Wondering whether your router is harmful to your health? Well, let’s get straight to the point; the answer to that question is a resounding no. There are many articles online about the possible dangers of your router and the potential radiation it emits. Luckily these are mostly just baseless assumptions.
The thought that Wi-Fi could be potentially dangerous to you and your family emanates from the idea that your router emits dangerous radiation. You’ll be happy to know that this claim is false and the reasons as to why are detailed in this article.
Does a Router Give Off Radiation?
Yes, routers do give off radiation; however, it is essential to note that all radiation is not bad for you. To help you understand this concept, we’re going to take a quick look at the fundamentals of radio communication. The word radiation is frightening to most people due to the negative connotations often associated with the word. This is because the word is often associated with nuclear powerplants and bombs that have had extreme effects on the areas they have contaminated.
The truth is that radiation comes in many different forms. Radiation from the sun is the reason for life on the plant. It is also why you can listen to the radio without any wires and change the channels on your television without having to physically get up and press the button on the television set.
There is a distinguishing factor that can be drawn between harmful radiation and the kind that is not. This factor relates to whether the radiation is ionizing or non-ionizing. Ionizing radiation is the type that is seen as being harmful to people. Forms of ionizing radiation include x-ray, gamma and some amounts of ultra-violet radiation. The key to why these types of radiation are harmful lies in their wavelength, with the higher wavelengths being dangerous.
Radio waves fall under the non-ionizing classification of radiation and do not have enough energy to affect atoms. Similarly, infrared radiation and visible light are also forms of non-ionizing radiation. If you are still not convinced, the World Health Organization, who are always on the cautious side might I add, have released a briefing on the matter which clearly states that there is no health risk associated with radio-communication devices.
Is a Wireless Router Harmful to Human Health?
As mentioned previously, the idea that a wireless router is harmful comes from the fact that it emits radiation in the form of radio waves. Now, these have already been deemed safe to be around, and you might question this by asking why microwaves are classified in the same bracket as radio waves as those are surely harmful to you, right?
The answer to that is pretty simple; in short, the danger of microwaves relates to both the power and distance at which objects are exposed to them. The reason that the microwave you use to heat up food in your kitchen has such a profound effect is that the standard microwave produces about 700 watts of microwave energy in very close proximity to the food you are placing inside it. Even if the shielding of the microwave were removed and you had to stand in the same room, you would feel no effects from it.
By comparison, even an extremely powerful Wi-Fi router only produces about one watt of energy. Unlike microwaves, routers also radiate the energy in a small bubble around the router. As a quick test, if you wanted to try and heat something up around a router, you’d be waiting for so long that you would probably give up after a few years.
Is Electricity a Form of Radiation?
Yes, electricity fields are a type of radiation. The radiation is a low frequency, non-ionizing form that originates from both natural and human-made sources. Lightning is an excellent example of natural electricity that creates an electromagnetic current as it travels between the sky and ground.
The electricity that travels through power lines and other electrical devices have much lower wavelengths than even radio waves, meaning that they do not give off any harmful radiation that could cause you any danger. The fields that this type of electricity creates are referred to as electromagnetic fields. The strength of this field is directly proportional to the amount of current that passes through the lines.
It is safe to say that these should be of no concern to you as they do not pose any threat to your health and well-being, so long as you do not plan on grabbing one and accidentally electrocuting yourself.
The Bottom Line
As you can see, the radiation emitted from the electronic devices in your home is not harmful to you at all. You are better off worry about when you should check your tire pressure or oil in your car as failing to do so could be much more dangerous to your health.
