Damage to a WiFi router occurs due to the radiation that this device produces. Its impact, however, is not too strong: a microwave or laptop has a more detrimental effect on human health. In addition, there are ways to reduce harm from using the device.
What is Wi-Fi and the main parameters of its radiation
Wi-Fi is an electronic signal that connects laptops, tablets, computers, and mobile phones to the Internet. There is no consensus on the question of whether the router is dangerous or harmful to human health. Some experts believe that its influence is so small that it cannot cause any dysfunction. Others believe that the device causes severe harm to the body.
The intensity of the harmful effects depends on the strength of the radiation. Near the device the indicator is 20 dBm. This is less than a mobile phone. If you move a certain distance, the exposure to radiation will become even less. A microwave oven has 100,000 times more radiation power.
The frequency range is 2.4 GHz. Power reaches 100 μW.
Why a WiFi router can be dangerous
If a person is constantly near the router, he is exposed to constant radiation. This effect causes molecules in cells to move closer together. As a result, local temperatures rise. Various pathological processes and oncological diseases may occur.
The strength of the harmful effects depends on the speed of the network, the proximity of a person to the device, and the coverage radius. The faster the data transfer occurs, the more harmful the device. If you are too close to the device, a person is exposed to more intense radiation.
The number of devices also poses a danger. In apartment buildings, a person is exposed to radiation not only from his own router, but also from those belonging to his neighbors, since the walls do not completely block electromagnetic waves. These devices are also installed in restaurants, large stores and other locations visited by large numbers of people.
Wi-Fi is especially dangerous for pregnant women and young children. In the organisms of these population groups, growth processes occur, cells are actively dividing. Electromagnetic radiation negatively affects the course of these processes and can cause pathologies in the embryo. WHO recommends against installing devices in kindergartens and schools.
Wi-Fi is also harmful to men's health. It is believed that constant presence near the router leads to a deterioration in the sperm count, which makes fertilization difficult. Such disorders are observed with regular exposure to the male reproductive system.
It also has a negative effect on the brain. If you constantly use the device, headaches become more frequent, and blood circulation in the brain is possible.
How to reduce the influence of a harmful factor on the human body
To reduce the negative impact of the device, you should avoid installing the router in the bedroom. You should not put it in places where a person spends a lot of time every day. If the device is installed in a large office where a large number of people work, it is better to choose 1 device with high power than to install several low-power ones in different parts of the room.
It is worth turning off the device if you do not plan to use it for a long time. It is recommended to turn off routers at night: scientists believe that resting with the device on is less beneficial, the body recovers worse, and complete relaxation does not occur. It is not recommended to place devices connected to the network close to the sleeping person at night.
Health professionals advise limiting the amount of time you use a harmful device. It is especially important to monitor children, since the effect of electromagnetic waves on a child’s body is more dangerous.
Some people prefer to abandon this method of data transfer altogether. If you use only wired Internet, the harmful effects will be reduced.
To avoid the occurrence of dangerous pathologies, you should undergo regular medical examinations. This will allow you to detect the occurrence of negative changes in the early stages and take timely measures to eliminate them.
David Backstein, surgeon-oncologist of the highest category: “I would not say that the technology that surrounds us somehow contributes to the occurrence of tumors”. He reinforces his words by the fact that the International Journal of Epidemiology summarized a dozen studies on the influence of gadgets on the occurrence of cancer and came to the conclusion that there is no connection between the use of those same mobile phones and the occurrence of cancer. True, the doctor of medical sciences is in no hurry to draw final conclusions: “Although, of course, in a global sense, we have been using smartphones, telephones, networks and everything like that not so long ago. And studying their effect on the body requires much more time.”
Tatiana Vasilyeva, radiation hygiene doctor:“It is impossible to say with certainty that phones cause irreversible harm to the body. Although several years ago quite serious studies appeared proving that electromagnetic waves lead to changes at the cellular level.". Referring to the British Ministry of Health, the candidate of medical sciences points out that there is still no confirmation of the influence of base stations and smartphones on the human body. Regarding the weakening of the immune system, Tatyana Vasilyeva confirmed the indirect effect: “The point is not so much the radiation, but the fact that a person simply spends less time on the street, moves less and is absorbed in communication using gadgets”.
As for Wi-Fi, the doctor referred to the relatively recent introduction of this technology, so it is still difficult to talk about the level of influence, since there are no serious studies on this topic. However, she noted: “The radiation there [from Wi-Fi] is less than from the same mobile phone”. For those users who are still concerned about the risk of influence, she advised turning off the router at night.
Nadezhda Koloskova, a therapist of the highest category, focuses on the influence of modern technologies on the body of children: “I would start, first of all, by instilling healthy habits in children. It seems to me that the point is not that networks are harmful to health, but the point is how much time a person spends next to them.”. She also does not exclude the possibility of negative effects of Wi-Fi on the body: “Electromagnetic fields do affect the central nervous system. I would say that although the risk has not been directly proven, it still cannot be completely excluded. But in our country, Wi-Fi is used both in schools and in shopping and entertainment centers. We need at least a few more decades to understand what they lead to.”.
As for mobile phones, Nadezhda Koloskova was more categorical, pointing out that they are harmful "long known". Supports her in thisOlga Smirnova, gynecologist-endocrinologist: “I am categorically against carrying mobile phones in trouser pockets”. Smirnova notes that the increase in infertility among both men and women has intensified recently for a reason. The doctor pointed to a Danish study in which researchers observed men talking on the phone for five or six hours whose sperm count and motility decreased. She points out: “Yes, the changes were not drastic, but we have been using the phone for more than one week.”.
Regarding wireless networks, the expert was more favorable, noting the low signal strength, she added: “At the same time, you don’t carry the router with you in your pocket”. However, she still recommended turning off wireless network devices when they are not in use and advised installing the equipment in those rooms where there are the least number of people.
Nikolay Lyubimenko, pediatrician: “It seems to me that Wi-Fi is not so harmful to our body. The same microwave, in my opinion, is much more harmful. The fact is that the power of the router is several times less than that of a microwave oven.”. He supports the opinion of his colleague, Nadezhda Koloskova, when it comes to the effect on the body of children: “I have heard versions that since a child’s body is just forming, waves of wireless networks can affect it”. The doctor indicated at that time that it would still not be possible to avoid technology, and there was no need to do this. Using a baby monitor or tablet to watch cartoons will do more good than harm if you use these achievements of modern science in doses.
The doctor notes that it is important not to go to extremes and you should not install a router in a nursery; otherwise, modern technologies can be used without fear.
All doctors agree that Wi-Fi, if it has any effect on human health, is insignificant. True, the lack of direct evidence of harm does not exclude the possibility of a negative impact that will manifest itself over a longer period of time than the few years that we are surrounded by wireless technologies. It is still worth listening to the recommendations of experts. You should take especially seriously the words about constantly spending time on the Internet, not only for children, but also for adults. Fresh air and outdoor games will help protect your health not only from modern technology, but also from the common cold.
WiFi is harmful! - I hear from one side. “Viruses are transmitted via wifi,” I hear from the other. Are these statements true? Is using wifi really bad for your health? Let's figure it out right now!
Is wifi harmful or not?
To find out, let’s figure out what wifi actually is? We open Wikipedia, where we read that the name comes from the English Wireless Fidelity, which means “high-precision wireless data transmission”, and is nothing more than a family of information transmission via radio channels. RADIO! Has anyone ever harmed their health by listening to the radio?
Scientists have not yet come to a consensus about the dangers of wifi, but no one has been able to prove the harm to human health. In general, all the noise came from the head of the English Ministry of Health, William Stewart, who had information about alleged changes in people’s health from minor radio waves.
Let's look at the facts:
- It has been proven that the level of radiation emanating from wifi devices is 600 times lower than acceptable and harmless to humans radiomagnetic radiation standards.
- The BBC television company and a number of British scientists initiated a study in schools to determine whether wifi is harmful. The strength of radiation from mobile phones and wifi routers was measured. As a result, it was revealed that the radiation level of the latter was three times higher. And Professor Laurie Chellis has officially stated that there is no harm to health from wifi, “unless you keep your laptop on your lap.” Although the other members of the commission said that the radiation is so negligible that even this is not dangerous.
- Wi-Fi devices and microwaves operate at the same wavelength (2.4 GHz), but the radiation from a kitchen appliance is 100 thousand times higher, which was revealed as a result of research conducted by another professor, Malcolm Sperrin. By the way, high-quality (hermetically sealed) microwave ovens also do not leak anything and do not cause any harm.
Now let’s remember what surrounds you and me, besides wifi in the apartment, in everyday life?
- Everyone has a cell phone in their pocket. And even if you don’t have it, then your neighbor has it, and the signal from the cellular operator does not choose through whom exactly it should go to the neighbor’s phone - the rays penetrate your house up and down
- There is a microwave, if not in every kitchen, then in every second kitchen.
- Everyone definitely has a TV.
- We all walk in parks and sit in cafes, wait for a train at a station or a flight at the airport, study at a university or work in an office - and most of these public places have wifi. Even some commuter buses already have it!
- There is no point in talking about radiation from various types of industrial or military sources - we are all under their “hood”
In the end, what do we have? It is impossible to say exactly how harmful wifi is. But it is reliably known that the signal from WiFi causes much less harm than the vast majority of other household devices that we use every day. But if you are still afraid of its possible impact, then just follow some simple rules to be calm:
- Do not keep the device that receives the signal on your lap, but rather far away on the table.
- If possible, place the wifi router in the apartment away from the place where you constantly sit or sleep.
- Turn off the router if you are not currently using the Internet.
- Due to the impossibility of thoroughly studying the degree of harm, it is advisable, if possible, to protect small children from it, so as not to strain the young developing organism with additional, albeit insignificant, radiation.
All of the above does not apply to 3G mobile USB modems, because they receive signals from mobile operators, and therefore emit signals just like cell phones. So, compliance with these precautionary rules when working with them should be taken with greater attention than with regular wireless Wi-Fi generated using a router connected to cable Internet.
It is harmful to use WiFi, as viruses penetrate through it
But this is pure speculation, unsubstantiated. And they occur among those who connected to a wireless network from a device unprotected by antivirus, picked up a virus and decided that wifi was to blame. This technology only distributes the Internet wirelessly - the Internet itself remains exactly the same as in your cable. The only danger may be a hacker breaking into the network, but that's another conversation.
So follow the minimum basic safety rules, which can be applied to any modern household appliance and are described in more than a dozen instructions for their operation, and use it to your health!
Thank you! Didn't help
Radiation from a router that provides Wi-Fi into an apartment can be found in almost any home. Even if you do not have such a device, the rays can reach from neighboring apartments.
The question arises: What if this type of radiation has a detrimental effect on human health? Is a standard Wi-Fi router in an apartment harmful?
Since the invention of routers, many studies have been conducted on their effects on the human body. And after receiving their results, some experts spoke out about how serious the harm of Wi-Fi is.
Western scientific research
In the USA and Great Britain, experiments began almost from the moment routers appeared. They studied the effect of waves on children and adults.
It is noted that it is too early to draw definitive conclusions. Too little time has passed since the invention of Wi-Fi. But now pediatricians, radiation specialists, and oncologists are sharing their findings about mobile and Internet networks. And many are inclined to believe that they are not capable of causing serious harm.
The British Ministry of Health conducted about a dozen studies of various gadgets. Among them was the study of routers. Based on its results, the myth that Wi-Fi radiation has a serious effect on the body was dispelled. According to British scientists, the harm from the new Wi-Fi radiation is greatly overestimated.
Russian studies
There have been no high-profile studies conducted on the territory of the Russian Federation. Therefore, our experts refer to Western research when formulating their own conclusions.
The opinions of Russian and Western scientists about routers coincide. The harm from a wireless router is considered invisible or absent, and the incidence of diseases does not increase with constant exposure.
Most Russian experts advocated a calm attitude towards Wi-Fi radiation. In their opinion, it should be minimized by turning off the device at night, but not trying to completely eliminate the possible harm of Wi-Fi. If there is one (and there are no accurate data on long-term exposure to radiation), then it is minimal. For now, network harm is just a myth.
Comparison of radiation from the router and other devices
The router is scary and questioned because it appeared relatively recently. It has been on the Russian market for less than ten years. Meanwhile, other household and technical appliances that have been used at home for a long time pose more harm.
In order to find out the degree of possible danger of routers, the radiation was compared:
- from microwave ovens;
- from mobile phones;
- from routers.
The microwave turned out to be the most dangerous at home. Its rays, with prolonged exposure, can change the structure of living tissues. Therefore, vegetables and fruits that lie within a radius of two meters from the device quickly spoil or become as if they were cooked. It is not recommended to use them.
If a person is in the place of these vegetables, then after a long stay near the device he will experience dizziness and weakness.
Mobile devices (tablets, phones, etc.) showed a lower degree of radiation. They can significantly influence a person only if he constantly carries the device with him, and close to his body. It is not recommended to carry mobile phones in pockets near the genitals. But when used in moderation, the devices are not dangerous.
The most harmless router turned out to be the one whose power is minimal. There were no noticeable changes in the behavior, health, or tissue structure of the subjects during the experiment.
Only a minimal effect on the human nervous system was noticed, which can easily be eliminated if you move 2-3 meters away from the Wi-Fi router. Routers are virtually secure.
The conclusion of experts is this: you need to pay less attention to newfangled inventions, including the router. Due to improved technology, new products emit minimal harmful waves.
Opinion of children's pediatricians
Expert opinion taken from Nadezhda Koloskova. She is a pediatrician of the highest category. The woman gained access to research and examined many people who constantly use routers.
She made the following conclusions:
- it takes several decades to fully study the impact of Wi-Fi;
- you need to minimize the presence of children near routers, but not completely limit them;
- There will be minimal harm if a child or adult uses wireless technologies less.
Like most scientists, Nadezhda Koloskova suggests that the influence of routers on the human body is insignificant, but still exists.
Oncologists' opinion
The International Association of Narcologists, using the research of scientists from various countries, has not identified a direct relationship between electromagnetic radiation from routers and the appearance of cancerous tumors. One of the experts, David Backstein, supported this opinion with data from the International Journal of Epidemiology.
The article reviewed by Backstein cites about a dozen studies on the effects of gadgets on the brain, nervous system and internal organs. No direct carcinogenic effect was found.
Research on the connection between cancer and wireless Internet does not stop at the moment.
How to reduce the dangers posed by radiation
Due to the fact that the effect of the devices has not been fully studied, it is recommended to limit the use of wireless Internet, especially among children. This will protect the nervous system from possible harmful changes.
- the router should not be placed in a children's room;
- the device should be located away from the bedroom - above the front door opening, where most devices are now installed;
- It is better to turn off the equipment at night;
- the child needs to limit access to Wi-Fi, but not by force, but by trying to distract him to another, more useful activity.
What you shouldn't be afraid of
It has been precisely established that brain activity does not change depending on the duration of exposure to the device. That is, it does not affect the nervous system or has a completely unnoticeable effect.
Cancerous tumors have nothing to do with Wi-Fi. They grow due to serious electromagnetic radiation, but routers produce too little background.
The waves do not affect the structure of the blood in any way. In this regard, there is no need to be afraid of blood cancer and other diseases of the blood vessels.
The only thing that radiation can indirectly affect is human vision. But here the connection is very weak.
Wireless networks force a person to be on the Internet more often, which causes damage to his vision. However, this relationship is also applicable to other devices: TV, telephone, computer. And in this case the router does not cause any specific harm.
Is radiation from a wireless Internet network harmful?
Router- an incompletely studied device that may have a minor effect on the condition of weakened people or children.
Scientists will draw accurate conclusions about its influence in a few decades. In the meantime, you need to try to moderately protect yourself from the influence of Wi-Fi radiation.
You should be especially careful with children who constantly use wireless Internet. The influence of electromagnetic radiation on them is increased.
There are many opinions regarding whether Wi-Fi is harmful to our health or not. Wireless network connections, which can be used by a large number of people at the same time, are now available in almost all public places. Many of us have installed a router at home, as a result of which using the Internet is now easy and comfortable. But the more popular this technology becomes, the more controversy arises regarding its safety for humans.
Even if Wi-Fi is really harmful to health, no one will refuse it
To date, there are no clear conclusions regarding the harm, benefit or neutrality of Wi-Fi for the body. Because of this, many myths and fictions have appeared, and it is impossible to understand which of these are true and which are lies. Let's try to analyze all the issues related to the impact that a router installed in an apartment has on us, and for this we will start with the main thing - find out how it works.
How does Wi-Fi “distribute” an Internet connection?
A router with Wi-Fi technology “shares” high-speed access to the World Wide Web with other equipment using electromagnetic waves - it is because of them that controversy arose about the dangers of this technology.
Electromagnetic waves have been present in our lives for many years, because they were once used in radio receivers to transmit signals. Today, thanks to them, the operation of a large number of equipment has become possible - from laptops and mobile phones to a microwave oven.
How do electromagnetic waves affect the human body?
They affect the brain and central nervous system, so if the radiation is too strong, a person feels weak, headaches and irritability. Thus, there is a negative impact from electromagnetic waves, but is the Wi-Fi router itself harmful to human health because of them?
To answer this question, we need to analyze the specific properties of the specified device and compare it with other equipment that we use in everyday life.
We will focus on the following parameters of the Wi-Fi router:
- Radiation power.
- Radius of influence.
- Duration of use of the device and its location.
The frequency of the router is 2.4 GHz - the same as that of a microwave oven, but the latter is much more harmful to health. Why? It's all about power - for this household appliance it is tens of times higher, it is this indicator that determines the effect of radiation on a person. In the same way, we compare a router with a mobile phone - the power of the first device is measured in mW, but for a cell phone it is at least 1 W, which is several times higher. Thus, the radiation power of a Wi-Fi router is insignificant compared to other equipment.
Pay attention to how Internet equipment is located in the house. Since we use access to the global network without being tied to a router, the radiation power is divided in proportion to the distance to you. We put the same smartphone directly to our ear when talking, so it has a greater impact on our health and is more harmful, since many of us make quite a lot of calls during the day.
It matters how much time we usually use a device - sitting on a laptop all day will affect us worse than a two-minute conversation on the phone. Therefore, everything depends not on the presence or absence of radiation in any technology, but on how wisely and moderately we use it.
Therefore, when someone talks about the dangers of Wi-Fi, this is due to electromagnetic waves - they really have an effect on a person, but we have already found out that due to the low power of the router, the radiation is insignificant, especially compared to other equipment.
What does science say about the dangers of Wi-Fi?
Many studies and experiments have been conducted around the world to find out whether Wi-Fi is really harmful to health, but it has not yet been proven. However, no one has been able to find arguments that this technology is harmless to the body, so it is impossible to definitely ban or allow its disposal.
There is only one conclusion - everything should be in moderation, therefore, to reduce the influence of a Wi-Fi router, or more precisely, its radiation in the apartment, follow these tips:
- Do not place the device where you are most often - it is better that it is located at a distance of 40 cm. In addition, if you place the equipment on a desktop or system unit, this degrades the signal quality.
- If tablets or phones require a wireless connection, then the computer can be connected via cable.
- Turn off your router when you are not using it or when you are going to bed.
- Turn off Wi-Fi on your phone when you're not using it.
The statement that Wi-Fi is harmful to human health still remains a myth, but the fact that it is convenient and practical is beyond doubt. Installing a router will provide fast Internet access, which can be used on several devices simultaneously without being tied to wires and a modem, which is especially important if you do not live at home alone.