interference on screen

[#1]

Neighbours interference affecting my PC. They recently upgraded their BT service which included putting an extra box on the phone line pole opposite us  (and cutting some of our trees without asking).

Now I get interference regularly on my all-in-one PC screen which is so bad I cannot work on it. It is not my video card, I have checked, and some of the time my PC is OK,  but then the interference suddenly starts up with bands across the screen, drifting colour messing  and sometimes it goes blank.

Like many others I work from home and this is proving disastrous for my work schedule. What can I do to protect my PC from this interference?

Note I use my PC via cable NOT wifi.

Thanks.

[#2]

@angryone15  Welcome to the forum.

Do you get this interference when the Ethernet cable is unplugged?

It could be a coincidence and nothing to do with a new BT box. It sounds more like your PC is on the blink or being directly affected by your neighbours WiFi and nothing to do with your Plusnet connection.

[#3]

The usual reason for PC screens showing horizontal lines is a failing power supply.

Does your monitor have an external DC supply or is it mains driven with an internal one?

[#4]

Well it plugs into the mains as it is an all-in-one PC, not a standalone monitor.

[#5]

Can you plug an external monitor in to test?
Or, do you have access to/borrow a laptop to try in the same location?
Do this first to see what happens?

[#6]

An all-in-one PC will still have an internal power supply to provide all the different voltages the various components require.

It definitely sounds like the most likely cause is internal to that PC.

The suggestion re testing an external monitor and laptop is excellent.

[#7]

Thanks for reply. I do not have a spare monitor, but I attached an old laptop which crashed after trying to load, in that the mouse stopped working and the usb socket it was in will not work for anything at all now - mouse is fine anywhere else. Power surge maybe?

My PC is currently fine, no issues, but later on there will be. Neighbours are currently out at work. When they come home, especially at TV Prime time, my PC goes haywire. I realise this could be conjecture, but something is definitely interfering with my computer and it is not my PC going on the blink. I live out in the wilds, there is no other neighbour and no mobile signal.

[#8]

Moderator's note(s):

Thread moved from ADSL Broadband to Everything Else.

[#9]

Have you tried just talking with your neighbours?. After seeing what's new, flipping a few switches would clearly show whether it's something at your neighbours or not.

[#10]

@angryone15 

Do you live in a semidetached house? If so is your computer close to a party wall? If so it might be worth asking your neighbour whether their hub (or a satellite unit if they have a mesh set up) placed next to the party wall.

I’m thinking that this could be caused by direct interference between your neighbour’s WiFi transmission and your computer.

[#11]

There are other things that can cause interference.
However the monitor part of your set up should be able to resist most.
If you havn't got a reliable test system try moving your set up to another room as far from the original place as possible.
If you have a good relationship with next door, have a chat, explain whats happening and try to have a look around to see if there is anything that could cause it.
Switch stuff on one at a time until the source is located or eliminated. It could be anything with a power supply from an LED light to a faulty TV.

[#12]

There is a quick (and I suggest simple) approach here.  Go chat with your neighbour, tell then that you have a problem and it seems to be coincident with the changes made by BT to the internet service / home wifi.  To help prove or eliminate that this is not coincidence, might they kindly turn off all of their internet equipment for 15 minutes so that you can see if it goes away.

If it stops then the problem is their kit and you'll need to ask them to talk to BT about it, if it continues, then the problem is most probably that the power supply in your all-in-one is dying.

[#13]

Thanks, I have run numerous indoor tests and everything is fine, it would certainly seem to be the neighbours equipment, as often the screen is perfect, with no interference at all. So I am sure it is not my equipment.

It is not easy to talk to my neighbours for a number of reasons, partly due to my physical inability to reach their home, but I will contact BT if the problem persists.

[#14]

You are not a customer of BT so they are unlikely to be of assistance to you.  If the interference is coming from your neighbour's BT supplied equipment, it needs to be them who speak with BT.