Modem and router and computer grounding

Vermiis Mortuor

4 years ago
updated 4 years ago
Under review

Hello,

I wanted your advice for products you offer which I should purchase based on my situation. I do not know what to buy from you regarding my situation so please help me out here.

I have a Verizon FiOS modem and router and their modem is fixed so it cannot be replaced by another. Their routers are separate units. I am able to turn the wifi off when logging into my account though I do not know if that sufficiently blocks wifi signal from getting through. I also believe that I can log directly into the router online and fine tune its settings by typing my IP address into any web browser but have not done that yet in order to double check if radio signal is disabled from there. I want to try to eliminate the wifi entirely and connect both a Macbook Air to a grounded ethernet connection from the router as well as to ground my iMac desktop computer. I need your shielded cables and grounding adapters I am presuming. But do I need a grounding adapter for the desktop computer as well? The desktop computer's power cable is all ready grounded so will the grounding adapter be necessary for that device or just a shielded cable extending from the router?

Also, what would you recommend for grounding an iPhone? The phone cannot be grounded at all times though, obviously.

I want to ground all connections and have the wifi turned off completely in order to lower EMF exposure as well as to eliminate EMI exposure from all devices.

So I want to ground connections, correct? Does the router itself need to be grounded?

Please let me know what you recommend that I pick up.

Thanks for all help!

- Steven

Replies 13

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4 years ago

Okay, please bear with me here, thanks for your patience:

1. So, correct me if I am wrong here then, but it sounds like if my current modem has grounded ports, but my current router does not have grounded ports, then a shielded cable would be safe and fine directly from the ungrounded port router into the desktop but a grounded port router would require a loop isolator to be installed at the router port before the cable enters the pc?

2. So an unshielded cable would not create the same negative loop energy that a shielded cable would though it could theoretically pick up and transmit unwanted EMI?

Is there any possible backfiring so to speak or anything that could theoretically as a possibility go wrong with all shielded cables connecting modems and routers which all have grounded ports even if your ground loop isolators are employed?

3. Would it be more desirable to connect an unshielded cable from the grounded port modem into your router then shielded cables going out of the router? So with the grounded port modem and then your grounded port router a the ground loop isolator would be required at the router before connecting shielded cables to both the laptop and the desktop but the laptop would require your Ultimate USB To Ethernet to be connected at the laptop end? There's no possible resultant danger then of a build up of radiation through these completely shielded and grounded from all sides schemata?

Well, if anything goes wrong with your router at any point do you repair it free of charge?

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Shaun A Kranish Principal

4 years ago
Under review

Desktop Computers ----> Do NOT need Ethernet grounding adapter. They are grounded AND have groundable ports. They will ground your Ethernet cable - this is deal.

1. Do not connect a desktop computer to an already-grounded switch or router (with metal groundable ports) directly with a shielded ethernet cable. Use the Ethernet ground loop isolator AT the switch or router.

Laptops ----> 98% of time are NOT grounded, unless plugged into a grounded monitor (screen) or grounded printer. Very few laptops are grounded. Even 3-prong power cord laptops are usually ungrounded - the ground doesn't go all the way up to the laptop it dies in the AC adapter (charger) box.

Use the Ultimate USB to Ethernet for laptops. Then connect shielded cable. Then isolate with ethernet ground loop isolator at the switch or router if said switch/router is already grounded by something else and has metal groundable ports.

2. You could connect your modem to our router directly with a shielded ethernet cable. It probably wouldn't make much difference if our router becomes grounded or not. Then isolate every run to every computer. Ground the computer and the Ethernet cable (desktops do this automatically).

Does that make sense?

3. There is no written warranty, but we do stand behind our routers. We have really not had any issues with routers. Just do NOT use the reset button on the router, as this would erase all of our important settings. This is why we cover it with a sticker and say not to use it.

1. So if I have grounded ports at both ends from both my modem and grounded ports on my

router as well, and then I connect your shielded cables between them and a

grounding adapter to each device (desktop and laptop), in theory should that be fine or in

theory could that create a negative energy loop and make the situation worse? Or do I not need an adapter for the desktop in this situation?

2. Also, if the ports on the modem were grounded but were not grounded on the router would that change the recommendation for the above situation, Shaun? I just ask because my current router does not have grounded ports but your router does.

3. What is the warranty on your router?

Gracious sincere thanks for all of your help!

Thanks again, Shaun!

No, my question was more about Verizon's ability to remotely switch on the radio signal of through their router even when I have the wifi supposedly disabled. If I am not using the Verizon IP address which they provided but an alternate proxy IP address which was not connected to Verizon's, would this not prevent them from being able to switch on the wifi remotely? I use a application called Namebench which finds the fastest connectivity possible proxy server/IP address then I go into my network settings and disable the Verizon IP and use the third party IP address. It does not seem that Verizon would be able to then remotely switch on the wifi if that were the case, no?

Okay, so the ethernet ports on the modem being grounded and the ports also being grounded on your router does not create any kind of a dangerous energy loop with both ends being closed regarding the desktop computer or does the desktop's power source being grounded prevent that from occurring?

Also, what is the warranty situation for your router?

Do you recommend your cat. 6 or cat. 7 shielded cables for my situation? Are there pros and cons for each?

Yes, we have had very good success with our low-emission WiFi router - it's a very popular item and works very well.

For you, I would just hook the FIOS modem directly to our router. The desktop computer directly to our router. All other computers I would use the isolator mentioned above plugged into the other ports on the router. Then I would hook other devices into our router through those isolators.

For the time being your laptop being ungrounded is probably the biggest concern. But I would really get rid of their router ASAP, because that is also a huge concern as it is probably putting our radiation.

I think you are confused with networking technology. Our router should work fine with all ISPs when hooked up to their modem. Turning off the power to the modem for 1 minute is good, then turn it back on after you have hooked up our router. This should reset everything and our router should work plug-and-play right out of the box :)

Thanks, Shaun. I had no idea you sold a router. I'll look at yours.

My connection is FiOS and not cable. The modem's electrical connection is not grounded. The modem does have grounded ports however. The current separate Verizon router does not have grounded ports though. Does that change any dynamics regarding the ground loop EMI potential? With this in mind, would what you suggested above be the safest configuration for the desktop and laptop for the time being until I decide on a replacement router model?

Also, in theory, if the active IP address on both devices was changed to a proxy that was not the Verizon IP address, would that not prevent Verizon from being able to send a remote radio signal of any kind?

For cable modems, we always recommend using the Ethernet Ground Loop Isolator between the modem and the router. For FIOS you could hook the modem up directly to the router I believe - as the modems are not grounded. Though perhaps to be safe it's best to use the isolator. Then I would have your desktop directly plugged into the router. Then I would isolate with the ethernet ground loop isolator any and all other Ethernet cables where they plug into our router.

You can never trust a router supplied by an Internet Service Provider. We have seen far too many routers that even when you think you've turned the WiFi off, they still are putting out the signal. All settings can be off, the WiFi light can go off, and we have still seen the radiation pumping out of the routers. Likewise, as you said, the ISP could reset/update the router at any time and get rid of your settings or turn on some settings you can't see and cause radiation to again be transmitted 24/7 from the router without you knowing. The only way would be to check regularly with an RF meter. But if you use our router, you won't have to check - the ISP cannot change settings on our router. It is in your control completely, and you can always expect it to emit the lowest possible radiation when WiFi is on. And you can also turn off WiFi on our router with the push of a button at any time you wish.

Thank you for allowing us to share your questions and answers!

Quote from Vermiis Mortuor

Hello!!

Thanks so much!!!!

Please leave this open as I will likely think of a few more questions to ask but for now I wanted to tell you that the Verizon router is separate from the modem. I have to use their modem but I can use an alternate router if I choose to. I am compromised financially and would rather spend the money first on trying to make things as safe as possible. Do you think I should buy a different router such as an Ecos one, for example?

So the desktop computer requires no grounding adapter at all then? Only a shielded cable?

What would you recommend best of your products for grounding the macbook air laptop computer I have?

Thanks SO much again!

Best,

Steven

We have not tested the Ecos router. But I am confident our router is better - lower emissions. I have heard specs of the other router, and our specs are better for low emissions. Correct, your desktop computer just needs a round shielded cable.

The Ultimate USB to Ethernet is the one we recommend for the laptop.

Also, I just checked and the ports on my modem are grounded whereas the ports on my router are not grounded. They are separate units. If I purchased a low EMF router and its ports were also grounded like the modem's are would that create a different situation?

I am able to log into my IP address online and change my radio transmission settings to "off" but that does that mean Verizon would still be transmitting a radio signal? The SSID Broadcast settings are enabled and those cannot be adjusted or switched off however.

Yes, you may use these questions and post them publicly to help others. Maybe you want to edit down and condense these newer questions I have asked though.

Look forward to your further responses and thanks so much.

pps

If Verizon were clandestinely pumping an intermittent wifi signal through their router even if I had the wifi disabled, then would a replacement router, such as the Ecos for example, prevent Verizon from being able to do that or would it not matter? It would also seem difficult to determine this accurately even with a meter alone for if Verizon were indeed doing such a thing then it could be something that theoretically could be done infrequently. In other words, yo would have to catch it with the meter at the right moment, no?