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Q&A

weak WiFi when microwave is running [closed]

+6
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Closed as off topic by Nick Alexeev‭ on Oct 27, 2020 at 00:56

This question is not within the scope of Electrical Engineering.

This question was closed; new answers can no longer be added. Users with the reopen privilege may vote to reopen this question if it has been improved or closed incorrectly.

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?

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General comments (8 comments)

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+3
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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:

  1. Don't run the oven when you need good bandwidth.
  2. Get an oven that doesn't leak microwaves as much.
  3. Move the oven and your laptop or WiFi receiver farther apart.
  4. Move the WiFi receiver and/or the access point closer together, and farther away from the oven.
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General comments (2 comments)