Wireless Routers / Radio Wave Exposure?

[razor]

Just had a worrying talk with my IT support guy, who made the point that Wireless routers produce more powerful radio waves than mobile phones, yet the routers are always on in the home, leaving radio waves bouncing off the walls! Now I come to think of it, none of the literature that I have seen has dealt with the SAR of my router: anyone considered this aspect? I'm a little bit worried as my wife and baby are at home all day, with the router busily transmitting in the background! Words of reassurance (or warning) would be gratefully received

[Alex]

Hmm. My WiFi router is in our bedroom! Anyone know the facts?

[roop]

The EIRP of a typical wireless router is anything up to 100mW (maximum permissible by the RA). High gain antennas can push this up, but out-of-the-box stuff won't top 100mW.

Typically modern digital cellular telephones will adapt their output to use the minimum Tx power to attain a reliable link. This is more to extend battery life than not irradiate the user. They pump out up to 125mW right next to your head.

Unless you're using an aftermarket directional antenna on your router such as a Yagi or waveguide then the power presented falls away by the cube root as you move further away. Unless you spend all day with your head pressed against the antenna then the radiation from those devices should not be an issue.

I'm not that clued up on this, but have read into it before. Plenty on the web.

Roop

>> Edited by roop on Thursday 29th April 11:59

[zumbruk]

Alex said:

Hmm. My WiFi router is in our bedroom! Anyone know the facts?

The "facts" are that there is no evidence whatsoever that there are any measurable effects of any kind from exposure to EM fields of the magnitude experienced in people's homes.

Why don't those who worry about such things throw out their TVs and stop using their hair-dryers? Both of these expose you to EM fields orders of magnitude higher than a mobile phone or wireless router, and in the case of the dryer have large thermal effects around your head! Or worry about radon in houses, which is a genuine, measurable problem that actually kills people?

Given that this is Pistonheads, I'd be more worried about the competence of your average numpty than some imaginary effect from EM "radiation".

[razor]

zumbruk said:

Why don't those who worry about such things throw out their TVs and stop using their hair-dryers? Both of these expose you to EM fields orders of magnitude higher than a mobile phone or wireless router, and in the case of the dryer have large thermal effects around your head! Or worry about radon in houses, which is a genuine, measurable problem that actually kills people? Given that this is Pistonheads, I'd be more worried about the competence of your average numpty than some imaginary effect from EM "radiation".

That's a pretty good point. But, I'm not sure how many people claim to have got a tumour the size of a melon from watching too much GMTV - with mobile phones,people certainly have made the claims and you can ask yourself why the mobile phone manufacturers include a separate "SAR" leaflet with your phone or why the likes of Carphone Warehouse publish the SAR details in their brochure (as a feature, just like standby battery time or no. of ringtones, that allows you to compare one phone to another). What is the point of publishing such info and ramming it down the consumer's throat, if it is irrelevant?

[JonRB]

razor said:

What is the point of publishing such info and ramming it down the consumer's throat, if it is irrelevant?

Cos it sells phones to people who are worried about such things, of course.

[stuuu]

Just look back at all the things we have used then worked out they are actually harmful e.g. asbestos, thalidomide.