how can christmas lights interfere with WIFI?

Question

I was reading somewhere that Christmas fairy lights can interfere with WIFi. The same can be said about microwaves etc.

Can someone offer my the simplest explanation is to the how/why?

Thanks in advance.

Edit: corrected some grammar

In: Technology

Answer 1

WiFi communicates using radio waves within a specific range of frequencies. These waves, like visible light, are disturbances of the electromagnetic field. Christmas lights don’t cause interference with their visible light but instead it is because they are made in an inexpensive way.

When electricity flows through a conductor it creates a magnetic field, and a changing magnetic field can cause electrical currents in conductors. This is how both electric generators and motors work, along with transmitters and receiving antenna.

Inexpensive LED Christmas lights are often made with unshielded wires and include circuitry that rapidly switches current flow to drive the LEDs. This can mean they are producing rapidly changing magnetic fields around them, essentially transmitting electromagnetic noise which your WiFi needs to work through.