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oddjob42 · Oct 28, 2007, 04:22 AM

I'm going to be using wifi on my MacBook, but am slightly concerned about the health risk of using wifi. So, is it safe, or are there dangers?

Big Mac · Oct 28, 2007, 04:24 AM

http://forums.macnn.com/92/networkin...-security-why/

Simon · Oct 28, 2007, 04:25 AM

To my knowledge there has not be a single scientific publication that finds WiFi to be the cause of an illness.

Simon · Oct 28, 2007, 04:25 AM

Originally Posted by Big Mac

http://forums.macnn.com/92/networkin...-security-why/

You didn't actually read his post, did you?

oddjob42 · Oct 28, 2007, 04:44 AM

Originally Posted by Simon

You didn't actually read his post, did you?

Heh. It was an easy mistake to make.

But, there have been recent reports saying that it can be linked to cancer and other diseases, so I was slightly concerned about using it. I thought it might be a long-term thing, so you got it if you were exposed for an extended period of time, which would explain the fact there are no reported cases. Has wifi been thoroughly tested?

Simon · Oct 28, 2007, 06:38 AM

Of course it has. And it's been used extensively by millions of people for the last decade. Not one single scientific publication has linked any of this use to a certain form of cancer or other disease. I find it especially amusing that people worry so much about something like this (or cell phones) when they are surrounded by air pollution, UV exposure, etc. which science has already clearly linked to certain diseases, yet people don't seem to mind all that much.

oddjob42 · Oct 28, 2007, 07:08 AM

Okay, thanks for the reply. I guess nowadays they have to go through lots of testing etc. before they can go on the market.

SpaceMonkey · Oct 28, 2007, 09:41 AM

Originally Posted by oddjob42

Okay, thanks for the reply. I guess nowadays they have to go through lots of testing etc. before they can go on the market.

If it makes you feel any better, physiologically it's not much different than the impact of all of those radio and television signals that already pass through your body 24/7.

MacosNerd · Oct 28, 2007, 09:49 AM

Well wifi is only one set of frequencies floating around us, so if that isn't safe, then the other stuff, like broadcast tv, cell phones, cordless phones, radio, short band transmitters etc are not safe either.

Of course with the rise in various cancers, who knows may be they are the culprit?

Simon · Oct 28, 2007, 10:17 AM

In all fairness, the argument isn't that it's harmless because it's all in the same band as other stuff. Actually, there is quite an important difference: broadcast antennas are far away and the power that reaches you is something like -80dBm. IOW nothing. WiFi on the other hand means you have a base station or a WiFi card close to yourself transmitting on the order of -60dBm. In that sense Wifi is much more like cordless phones (receiver and transmitters close to you) than like TV broadcast antennas (only receivers close, transmitter far away and average power weak). This just for the record.

Nevertheless, as I already said above, there has not been a single scientific publication showing that WiFi can lead to any type of cancer. And also, the general perception that "cancer is on the rise" is only partially true. There are a few distinct forms of cancer that are actually becoming more prevalent. But in most cases it's not cancer becoming more frequent, but diagnostics becoming better as well as people being screened more often and with better methods. At the same time, patients' chances of getting proper treatment and achieving better life expectancy are rising. Reality isn't as gloomy as some people think it might be.