Do You Use Wi-Fi?

[Eichhörnchen]

When we got our internet connection 7 years ago we decided we didn't want to be irradiated by Wi-Fi so would connect to our BT (British Telecom) Home Hub 4 using ethernet cables and have the peripherals wired too

I assumed (foolishly) that when using ethernet the wi-fi would be inactive and we'd be safe. I now find that it was turned on by default when the hub (router) was first installed, and you have to go into the online hub settings if you want to turn it off

Other writers have said that you can it off and use ethernet, but when you read the guidance from BT they urge caution and say that switching off wi-fi will result in an orange light on your hub instead of blue. Which means (according to their own Home Hub guidance) we'll have NO INTERNET connection: steady orange light = no connection!

I don't know what to do now; how are these other people able to operate their computers with an ethernet cable and the router's wi-fi turned off? It's bad enough knowing that our neighbours' wi-fi is likely to be frying us alive anyway, but I've been sitting next to this thing all this time not realising that it was doing the same

[Catfish]

With online hub settings you meant the router/DSL router, and it should be perfectly possible to use internet via LAN cable when turning off WiFi/WLAN.
After all the router works like a switch, with (usually) at least four LAN sockets providing access to the internet.

You would have to consult the manual of that special router, but if there is no hint or no manual, just switch WiFi off, i bet your PCs or whatever connected via cable will still have internet access.

Not your mobile phone/tablet etc. of course, without WLAN/WiFi you will have to use the (expensive) online cell access with those devices.

[Skybird]

The www connects to the router via cable anyway. World-cable - wall mount - cable - router.



The router connects to devices via cable or Wi-Fi. For exmaple my PC is on cable, my secondary Linux laptop is connected via Wi-Fi, because it is placed away. My smartphone and tablet when at home also connect via Wi-Fi, but could be connected via cable as well.



Wi-Fi switch switches on and off only the cable-free connection from router to device, not from web to router.



I can switch on and off WLAN on the router via a simple button. That does nothing to the conneciton with the www. I cna have even malfunctioning itnernet and route rgetting no signal form the www - while the WIFI still is active.

[mapuc]

No Cable from computer to this device and from there it's fiber.

Edit
My smart tv and my older laptop use WiFi
End edit

Markus

[Jimbuna]

I can't understand what it is you have against WiFi Glynn because it comes at no extra cost and you can password protect it to stop any nearby leechers.

I use it all over the house for quite a few applications.

[Buddahaid]

Well I use it and am swimming in it at work. I don't see how you can avoid it anymore.

[Platapus]

Originally Posted by Eichhörnchen

When we got our internet connection 7 years ago we decided we didn't want to be irradiated by Wi-Fi

Unless you live in a Faraday Cage, you are being bombarded with radiation.... all the time. MW and RWs are non-ionizing forms of radiation. They just pass through you without stopping for anything.



Even if you don't use WiFi in your house, you are wading through an ocean of non-ionizing radiation and that's OK.



Just because something uses the word radiation does not mean it is something to fear.



There are many other things to be concerned with than MWs.

[Mork_417]

When we first moved into our house in 2012, from upstairs I could only see four other WiFi signals.
Today, I can see about forty-seven of them.


They are SO MANY and they are EVERYWHERE!!!

And, probably only about 5% or actually setup correctly.

[Sean C]

Actual networks near me:

[tmccarthy]

Eichhörnchen,

I was sorry yesterday that I piled on with the humor and jokes and the lead hat! You have an issue to be fixed and it sucks when you find out you did solve a problem that you thought you had (the wifi being on the entire time). I hate that kind of thing.

I saw that lead cap video years ago when I was checking out personal protection gear and talking about safety hats reminded me of how funny the self defense cap was and for me the best part the guy in the videos seemingly genuine enthusiasm for how it works and actually using it! haha.

What you're thinking is reasonable and I usually go with trusting your instincts.

Seems like they've done lots of studies that indicate there isn't a great risk. But I don't think you can really say the definitive answer on something until there is concrete proof. When people get to be 80 years old and have been exposed to something their entire life and there's no evidence of harm then it's proven to me and you can close the book on it.

I did a quick look at a Time article on the subject. Scientist looking at both sides agreed wifi is most likely not harmful. Interesting that when you hold a cell phone next to your brain and make a phone call the signal is 100 times stronger then wifi the entire time of the call. Yikes! (and I just noticed this past Sunday during family visit that my 14 year old niece had her face buried in her new iphone pretty much the entire 5 hours I was there.)

Their conclusion:
----- ----------- ---------

Moskowitz doesn’t disagree with Moulder. But he says the amount of radio wave radiation people—and especially children—are exposed to today is different, and this raises new concerns. When it comes to our long-term, cumulative exposures to all our wireless networks and gadgets, “we’re basically flying blind,” he says.

Of course, trying to avoid radio wave exposure is more or less impossible if you live in modern society. Moskowitz advises keeping wireless devices away from your body and turning off wireless networks when they’re not in use. While any health risks are still theoretical, “I think trying to minimize exposure is the best advice at this point,” Moskowitz adds.
(https://time.com/4508432/what-is-wifi-radiation-cancer/)
---------- ---------- -----------

I think if a person has a reasonable gut reaction to something and there is a simple solution it's probably better to trust yourself and do it. I've learned ignoring little things that you feel can build up inside you and cause needless anxiety. Even if it just winds up being the one last thing that tips you into being distracted or having a bad dream or the time you waste debating yourself and thinking about it. Who needs it? Fix it once and move on.

I'm going to try and connect directly without wifi also. My router is on other side of the room 20 feet away but I don't really need wifi right now. I spend most of my wifi time at home on a desktop computer and a laptop on desk next to it. So I'm shooting wifi the last 20 feet across the room verses just running a cable, which now seems kind of silly. Seems worth the effort just to see that it's probable faster.

Did you get your computer running and the wifi turned off and everything working ok?

-Tim

[Platapus]

I wanted to name my WIFI network something like


NSAOPSUNIT754


Just to mess with my neighbors.

[Rockstar]

Originally Posted by Sean C

Actual networks near me:

I’ve named mine FBI van 2