Have you ever noticed that every time you turn on your microwave your wifi starts to struggle? It seems crazy to think that your microwave is affecting your wifi, so you may think it is just a coincidence. I have listened to the explanation given by some engineers on why your wifi might be going out when you turn on your microwave.
A microwave can interfere with wifi because wifi and microwaves use electromagnetic radiation. If a router is near a microwave when it is turned on it may use more electromagnetic radiation and not leave enough for the wifi. If the router is moved then the wifi should work better.
As you can see a microwave can surprisingly affect your wifi, but why exactly does it? Also, are there other ways to keep your wifi from going out every time you use the microwave? Continue reading to learn about why microwaves interfere with wifi and how you can fix that problem.
Why your Wifi goes out when you use the Microwave
Everything that is electronically charged in life uses electromagnetic radiation. This includes your microwave and your wifi. Different machines need different frequencies of electromagnetic radiation to power them. For instance, more intense usage of electromagnetic radiation is used in cancer treatment to kill cancer cells.
Now here is the thing your microwave is not using all of the electromagnetic radiation up and stopping your router that way. What actually is happening is if your router is not working when your microwave is on then your router is operating at a frequency of 2.4 GHz. 2.4 GHz is the same frequency that your microwave operates off of. This makes the two devices interfere with each other.
The reason why your microwave is still able to operate when your router is on is that your router only transmits data. Microwaves on the other hand emit signals in the unlicensed 2.4 GHz ISM band. This means that the small amounts of radiation that leak from your microwave ends up interfering with your Wifi signals.
Lots of devices run on 2.4 GHz, so you may not be having problems with just your microwave. You possibly could have issues with your toaster oven or bug zapper. Therefore, having a router that operates on a 2.4 GHz is inconvenient and not very practical for everyday use.
Is Electromagnetic Radiation Dangerous
If you are like me the word radiation brings up some concerns. As mentioned before, though, electromagnetic radiation is used in all electronic devices. This includes your phone, television set, and blender. Everything uses electromagnetic radiation.
We live in a radiation-operated world, but the reason why we are not all dying of cancer is that the radiation charge is so small in these electrical devices that it is safe to be around. In fact, most radiation is harmless! When your router and microwave electromagnetic radiation interfere with each other it does not make the electromagnetic radiation any more dangerous.
If you are fine living with your wifi going out every time you turn on your microwave then you can keep your devices as they are and have no worries about your health. We live in an age where we can live with some of the most deadly substances and be fine because we have learned to control them. It is a remarkable thing about this day and age.
How to Stop Your Wifi from Going Out
There are a few options on how to stop your wifi from going out. One of these options is to merely move your router. If your router is farther away from your microwave then the electromagnetic radiation emitted from the microwave will not interfere with your router’s electromagnetic radiation.
You should try to put your router as far away from any electronic device as you can to keep it from receiving any other interference. As talked about above many devices run off of 2.4 GHz, which means there are probably several devices in your home that can interfere with your router.
If you live in a small apartment and moving your router is just not practical or possible another option is to upgrade your wifi. This arguably is the best option, because then your router cannot interfere with any other device. It also means that you will be able to have faster internet, which is always a nice thing.
The best frequency to upgrade your router to is the 5 GHz band. It is over twice the speed of your old wifi and therefore should not have any problems with your microwave. 5 GHz band is also a very fast internet. You will have 1,000 Mbps wifi strength. This can be useful for work, school, or merely watching your favorite TV show.
The one downside of the 5 GHz band is that it does have a smaller operating size than the 2.4 GHz, but if you are fine with that then this can be a great idea for you.
Another option is to put water in between your router and your microwave. Water is a great absorber of electromagnetic waves. If you have a fish tank you can just place it in between your microwave and your router and that should be able to keep your wifi from going out. Do not worry about your fish. Having them in between your microwave and router will not hurt them. As talked about previously the radiation in the electromagnetic radiation used by your router and your microwave is so small that it would not hurt your fish at all.
Of course, the cheapest and easiest option is just to accept that when the microwave is running you are going to have a little bit of an internet break. This can be annoying, but also the internet has sped up so much in the past 10 years that taking it a little slower might make a nice change of pace.
Overall, your best option is to get a faster wifi service, but if you can’t afford it you can try absorbing the electromagnetic waves or moving your router.
