~15" long).

 

[lxskllr]

Those are the tiny ants I once found nesting in my phone. Picked up the handset and it was covered with the little things, opened up the main body outside and blew them out with compressed air.

That was kind of a dick move giving them to the OP.

 

[Eug]

1. They're not fire ants. They sound like the same tiny black ants WHAMPOM was talking about.

2. I discarded the old unit already, but mainly because I couldn't get a stable connection on it with my Nexus 7 or RAZR HD. It's not the ants either, because I have other identical units (that I had been using indoors) that cause the same problems.

3. I've tried a longer antenna before, inside the house, but it didn't actually help. My solution to span most of the inside of the house was to buy a higher end router. Ironically, the new one I bought (Airport Extreme) has the antennae internally, but nonetheless has way better signal. The new one I bought for outside in the gazebo also has no external antenna, but is an uber cheap one with relatively weak signal (which is fine for its usage).

The black network cable comes from the house (and has a surge suppressor at the house on the line). The green network cable goes the HD IP camera. That white junk to the left of the unit is where the old one was. That is spider webbing around old dead insects.

Ignore the black box. It's just a light sensor for a light I have in the gazebo.

4. I have a big yard, so a long antenna extension cord wouldn't help. I don't really care if the router becomes re-infested. The first router cost me $19.99 for a refurb. The second new router cost me $12.99 brand new.

TP-Link TL-WR720N

It's got a weak transmitter and is only "150 Mbps" 2.4 GHz-only, but I don't care.

Lots of vent holes for ants to get in though.

The problem with the outdoor ones is they cost over 10X as much.

P.S. These routers apparently use only 1.x Watts. It's amazing just how cheap and low power these things are these days.

 

[Anonemous]

spray/apply terro around the router?

 

[imagoon]

You can mount that lower wattage stuff in those cheap throw away food storage containers you get at the grocery store. Screw through it with the mounting screws, pop small holes in for the cables and caulk. Then close the lid. As long as it isnt in the sun it should be ok and keep the wildlife out.

 

[dud]

OP, why would you want to get Internet access at a "remote" location like this? It makes little sense. We all need to "get away" from "civilization" every once in a while ... why bring that civilization to your gazebo?

 

[TwiceOver]

Next time...

http://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-PicoS...words=ubiquiti

Also be ready for all of the ATOT "Electricians" to stop by and give you shit for using extension cords like that. OMG... Der Her Der.

 

[effowe]

You can mount that lower wattage stuff in those cheap throw away food storage containers you get at the grocery store. Screw through it with the mounting screws, pop small holes in for the cables and caulk. Then close the lid. As long as it isnt in the sun it should be ok and keep the wildlife out.

This is what I was going to suggest. A cheap tupperware will save it from the bugs / environment.

 

[Murloc]

meh I'd think water would get to it sooner or later but maybe weather isn't that extreme where you live.

I don't really understand needing the internet in your garden though.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I see you have a store and forward switch, the ants gather all the packets, store them, then ship them out the next port. Make sure you don't run any Raid based systems or it may degrade the performance. Ants don't like it.

I would build some kind of screened box for it. (still want air flow) I'd also add a temp sensor to monitor the temp does not get too low (in winter) or high in summer. Though in winter I'm guessing you don't use it, so you could probably turn it off or bring it in. Cold is actually worse on electronics than heat is.

 

[Eug]

Not sure what's wrong with the extension cord. It's an outdoor cord and only about 10 feet long. The gazebo was wired by an electrician for electrical, and the extension cord just goes from the outlet there. (I didn't have it wired. The previous owner did.) I would think the bigger problem is using indoor equipment outdoors.

I just leave it out all winter. The previous router worked just fine through several Toronto winters. There is data flowing through it 24/7, 365 days a year, because the IP camera is hooked up to it, and the HD video stream gets recorded on my NAS. I keep about 500 GB worth of video, which is several weeks worth. The camera is an outdoor camera though.

Vivotek IP8332

When I see some deer related garden damage, or I or my neighbour spots them, I then check through the footage to see if there's anything worth keeping. Lately it hasn't been a problem though, ever since we spread chili flakes all over the garden.

 

[Eug]

Crazy ants that destroy computers are immune to insecticides

Nylanderia fulva, more commonly called the "tawny crazy ant," has invaded the south, from Florida to Texas, and is causing damage in electrical gear and outlets everywhere they go. They are called the 'crazy ant' because of their erratic trail of movement.

The name isn't the issue, though. The tiny ant, only one-eighth of an inch long, can get into wall outlets or any cracks in the home. And researchers have found these little buggers have a real taste for electrical wiring and components, and no one is sure why. In one year alone, the ants are believed to have caused $146.5 million in damage to electrical equipment in Texas alone.

 

[ViRGE]

This is one of the reasons why I don't live in the south. Cooler temperatures, no killer bees, and no computer-destroying ants.

 

[WhoBeDaPlaya]

I'm glad I live in north Texas.

 

[JimmiG]

Wouldn't the lethal dose of radiation that all Wifi devices emit cause the ants to mutate?

 

[MisterJackson]

Lemongrass oil is a natural deterrent to ants, and putting it on the router won't harm the router.

 

[MisterJackson]

Crazy ants that destroy computers are immune to insecticides

Nylanderia fulva, more commonly called the "tawny crazy ant," has invaded the south, from Florida to Texas, and is causing damage in electrical gear and outlets everywhere they go. They are called the 'crazy ant' because of their erratic trail of movement.

The name isn't the issue, though. The tiny ant, only one-eighth of an inch long, can get into wall outlets or any cracks in the home. And researchers have found these little buggers have a real taste for electrical wiring and components, and no one is sure why. In one year alone, the ants are believed to have caused $146.5 million in damage to electrical equipment in Texas alone.

Damn. I've noticed a transformer in my neighborhood that has an anthill built up onto the side, to the point that it looks like the nest goes on the inside of the transformer. I just always assumed I was wrong in that assumption, and that the nest was only on the outside for warmth.