Okay, for the last month I have had a terrible time maintaining a connection to the wireless IP webcam for the back yard. Other times it would fail to move when you requested it to. I’ve had it since about 2012 and thought maybe the wireless wi-fi transmitter in it was getting weak.

Sometimes we just assume too much and I had done that. I assumed the camera was dying. Then it dawned on me that maybe it was interference. Perhaps someone close to me was on the same wi-fi channel and too strong. I got out the phone first but then opted for the larger tablet screen to search the channel frequencies for the wi-fi signal that might be causing the problem. I had tried changing channels on the router and it improved but it never would continue working for long. Holding the tablet in one hand, phone in the other, and trying to keep my mug out of the picture while trying to reduce reflection the screen was a real circus act.

Moving through the house towards the camera some 50 feet away and outside I found no problem till I got on the back porch with the camera. Standing there monitoring I would see that one moment my router signal “Darius01” had a weak but workable signal. Red Signal in picture.

Then periodically a signal as strong and at times stronger than mine would pop up “. The blue arch on the screen “United States Homeland Security”. Some of these people in a Trailer Park have a twisted sense of humor. That was the one drowning out my signal to and from the webcam. I had tried changing the channel but the interfering signals were coming from down the street behind the IP webcam

So… I got a piece of tinfoil and held it around the enclosure at different angles till the blue signal was all but blocked. I then taped it (till I can make a nice tin foil covered piece of stiff plastic) on the enclosure. This places the home with the strong signal on the backside of the foil, and the open area not covered by the foil towards my router effectively shielding the webcam from being overwhelmed by the signal coming from behind it. It covers some of the globe, but that area would just stare at the wall anyway that far around.

It’s not pretty but it works for now. I have not lost signal all day! So if you have a wifi device that is not holding the signal, check the area with a simple wi-fi analyzer app and try to locate the direction of the signal. Then use a simple piece of tin foil to shield/block the offending signal.

Reminds me of the tinfoil we used to have on the TV Rabbit Ears.