WiFi Radiation – How To Protect Yourself

Posted by Lloyd on April 5, 2012 under WiFi and health | 99 Comments to Read

Wifi radiation is becoming increasingly widespread as more and more people become seduced by the freedom of wireless devices. If you have any doubts as to whether WiFi is safe, click here.

There are some simple steps you can take to limit your exposure to WiFi radiation, in this article I explain what they are.

WiFi Radiation Protection Tips

1. Buy The Right Modem Router

The Netgear N150 is a wireless router with a difference. The difference is on the Netgear N150 you can switch the WiFi function off and it stays off. The customer reviews on this router on Amazon are not 5 star but this is mainly to do with dissatisfaction over its wireless capabilities. I have this router in my home and its brilliant. We run up to 4 computers on it on wired connections with no problems at all. The ideal set-up is an N150 and some good quality shielded Ethernet cable.

2. Use The Right Ethernet Cable

low emf internet cableYour Ethernet cable is the cable that links your modem/router to your PC and provides you with a hardwired internet connection. Most people don’t give this cable a second thought. They use the cable which comes with the modem/router. Mistake. This cable can be a source of RF radiation and so needs to be shielded. There are lots of different qualities of cable category 5, 6, 7 etc. I recommend buying at least Cat 6a SSTP (screened shielded twisted pair) Ethernet cable. Maybe the cable that came with your modem/router is Cat 6a SSTP. In that case you’re OK. If in doubt change it.

3. Learn To Switch Off

Look for software options to disable the Wi-Fi wireless module on devices like laptops, iPod Touches, iPADs, tablets, printers, projectors and anything else that might have Wi-Fi Capability. Lower Wi-Fi power intensity is now an option on certain wireless set-ups, look carefully what the software allows you to do. And keep your eye on it once you’ve changed the settings to make sure the default settings don’t come back on again.

If you’re unable to disable Wifi via the software you may be able to have the WiFi module physically removed (requires some electrical knowledge).

4. Swap Wireless For Wired

Replace your wireless keyboard,mouse, printer and whatever else you have that is wireless with USB wired versions.

5. Neighbors WiFi

Legally there is nothing you can do to oblige your neighbors to remove their WiFi so you need to have a softly softly approach. Go and see them have a friendly chat. Ideally take an RF meter with you, show them the radiation levels they are exposing both you and themselves to. Take some print outs of some of the studies that have been done on the dangers of radio frequency radiation.

If they are unsympathetic EMF shielding remains your only solution. Best to start with a single room using shielding paint and always measuring your RF levels before and afterwards to ensure the effectiveness of what you are doing.

Reduce Your Exposure To WiFi Radiation Without Eliminating It

I know that some people can’t quite bring themselves to surrender their wireless devices so here are some tips on minimizing WiFi without eliminating WiFi.

1. Keep your distance

WiFi radiation drops off significantly with distance (called the inverse square law). Many routers have a strong enough signal to maintain a connection up to 100m from the router. Make sure you put as much distance between you and your wireless router as you can without diminishing the efficiency of your connection. Remember: walls don’t stop wireless radiation, never situate a wireless router behind a bedroom wall.

2. Switch off at Night

Studies tell us that the biggest danger with WiFi radiation comes from nighttime exposures; cellular regeneration,low emf timer for modem rejuvenation, and detoxification is impeded and notably melatonin production can be significantly reduced. If you really can’t bring yourself to remove your wireless router you can install a simple mechanical electrical timer (see attached image) on the socket where you plug your router in. Then just set it to turn the power off during sleep time.

3. Use USB Adaptors Wisely

If you use a USB Wi-Fi adapter (for PCs that don’t have a built in wireless network interface card) use it on a USB extension cable (10 feet or more). The same goes if you use a 3G USB dongle to connect to the Internet while you are traveling, an extension cable will significantly reduce your exposure.

Use the above tips to eliminate or reduce your exposure to WiFi radiation, for more information on EMF protection download my free report here.

  • Colleen said,

    Lloyd, please can you tell me if this N150 Netgear modem has an actual on/off button, or if you need to log on to the unit’s web interface?
    Thank you.

  • Lloyd said,

    Hi Colleen
    My Netgear N150 has a button on the front to switch the WiFi on and off and a button on the back for the power.

  • Colleen said,

    Thanks! :)

  • Omana Mammen said,

    Based on your document, I made measurements with wifi on and off. I removed wifi and cordless phone with aired connections. Thank you.

  • Michael said,

    Exactly, good article.
    For those thinking that wireless keyboards and mice are OK, these things can put out quite a significant signal and some at frequencies of 2.4 GHz. I have personally experienced terrible symptoms from one of these. The 27MHz analog transmitters are more benign but probably still significant for the electrosensitive, and can probably still harm anyone.

  • David said,

    Lloyd, I have TP-Link TD-W895OND,one of the cheapest modem routers. Does unscrewing the arial on router disable the ELF emissions? I only use this for Kindle conection to access Amazon.com. Thanks.

  • Lloyd said,

    Hi David
    Unscrewing the antenna on your router is not a good idea….it could focus the EMFs more locally (ie reduce transmission range) and thereby increase your exposure.

  • Cindy Pole said,

    There is a smart meter behind our bedroom wall installed by local municipal authority. My head at night aches – my wrists, ankles, knees and finger are sometimes very sore.
    Can this be a result of the smart meter?

  • Lloyd said,

    It could be due to the smart meter, EMF exposures affect different people in different ways see http://electricsense.com/1054/thirteen-good-reasons-to-switch-off-your-cell-phone/. Try sleeping in the room which is furthest away from the smart meter.

  • Mark said,

    Hi Lloyd,
    Fluorescent lighting & desktop PCs cause Electro-sensitivity with regards to myself. Consequently, I use a laptop through my TV to create distance and a wireless keybard & mouse and I feel 100% better! Therefore is there any need for myself to used wired key board & mouse?

  • Lloyd said,

    Presently you are reacting to the EMFs emitted by fluorescent lighting and desktop PCs but this situation can change. I wired keyboard and mouse is an easy way of protecting yourself from another layer of electrosmog.

  • Marianne Coetser said,

    Hi Lloyd
    Thank you so much for all effort you go through to share valuable info. I find that my symptoms become more severe every week. The wired router definitely reduces my symptoms compared to wireless modem.

  • steve gross said,

    Does anyone know where to purchase a reasonably priced radiation meter.

  • Lloyd said,

    There are lots of places where you can buy a “reasonably priced” radiation meter. I review 3 such meters on my website, I have tested all the meters personally and they all offer good value for money….that’s not to say they are the right meter for you. Best to read the reviews and make your own mind up.

  • Lila said,

    Please can someone tell me what is the minimum safe distance frome a celll phone tower to live. Thanks alot.

  • Lloyd said,

    Unfortunately there is no simple answer to this question. Putting individual sensitivities aside much depends on the power output of the cell phone tower in question. Some cell towers transmit as little as 1 to 2W, others may be transmitting 80W or more. I am in the process of preparing an article on this topic – if you are signed up to my newsletter it will be automatically sent to you.

  • Omana Mammen said,

    Dear Mr Lloyd,
    I would like to start shielding my home. Walls are 9 inch thick with burnt bricks, plastered on both sides with cement and sand mortar.Roof is reinforced concrete 4 inch thick. windows are wooden with steel bars, 4 inch apart. Doors are wooden.
    I would like to start shielding windows and doors facing the tower first. The windows must allow air and light. I prefer to use locally available materials. Can we use stainless steel ( to avoid rusting) mosquito nets 1.5mm gap between wires. Aluminium expanded mesh 10mm gap between wire is also available. How to earth it. Please advise.
    Omana Mammen

  • Lloyd said,

    Hi Omana
    I assume you want to shield from radio frequency radiation. To shield effectively you need to use a material which conducts well, stainless steel will work, as will silver, brass, and copper. Cost and availability are usually the main considerations. For ease of application, I prefer EMF shielding paint. Regular mosquito netting is not advisable, better to go for nets that are specifically designed for the purpose.
    Every shielded surface needs to be earthed, or connected to another shielded surface which is earthed. See http://electricsense.com/1299/cell-phone-tower-protection-tips-what-to-do-if-a-cell-phone-tower-is-erected-next-to-your-home/

  • Anonymous said,

    Now a days you can get laptops and tvs that use LEDs in their screens for lighting. I believe these are much better, and emit almost not radiation (other than light of course). Try one of those see how that goes.

  • Lila said,

    Dear Lloyd, thank for answering, i’ve sighned up to your VERY USEFUL NEWSLETTER. I live in Turkey. How can I get a RF meter? Please guide me. Thanks again.

  • Lloyd said,

    Hi Lila
    You can buy a radio frequency meter on the Internet, most retailers ship to Turkey. I currently review 2 RF meters on my website, I have a new RF meter which I shall be reviewing at the end of the week – you might want to wait till then to make your decision.

  • Paula Klipfel said,

    Hi Lloyd,
    Our city has installed RF meters, but not Smart Meters. The people @ the power company insist they have no radiation and are perfectly safe, because they are not SM’s, but they are willing to look at information. I can only find info on SM’s, where can I go to find info on just RF meters?
    Thanks, Paula

  • Lloyd said,

    Hi Paula
    A smart meter is a device that utility companies install in your home to measure your consumption of gas, electricity etc . Smart meters emit RF radiation. An RF meter is a device that you can buy that measures the levels of radio frequency radiation given off by smart meters and other devices in your environment. Power companies (often not always)claim their meters emit no radiation even when they do, see http://electricsense.com/category/smart-meters/

  • Richard Leschen. said,

    Dear Lisa,
    The answer to your question is simple. Live as far away from any Cell Phone Tower as possible. The power of all these Microwaves drops off at the rate of the Inverse Square Law….or say 100 yards away the power from the M/Wave meter is say 16 units of energy. At 200 yards away it is only a quarter of the energy or 4 units at 300 yarda away in is only one nineth or approximately 9 16 teenths or only half a unit etc. Anyway best of all is to get rid of all Microwave Energy. That means no more dopey Cell Phones or dopey Microwave Cookers and no T.V and no Radio. Resulting in far more money in one’s bank accounts and more healthy humans and more time for Book Reading and useful things like gardening and walkies with dogs etc.
    Signed,

    Richard Leschen.

  • jc said,

    Hi, thanks so much for this site and info!
    Question for you, I have a wireless internet service that plugs into my laptop’s usb port, what is the safest way to use that if any?
    Also is that what you were referring to about using a 10ft usb extension? How do you actually do that, keep it 10ft away from you? Thanks

  • Lloyd said,

    If you use a USB Wi-Fi adapter tp connect to your wirelesss internet service then the safest way to use it is to use a USB extension cable. This will enable you to situate the WiFi emitter/receptor unit as far away from you as possible.

  • Lori Bengtson said,

    Dear Lloyd,
    I saw a video on the High readings of a bed and after putting the protective $1000 plus shielding over the bed like a canopy, the readings were tolerable. They never said why so high over the bed, but I wondered if it was because of the metal coils in mattresses. Could it be that sleeping issues are magnified because of he metal in the bed? That’s when I feel the worst symptoms.

  • Lloyd said,

    Hi Lori
    Sleeping on a metal bed, and particularly a metal spring mattress, is like sleeping on giant antenna. These are not my words but those of an article printed in Scientific American. There are solutions; use only natural materials in the bedroom and/or switch off the electricity when you sleep…. see http://www.electricsense.com/988/where-is-the-place-you-absolutely-must-start-if-you-want-to-protect-yourself-from-electromagnetic-radiation/

  • Tom said,

    Howdy,
    I haven’t seen any discussion on this site about alternatives to WiFi. You can just string Ethernet (CAT5) cable through your house (or in the walls) or you can use powerline networking (eg, HomePlug AV). Does anyone have experience with these? Both will eliminate your WiFi, but do Ethernet cables or HomePlug increase other radiation? For example, does HomePlug work with Stetzerizers?
    Thanks,
    Tom

  • Lloyd said,

    Hi Tom
    The alternative is to go wired. Powerline networking, enables an internet connection by putting RF signals on your mains wiring. I have not tested this setup in my home but I know some electrically sensitive people have issues with this. These signals start in the Mhz range and so cannot be measured with a GS Microsurge meter (which is designed to measure frequencies in the range 4 to 150kHz) . In theory GS filters should work with powerline networking because they are designed to filter different frequencies. But this may not prove to be true.

  • Joel Garson said,

    Dear Lloyd: If I turn my router off when I’m not using my Laptop, that will stop any wifi radiation from occuring? I only use my laptop about 20 hours a week. Thanks for any advice. Joel.

  • Joel Garson said,

    Dear Lloyd: If I plug the wire into my laptop from the router will that reduce the radiation? Joel

  • Lloyd said,

    Hi Joel
    “If I turn my router off when I’m not using my Laptop, that will stop any wifi radiation from occuring?” Yes it will, and this is what I recommend especially at night.

    “If I plug the wire into my laptop from the router will that reduce the radiation?” Not necessarily. On the routers that I have seen, running your laptop on the ethernet cable does not have any bearing on the WiFi function – it still emits radiation.

  • Tom said,

    Howdy,

    On the configuration page of the router, you should be able to turn off the wireless, so it only functions as a wired router, not a wireless router. Then it would not be broadcasting WiFi which is the difference you were looking for.

    Tom

  • Lloyd said,

    Many routers are configured to re-activate wireless everytime an update is sent through or when you switch it on and off on the mains. Make sure your router is not set-up in this way.

  • Lori Bengtson said,

    Smart meters are being installed about every 5th house in our nieghborhood. I heard one can be a hub for a few houses so they don;t have to install as many.
    Is this true about reading others?

  • Lloyd said,

    Hi Lori
    This “hub architecture” is called the MESH network, which is being used widely in the US and Canada. It allows every smart meter to communicate with nearby smart meters within about 100 yards and pass on messages. It only requires one external access point, or hub, for every 1000 or so homes. This means that the meters in houses close to the access points will be passing on messages for possibly hundreds of other smart meters 24-7. Clearly if your smart meter is acting as a hub then the EMF exposures are potentially higher.

  • Tanya Aydelott said,

    Dear Lloyd,

    I need help. I am a teacher that currently is placed in a room with a wireless router for our school. It covers about a third of the buildingd WiFi and I have no idea how to protect myself. I have tried asking them to remove it and place it in another location since I have sensitivities to EMFs. Because of money and because they don’t understand my problems with it, most likely it will not be removed from my room. I am experiencing headaches, nausea, and body aches. I am in a self-containted classroom which means we are in there with my kids for 8 hours every school day. How can I shield my kids from the EMFs? Is there a way to buy some kind of aluminum screen to roll down and separate my children and I from the harmful effects from the EMFs? I am new to shielding and hope to learn how to do it effectively. Please give me some practical tips as to how to do this. I have a rectangle room with the router being in the left hand corner of my room. I appreciate your help.

    Tanya

  • Tom said,

    Howdy, Tanya,

    I can think of several things you can do. However, anything that is effective will also affect the WiFi signal for everyone beyond your room in that direction, so be careful.

    First, I’ve seen people use silk cloth, like a large scarf, suspended next to the WiFi router. This is simple and has the advantage of looking like you’re just trying to hide the “ugly box”, so fewer people will question it.

    There are devices that are supposed to protect you from emf fields, like a Q-Link Nimbus. I know people who say they help. That one plugs into a computer through a USB port, but they make adapters to power it through a wall socket. You could try plugging it into the same outlet as the router or into an outlet near your desk.

    If those don’t work, you could try a ferrous metal (iron or steel) screen, but it would have to be grounded (plugged into the third prong or attached to the center screw of an electrical outlet. That should work very well. You could put it behind the silk.

    As a last resort you could try to get the router moved by asking for “reasonable accommodation” under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), but that’s a risky approach: it could make you unpopular, cause big legal problems, and might not help anyway. I don’t personally know anybody who has done that.

    Hope this helps. I know people who are so sensitive they’ve had to quit attending a school because of WiFi.

    May God bless you,

    Tom

  • Lloyd said,

    Hi Tanya
    The market is awash with expensive neutralizers and chips which do very little.I have found none of these devices to work, but as Tom says you could try a screen. EMFs are a bit like light, imagine trying to make your bedroom dark in daylight…it’s quite difficult because light can find its way through the tiniest crack. RF radiation is the same, added to which it can penetrate most building materials. So any kind of shielding you do will only have limited effectiveness + provide limited relief. However I would try and raise people’s awareness on this issue, there are more and more schools removing WiFi because of the health risks. Perhaps you could start an association or an awareness campaign, maybe invite a local expert to give a talk on the dangers, which would take the spotlight away from you…

  • Tanya Aydelott said,

    Thanks Tom and Lloyd,

    I feel so frustrated and do not know how to help myself in this situation.

    Tom thank you for the tips. I am not sure how I would attach or ground the screen to an electrical outlet. I need to know how to do this right so I am not wasting time and money. Are there any recommendations of anyone who makes these screens or do I need to do it myself?

    I am painting my room soon and hope to install something soon.

    Does Aluminum work? I have read on another blog that it helps. I am trying to make the best of this situation so more specific instructions that can show me how to do this would help.

    Thank you,

    Tanya

  • Tanya Aydelott said,

    Also do you know any EMF experts in the DFW area? I would love to contact them for more help.

    Thanks,

    Tanya

  • Lloyd said,

    Hi Tanya
    Aluminum can be used for RF shielding as can tin foil. See this article for more tips on shielding: http://www.electricsense.com/1299/cell-phone-tower-protection-tips-what-to-do-if-a-cell-phone-tower-is-erected-next-to-your-home/
    To ground your shield you can either connect up with an alligator clip and wire to the ground terminal on the nearest electrical socket, better still use a grounding rod stuck in the ground outside which you connect with a wire to your shield. You can buy a grounding rod from your local hardware store.
    For EMF consultants in your area see http://www.electricsense.com/3125/emf-consultants-list/

  • Joel Garson said,

    Dear Lloyd: This may be out of the ordinary, however many areas of science or “science” have said no one can define what electricity is. Is there a practical definition that is true and not as abstract as lay people find themselves finding “out there”. Thanks. Joel

  • Lloyd said,

    Hi Joel
    Electricity is difficult to define. Explaining its precise meaning means treading a fine line between oversimplifying to give a definition which is understandable or being overly precise which gives a definition which leans to the abstract.
    Wikipedia defines electricity as the “set of physical phenomena associated with the presence and flow of electric charge, where an electric charge is defined as the property of some subatomic particles, which determines their electromagnetic interactions. Electrically charged matter is influenced by, and produces, electromagnetic fields.”
    For the simpler definition; electricity is a form of energy. The AC current in house wiring, in our electrical appliances, the EMFs used by wireless devices like cell phones and WiFi are all forms of energy. They are man made forms of energy. The problem is we are electrical beings, this man made energy interferes with the functioning of our bodies and creates illness.

  • Andrea said,

    Hi, what is in your opinion a best corded phone? I am looking to get the most of the modern technology but in a corded one. I assume there wont be any answering machine. Or should I just get the siemens cordless phone you recommend. How bad is the radiation when in use? Thanks!
    Andrea

  • Lloyd said,

    Hi Andrea
    My main concern with these technologies is the EMFs they emit…any corded phone is much better than any cordless phone in this respect…I haven’t looked at the question of which is the “best” corded phone. Corded phones with answering machines do exist, see http://www.electricsense.com/815/cordless-phones-even-more-dangerous-than-cell-phones/ How bad is the radiation?…studies indicate that long term exposure to low level pulsed EMFs (the type that a cordless phone creates in your home) are extremely detrimental to health.

  • Charles said,

    What to do if your employer decides to install wi-fi in your workplace- what then????? Is there any effective means of protecting oneself that is feasible?

  • Lloyd said,

    Have you talked to others in your company?…maybe they have symptoms…maybe they are worried but are afraid to say anything. You don’t want to be seen as a scaremonger but show them the evidence…take some print outs from my website…Bioinitiative report etc…talk to your employer. If your employer does not want to remove the WiFi ask to be situated away from it…if you are feeling symptoms you can try and shield, see http://www.electricsense.com/1299/cell-phone-tower-protection-tips-what-to-do-if-a-cell-phone-tower-is-erected-next-to-your-home/

  • Edward said,

    Dear Lloyd,

    I hope this finds you well.

    I am a student trying to look for campaigns that were used to encourage people to switch off their wifi systems or mobile phones when not being used. Have you heard of any? Also would anyone have ideas of new campaigns or ways of how to decrease the use of wifi and mobile phones or ways how to encourage people to switch them off when not being used please?

    Thanks.

  • Lloyd said,

    Hi Edward
    This is an excellent video for cell phones http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIPtEYlOupE, also this page is full of very persuasive information http://www.electricsense.com/4494/the-truth-about-cell-phone-radiation-what-the-industry-has-done-to-hide-it-and-how-to-protect-your-family/

  • Peter Hallam said,

    Hi Lloyd,

    I’d love to see some home tips on grounding all the essential areas so that some of the impact from RF can at least be reduced.

    Thanks
    Peter

  • Lloyd said,

    Hi Peter
    I have been experimenting with grounding for a few years, I share my experiences in this article http://www.electricsense.com/1861/using-earthing-to-combat-electromagnetic-pollution-my-review/

  • Lisa said,

    I rest my hand on a grounding mat, which is of course, plugged into the grounding wire receptacle at a nearby outlet. Is this effectively reducing, or re-channeling, EMFs from me while I work? Or did I fall for a gimmick?

  • Lloyd said,

    Hi Lisa
    It may be. But if you work in a high EMF environment (e.g. around computers) it could make things worse, see http://www.electricsense.com/1861/using-earthing-to-combat-electromagnetic-pollution-my-review/ – listen to your body on this, tune into how you feel when you are grounded…

  • Lisa said,

    Thank you, Lloyd. I am in my home, so don’t expect I am in a high EMF environment, but I will purchase an EMF meter to really find out. My next crusade is to see how wireless my son’s school and make appropriate recommendations.

  • Veronica said,

    Hello LLoyd,
    I pray that you can help me. We just moved into a new house. My sons finally have a play room. However, my builder put the electrical access to our home right in this room. The fuse box sits just 4 feet from my sons head. They play video games and watch tv in that room most of the time. Plus, I think there is a smart meter on the electic box outside. Inside, underneath our staricase is our water meter with a smart meter on it–about 15 feet from my kids and the electric box. I am worried sick about radiation exposure for my 3 small sons. Please advise me what to do to reduce their exposure. My husband thinks I’m nuts to be so worried about this but it is really troubling me. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, Veronica

  • Lloyd said,

    Hi Veronica
    Your sons play room sounds like a high EMF environment. If I were in your shoes I would be wanting to take action. I’m guessing that without your husbands support your hands are going to be tied. The best way of convincing him would be to show him the dangers. Buying, borrowing or renting an RF meter would be an easy way of doing this – seeing is believing….Maybe you could print out my free EMF protection report show him this. Once you’ve got him on board you look at what you can do…using another room for the play room….or some form of shielding (difficult).

  • Patricia said,

    Unfortunately, my public school board refused to designate even just one school as Wi-fi free. Shortly after that announcement about two years ago, I began homeschooling. The whole family really loves how homeschooling is working for us. I really worry about other forms of EMF’s. We live in a rural area without high speed internet so we are using a turbo stick. We set limits on computer and TV exposure but our using our ipods quite frequently. How safe is ipod use? Should be limiting ourselves? We always use them with the Wi-fi feature off. Our libraries all have Wi-fi now so we don’t spend much time there. We also stopped using the two handsets that came with our telephone. Is some kind of signal still being given off by the main, corded phone? Should we be replacing that?

  • Lloyd said,

    iPods are not the worse offenders in terms of EMF exposures so long as you use them with the WiFi deactivated. See, http://www.electricsense.com/3235/ipod-touch-radiation/ With the WiFi off then you will only be exposing yourself to fairly low levels of magnetic and electric field radiation. The safest kind of telephones are the ones that just plug into the telephone socket – they don’t need plugging into the electricity. Inevitably there might be some RF radiation transmitted down the telephone wire which you pick up with your handset, but you need to keep a balanced view on all this….be pro-active without being obsessive. The measures you have taken seem very reasonable.

  • Veronica said,

    Lloyd, Thanks so much for taking the time to respond to my concerns. I will be purchasing a meter and hope this will help convince my husband that we need to take some type of action. I have been shutting down our WiFi at night–without him knowing about it– and actually feel more refreshed in the mornings. In your response, you said that shielding for the playroom would be difficult. Would it even be worth pursuing? How hard is it to move the fuse box? Does the house have to be rewired? Would this help the EMF situation in the play room? I just can’t stop worrying about this. My responsibility as a mom is to protect my children and I feel like I am failing to do this. Thanks, Veronica

  • Lloyd said,

    Hi Veronica
    Lots of things are possible with EMF shielding if you are prepared to go to any expense. To know if you need to shield your playroom first you would have to measure for electrical, magnetic fields and RF radiation….dirty electricity could be an issue too. To do this requires several meters. Thats the first expense. Then lets say you find high levels of RF and magnetic fields. RF shielding is possible but laborious (see http://www.electricsense.com/1299/cell-phone-tower-protection-tips-what-to-do-if-a-cell-phone-tower-is-erected-next-to-your-home/) Magnetic field shielding is generally much more difficult and expensive. You could move the fuse box….in any case you’d still have to test for all the above mentioned EMFs once its been moved…rewiring could add to the problem…..start by taking things one step at a time.

  • Veronica said,

    O.K. Lloyd, I am checking out the meters now. I will get the ones that I need and take the measurements to find out what I am dealing with. Thanks for the germane advice about taknig it one step at a time. I was so worried about the exposure to my children that I kind of started freaking out. After I get my meters and measurements, I will let you know and hopefully you can provide some advice of where I can start fixing the problem. Thanks you again, Veronica

  • Addrian B. said,

    Firstly, thank you for your youtube videos and website sharing this information. I have turned off all my wifi and considering removing all the drivers for permanent effect. I have bought a TP-Link powerline adapter as an alternative.

    Can you recommend any EMF repellers? There are many devices for sale, whether it b USB adapters, A/C plugs, pendants and stickers but never any talk or information about them.

  • Lloyd said,

    Unfortunately there are lots of EMF protection products on the market which don’t work. I’ve not tried all of them but I have tried many. I lay out what does and doesn’t work in my free report.

  • Islander said,

    I wanted to throw my two bits in on this one. I installed a timer on my wifi router sometime ago and enjoyed the peace of mind that my family and I could sleep without the effects of at least our own router in the house. But one thing to add is that in most houses the router is in an office and there are computers in the kitchen, entertainment room, living room, study …..on and on. So I picked up a few sets of trend net powerline adapters. They run your Internet data over the existing power lines in your home. At 500mbps they are far faster than wireless and ensure that there is far less radio traffic in the house. I highly recommend them. Especially if you have children in your home.

  • Lloyd said,

    There are lots of companies now offering BPL (Broadband over Power Lines) they all work on the same principle: using the wiring in your home to stream data. But this streaming is achieved by putting RF signals…RF radiation… on your mains wiring…. a number of electrically sensitive people have reported having issues with this. A wired Ethernet connection as described above is the safer option.

  • Justin said,

    Hi Lioyd,
    Need your advise, I live in a condo and recently bought the RF meter. I can measure high radiation frequent coming from the wall on other side and my neighbor could have some high frequency device on their side, I then found using a foil paper can block all the radiations from the other side, so do you think using foil paper could really work? Thanks for your input in advance .

  • Lloyd said,

    Hi Justin
    Shielding with tin/aluminum foil can be very effective….the radiation can seep through the smallest of holes….you might need several layers. Take readings with your RF meter before and afterwards…you can’t go wrong with this approach.

  • Enriko said,

    Hi lloyd,
    Where I live there are plenty of preinstalled wifi routers that I don’t have access too and can’t turn off.
    I was wondering if there is a difference between them just being idle so to speak and not uploading/downloading anything to a computer/laptop versus being in use and constantly sending data to my desktop.
    I’m considering getting a wired connection even though the wifi signal will still be there, is that nonsense or would it be a small improvement indeed?
    At first I thought I was crazy when I left my desktop on working at night (mining bitcoin) and I always had trouble sleeping (my pc is very quiet, so not that), but it happens consistently. I doubt it’s the emf from the desktop itself since the voltages used by the gpu are very small. So I assume it might be the wifi signal since it’s constantly loading/sending data for the mining, which i assume makes the router pulse more frequently than if it was just emitting an idle signal, saying I’m here if you wanna ever connect.

  • Lloyd said,

    Hi Enriko
    Wireless routers are constantly emitting EMFs whether you are uploading or downloading or not…unless the WiFi function is deactivated. There may be some variation in radiation levels according to whether they are uploading/downloading or not, but I do not believe this to be a significant variable. Because of the way EMFs work, proximity is usually the most important variable (thats to say how close you are to the router). A wired connection is much safer.

  • Edward Powell said,

    Hi Lloyd
    I really love your site and all the great info! I have a question and have asked many experts but still got no answer. We get INTERNET into our house via a BROADBAND ANTENNA CONNECTION, which means, I guess, that there is some kind of “neighbourhood network” for Internet ‘delivery’ via a system of connected antennas? What is this system called “Residential Broadband Wifi”??? Where can we find out info about this kind of network? I’ve looked everywhere, found nothing.

    Inside our house all wifi is disconnected, and according to my CORNET ED85X radmeter, inside my room (with that broadband antenna just outside the window) I get readings of about 0.005 uW/m2 which is pretty low. When I open the window the levels DO NOT GO UP. I wanted to test how much RF is coming into the house from this outside antenna… so I started downloading a long youtube clip, and then opened the window to take RF readings with the ED85X. The only way I could get any readings was if I put the ED85 right in front of the antenna – around back and to the sides there were no significant readings. Does this mean that this antenna is a DIRECTIONAL ANTENNA? It would seems so. As if it would be pointed directly at the connecting antenna.

    Last question… it does seem a bit odd that with this antenna right outside my window that the levels inside the room would not be higher. My radmeter CORNET ED85X supposedly reads up to 10GHZ. I checked out as many broadband antennas as I could find and I could not find any that went higher than 6 GHZ. My fear is that perhaps this antenna might be receiving wifi ABOVE 10 GHZ???? …could this be possible? If yes, then my ED85 would not pick it up.

    Thanks!

  • Lloyd said,

    Hi Edward
    I’m probably stating the obvious here, but your internet provider will be able to give you the information you need. If a phone call hasn’t rendered any useful information send them a registered letter asking them to clarify the technical characteristics of the antenna citing health problems. It would appear that your antenna is directional….it is possible that the antenna is emitting at over 10Ghz…again your internet provider will have the answers.

  • Edward Powell said,

    HI Lloyd… Thanks so much! Yes you are right that contacting the provider would be the way to go – however I live in a place where I don’t speak the local language so well, so it is a hassle to contact this guy – but I will do it. I just thought that you might know how these things work and immediately dispel my fears that that antenna is working at above 10GHZ…. since by what you said, this is not the case, then I better contact this guy ASAP just to be sure. However having said that I am not ES and don’t have any ES symptoms… rather my partner has ALL they symptoms and is bad health [however she refuses to consider that it might be her cell phone use and nearby cell towers, and wifi at the parents' house, and possible DIRTY ELECTRICITY and high MAGNETIC FIELDS inside our house. [BTW I just ordered a TRIFIELD100XE] …anyhow, I will contact the provider and post here what answers I might get.

    Thanks so much Lloyd for helping so many people with this horrible problem!

    Edward

  • Edward Powell said,

    OK, I found it… the system is called Mikrotik RB711 and it is 5GHZ. So this is good news because I am able to pick it up with my radmeter.

  • Veronica said,

    Lloyd, I guess I could use some more help! I have been trying to fogure out what kind of meter I need to measure the emf’s from the fuse box and smart meter that is located in my kid’s playroom. Should I be measuring the magnetic fields, electric fields, or the radio frequency fields? I have been reading tons of stuff on this but everything seems to overlap to me. I just want to be sure I am getting the necessary meter, measuring the proper emf, and getting a meter that is sensitive enough to pick up the results. So confusing! Can you just tell me what type of meters are needed? I’m having problems discerning what type of meters I need. To refresh your memory, I need to measure emf’s from 2 smart meters in my house, wifi, general dirty electricity, and maybe most importantly, the emfs that emanate from the fuse/breaker box in my son’s playroom.
    I’m not trying to get you to do the work for me! I can’t figure it out for myself and don’t have anyone else to ask. Instead of getting a MSW, I should have studied electrical engineering in shcool! Who knew? Thanks.

  • Lloyd said,

    Hi Veronica
    Unfortunately for what you are trying to measure there is no one meter that measure everything. For measuring smart meter radiation you need a good RF meter, I have reviewed several, the cheapest of the ones I have measured are these http://www.electricsense.com/category/emf-meters/cornet-meter-emf-meters/. For the fuse box you need a meter that can measure electric and magnetic fields. Of all the ones I’ve tried, in terms of value for money the Trifield is difficult to beat. To detect dirty electricity you can start by using an AM radio, see http://www.electricsense.com/1825/dirty-electricity-gs-filter/ and then buy a meter as you see necessary.

  • Joel Garson said,

    Hi Lloyd: I’m wondering if emfs can affect the back. I fell on my back last summer and it still bothers me somewhat. Is it possible that emfs can influence my back? Thanks. Joel

  • Lloyd said,

    Hi Joel
    Essentially we are all a collection of cells…studies show that EMFs impact intra cellular communication (the communication inside our cells) and extra-cellular communication (between our cells)…. EMFs can be used for bone stimulation…they are now being used to treat chronic pain and certain forms of cancer (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21829195?dopt=Abstract)…so yes I do believe that EMF exposures could aggravate a back problem.

  • Kevin said,

    Hi Lloyd,

    I use a BT Home Hub 3 router and have a ‘wired’ connection to it from my PC. I can’t see a facility/button to switch of the wireless function on the router, so I have totally covered the router in aluminium foil. Will this be effective in protecting me from wifi radiation? Many thanks for your help with this. Kevin.

  • Lloyd said,

    Hi Kevin
    Using aluminum foil may be effective in reducing you EMF exposure or it may make it worse….most of these devices have a power up facility….they emit more radiation to maintain a signal….only an RF meter can tell you if the signal is totally blocked….also modems tend to get quite hot, shielding in this way could cause a fire…better to just unplug it at the wall when you’re not using it.

  • Andrew said,

    If I hard wire my internet connection into my 802.11 equipped laptop to avoid radiation, doesn’t the 802.11 continue to be a danger to me as it is still their likely recognizing other peoples signals around me or does it automatically shut off when the computer is hard wired with the ethernet cable? Thank you for all of your great information.

    Andrew

  • Lloyd said,

    Hi Andrew
    Different routers/modems work differently. I’ve found that many of them even when hard wired still emit a WiFi signal. The sure fire way of checking this is with an RF meter, if you don’t have one you can check by using a second computer. The first computer you leave hard wired and the second one you configure to work on WiFi and you look to see if you’ve got a WiFi signal.

  • Kevin Mc said,

    I have been suffering from terrible headaches on & off for a few years, but only when I wake up in the mornings. Our wireless router is plugged into the main BT telephone socket where it enters the home, which is in the bedroom with the router on bedside table close to my head. Is this giving me these headaches and what can I do?

  • Lloyd said,

    Its very possible that the wireless router on your bedside table is the cause of your headaches….there are a wealth of studies showing the adverse biological effects of these kinds of RF radiation exposures. Start by switching off (unplugging at the wall) your wireless router at night….it may take some time for your symptoms to improve. I would then look to finding a solution to situate your router elsewhere.

  • Sarah said,

    Hi Lloyd, I was helping in my child’s classroom today and noticed my daughter is seated directly under the class projector I was a little concerned although there was a few feet distance , but could you tell what a safe distance would be please , Sarah

  • Lloyd said,

    Hi Sarah
    The biggest issue here is likely to be magnetic fields…which fall off significantly with distance…and some electric fields…there are never any certainties with EMFs without measuring with a meter…but at 6 feet she should be at a safe distance.

  • Alan said,

    Regarding Tom’s comments about using an adaptor to transmit Internet signals along the power cabling in your home, I purchased a set (2 in the pack) for $AUD49.95 from an Aldi store, and they work great!

    The info I have is that they use a 3MHz signal to carry the Internet through the house – simply requiring an Ethernet lead connected at each unit. I don’t know anything more about the signal levels, but it wont be too high. Besides, it is the microwave energy that does all the harm to the human body.

  • Lloyd said,

    A word of warning: what these adapters are actually doing is transmitting RF signals into your electrical wiring….some people report health issues with this. My advice is to go hardwired, as explained above, this is the safest from an EMF viewpoint.
    “Besides, it is the microwave energy that does all the harm to the human body.” – studies show there are a range of frequencies that cause harm….powerline frequencies (whats in your home wiring) and intermediary frequencies….its just that microwaves + cell phone radiation is more talked about.

  • Kathairein Magdalena said,

    Someone needs to sell RF meters and such as cheap as candy bars! I cannot afford any of those tools on $796 Social Security.

    Although, I am pondering how I can start a business helping other people change-the-EMR-lifestyles and then getting a business loan to pay for the equipment I need. I way to scratch my own back.

    Thanks for your work. I hope you life is going well for you.

  • Elan said,

    Lloyd,

    Can you explain in more detail why you are recommending a Shielded CAT6a cable? Is any special switch or equipment needed for the shielding to be effective? Does my network switch/router need to be grounded? My computer?

    Thanks for all your work and information.

    - Elan

  • Lloyd said,

    Hi Elan
    The Ethernet cable connected to your router can act as an antenna for RF radiation….that’s why I recommend shielded cable. It doesn’t have to be CAT6a cable….but given the negligible difference in price it makes more sense to buy a good quality shielded cable. I recommend grounding all computer equipment, see http://www.electricsense.com/1138/my-9-tips-to-cut-down-on-exposure-to-computer-radiation/

  • Jennifer said,

    WiFi is the worst! Are putting it everywhere. I had it in my home and now it is long gone. It’s cheap to buy a Non wireless router than a wireless one! I find it harder and harder to go anywhere! I have lots of neighbors and luck out as no one has wifi. They are putting it in parks many places so they are now unusable, many Dr. offices and medical ficillaties-I don’t use them anyway, but still. The worse is the organic food stores! It seems like all organic food stores have a very strong system and Whole Foods not only has that but runs their whole store [including check outs and inventory} on WiFi. I am not really that electro sensitive but I get really sick from the wifi-thanks to having had it in my home a year. I shut mine off when not in use and at night and still it caused a lot of damage in that time. It causes cancer clusters in schools and also violent tendencies. Some entire cities are hot spots. I called a store called Sprouts [sort of like Whole Foods}and they have no plans to install wifi in any store-I told them they were doing a great service. They are not in all areas. I find that trying to get the msg to others about wifi is futile and they label me crazy-they can do that if they choose, but I am still going to avoid those places and they will be avoiding having my business. I find sometimes if I go somewhere for 4-5 min the effect is not too bad, but I try to avoid that.

    What’s worse is entire cities are now hot spots! I avoid those. Travel is impossible as all hotels have it and you guessed it-they are starting to put it at camp sites too.

  • Andrea said,

    Hi Lloyd,
    we are in plans for building a new house. Can you give me any tips on how to make this house the healthiest possible? I am trying to find out if we can have an analog meter, but getting nowhere. Where to put fuse box, etc…
    Thank you!
    Andrea

  • Lloyd said,

    Hi Andrea
    As healthy as possible re EMFs….here are some quick ideas…cite the fuse box well away from any rooms that you spend any time….use shielded conduits for your cables….use an electrician who is EMF wise….
    There is someone who made a post on the forum a few days ago who specializes in low EMF buildings….you might want to link up with him.

  • Tom Crockett said,

    Jennifer,

    You are not alone. My daughter had a friend at her grad school who was so sensitive that she could tell when someone at the same dining table had a cell phone on — not talking on it, just ON. It would cause her skin to burn. She finally had to go to another school because the administration wouldn’t turn off the WiFi in the school building. Every person who becomes more aware of the problem is one more ally and one less opponent.

    Tom

  • Marie Winqvist said,

    In my opinion it´s not an option to “buy the right kind of router” Stay away from that life threatening shit !!! I´ve got permanent heart damage because of a neighbours WiFi. Have you heard of Barrie Trower ? Listen to his lectures on youtube. He is telling us that we are on the brink of extinction. The little girls eggs will be destroyed. In one or two generations the situation might be that there will be no more babies. Robert Becker warned us 25 years ago that we will die out and we will not even realize what happened. People are seduced by the tecnique. They all behave more and more like robots. It´s sad. Stay away from everything wireless. That is our only chance.

  • Sondra said,

    where can i buy a wired gigabit router. I have been googling for 4 months now, and nothing, I really mean nothing comes up…only wireless.
    Sondra

  • Lloyd said,

    The Netgear N150 is a wireless router but you can turn the wireless off to use it like a wired router – the Amazon link is at the top of the page.

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