asked on 2/10/2019

Why is Wi-Fi affected by EMI?

Why is Wi-Fi affected by EMI? I thought wireless communication happens over electromagnetic waves. So if Wi-Fi is affected by EMI, there must be different kinds of EMI.
The write paper at https://www.automation.com/pdf_articles/b_b/r3_WiFi_Isnt_Magic.pdf mentioned Wi-Fi is affected by EMI.

Wireless Networking

Last Comment

atlas_shuddered

2/11/2019

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Dr. Klahn

2/10/2019

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John

2/10/2019

If the Wi-Fi channel matches the frequency of a nearby device, it can interfere. As the article says, the laws of physics apply (as they always do). Change the Wi-Fi channel if you have interference. That is normally easily done.

atlas_shuddered

2/11/2019

Wireless can be impacted by any transmitter that is generating signal in the same spectrum/frequency/wavelength. Signal can also be affected by near signals of significant enough amplitude, etc. This does not always equate to other wireless networking transmitters. 802.11 can be impacted by microwave (this is in fact a fairly common problem) as well as HAM and CB, especially as signal strength increases.

To the nuts and bolts of things, EMR is by definition any energetic waveform. Technically, sound is EMR, so is nuclear radiation, radio, x-ray, etc. Any EMR is subject to EMI and/or capable of acting as EMI to other EM signals/waveforms.