weak WiFi when microwave is running [closed]
Closed as off topic by Nick Alexeev on Oct 27, 2020 at 00:56
This question is not within the scope of Electrical Engineering.
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Nowadays, that I videoconference over WiFi a lot, I've started to notice some trends in WiFi quality. And it seems my connectivity decreases when my microwave oven is on (I work in the same room as it). Is that my imagination or does it make sense. If it does make sense, why?
1 answer
The microwave oven uses frequencies near some types of WiFi. The very strong radiation created by the oven is meant to stay inside the oven. However, even if only a small fraction gets out, it could easily overwhelm the relatively tiny WiFi signals.
This could actually be indicating a potentially serious problem with the oven. If something in the oven broke or degraded, then it could be leaking dangerous levels of radiation. Long term exposure to sufficiently strong microwaves, like the oven produces, have been shown to increase the chance of cataracts in the eyes years later, for example.
There are several possible solutions:
- Don't run the oven when you need good bandwidth.
- Get an oven that doesn't leak microwaves as much.
- Move the oven and your laptop or WiFi receiver farther apart.
- Move the WiFi receiver and/or the access point closer together, and farther away from the oven.
2 comments
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I doubt that such an oven is legal though. Spurious emissions is typically limited to -37dBm ERP (in EU at least) and a -37dBm signal would not interfere with WiFi.
8 comments
I'm not sure this is on-topic on this site. If not, please let me know and delete it! — msh210 3 months ago
It's highly likely that your wifi uses 2.45 GHz and, it may or may not surprise you to know that microwave ovens use exactly the same part of the spectrum hence, with circa 750 watts of microwaves being produced inside the oven (and a few tens of milli watts leaking out) that leakage scatter guns the part of the spectrum your wifi uses. — Andy aka 3 months ago
Thanks, @Andyaka — msh210 3 months ago
@msh210 Your hunch is correct about off-topic. When we get a site that covers computer hardware from user's or IT's perspective, this question would fit there very well. I would move this question there when such a site appear on Codidact, and the system allows us to migrate questions. — Nick Alexeev 3 months ago
@Nick Alexeev Really? This is a great question, falls within EMI field. This question closing fetish should stay on ee.stackexchange. — Kranulis 3 months ago