The Curious Case of Consumer Routers and Weak Power Supplies
2025-01-09
A senior computer scientist recounts two incidents highlighting performance issues with consumer-grade routers stemming from inadequate power supplies. The first involved the author's home router, exhibiting slowness when powered by a solar inverter. The second occurred in Kiribati during an ISIF Asia-funded project. Using an oscilloscope, the author observed the router drawing excessive current during voltage dips, leading to instability. Adding capacitors to stabilize the power supply resolved the issues, underscoring how seemingly minor power problems can cause significant network failures.