signal interference from U-verse wireless unit

[rhoffenberg]

I changed to a wireless unit a couple months ago.  I started having sporacic problems with garage door to open and close. Unit is in room above garage. got a new door opener but still have to get out of car and be on top of the door. Unplugged unit and the door worked correctly. Had (AT&T) increase filter strength but still having the problem. Now what? 

[RCSMG ACE - Master]

I don't know if this is an option but, you might want to go back to a wired stb.  Or hard wire connect that stb to the RG and turn off the wireless on the stb. 

[JefferMC ACE - Wizard]

Maybe you could relocate the wireless transmitter to another room.

[hpmsrm]

In the world of the Federal Communications Commission the garage door manufacturer is secondary user of the frequency.  In fact there is probably a clause in the instructions to this effect and that it may be subject to interference from other transmitters.  So, technically, the problem should be the door manufacturer's to solve. The door's receiver is most likely being desensitized by the signal (or harmonic thereof) from the STB.  You could go round and round with AT&T and the door manufacturer.  Check with the garage door manufacturer or the dealer/installer and see if the frequency the door uses can be changed.    But frankly....the easiest solution is the one that RC suggested.  Switch your STB to cable and turn off it's internal wireless feature....or, as JefferMC said.  Move the wireless unit to a room further away from the garage.

[BeeBeeSA ACE - Wizard]

You might try to re-learn your remote to the main inside unit and see if that helps.  On most units you remove the light cover (some are just visible on the back of the unit) and there will be a button you push and then you push the remote button until the lights blink letting you know that the new code has been downloaded.

If that doesn't work, there are conversion kits that will allow you to change the frequency the unit uses.  Here is an article that describes a problem we had here in San Antonio when the NSA moved into town and set up a Land Mobile Radio using the frequency for garage door openers.  It was a big deal and the NSA said they would not budge and was going to keep using it.  Residents with in about a 4 to 5 mile radius of the NSA campus were some kind of mad because their openers would not work.  The media was all over it estimating that there were around 25,000 residential homes and businesses effected and that at around $50.00 a pop to convert their openers to a new frequency so they would work the cost was around 1.25 million dollars.

The NSA finally gave into the pressure and changed their frequency.  The spokesperson said that they wanted to be good neighbors.    

[hpmsrm]

It was a smart move by the NSA to cave.  But legally I don't think they had to.  Unless the FCC has changed its rules......manufacturers of garage door openers do not have first claim to the frequencies they use and must accept any interference from primary users of the frequencies.....which would include nearly all communications transmitting devices.    Now...truth is....it's been a while since I have been involved in any of the effects of FCC rules so there might be changes I'm not aware of.

Also there is the possibility that this OP's unit is not on exactly the same freq. as the U-verse box......but the front end of the door opener's receiver may be so broad and so poorly designed that it would be overloaded and desensitized by any moderate to strong RF field nearby.

[BeeBeeSA ACE - Wizard]

Phil you are correct that the NSA had all rights from the FCC to use the frequency and they made that perfectly clear.  So no rule changes.  They relayed thru the media that it was the responsibility of the effected people to find a solution for their opener issues.  Local garage door companies were loving the business. 

As time went on, about 6 months, and feeling the pressure of bad publicity, they quietly changed their frequency to something else.  Then suddenly announced they changed it because they wanted to be good neighbors not because they had to.

You are also right about the RF field.  Missed that part when I first read the OP.  For some reason I thought it was a frequency issue.  I need to start reading more instead of assuming!!