The industrial microwave, destroyer of networks

[Mathias 426]

"Dang it. Our network just went down again." Email Guru said.

"You know what that means. The Internet's down as well." Internet Guru sighed.

"And more help line's for me." Jack of all trades (me) moaned.

A few weeks later with the network slowing to a crawl or going down all together always at lunch time...

"You're yanking my chain, the microwave?" Internet Guru queried.

"I knew I smelled some burned popcorn." Jack of all trades sniffed.

True story. The industrial microwave in my companies business somehow caused interference with our network. Tested and proved by turning it on and off while monitoring the network.

This is what I was told and wasn't given the full details. I do know we convicted it of capital crimes and removed it from its life support system, the electrical outlet.

[Sledgstone 8,672]

I wonder if it caused by the electrical wiring because of it's power usage or if it was because the the thing was a defect and was shooting off low level microwaves. Thats pretty messed up but also funny.

At one of my old jobs there was a coffee maker and a microwave in the break room. Both were convenient and everyone used them both.. but if anyone ever used them both at the same time it would blow the circuit breaker and we'd loose power for a half hour until the building maintenance guy could get to the circuit breaker. If someone ever wanted popcorn to go with their coffee they'd screw us all.

Off Topic: I wonder if something like that happened at my work years ago.. they had some issue with one of the network's response times and it resulted in them going thru two buildings replacing all the network cables with new shielded ones.

[Mathias 426]

My company recently implemented VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol), or Internet phone. It has its perks. I can manage phone calls through software, find phone numbers, and perform other complex phone functions with ease that used to require memorizing stupid codes on the standard phones.

Cons...there are a few. If you reboot your computer, you disconnect from the phone. The software has a few bugs that have been annoying us. And of course there is nature, the technology hater, always sending her lackeys to take our egos down a notch.

If Murray the squirrel, and I'm sure you have a few in your neck of the woods, gets the bright idea of roasting his nuts on the transformer, you might find yourself without power and your phone. Screw you Murray!