Yes, Christmas lights can screw up your Wi-Fi, but not how you might think

Yes, Christmas lights can have an effect on your Wi-Fi. No, Wi-Fi isn't waging war on Christmas

Ofcom, an independent UK regulator of communications, released a Wi-Fi Checker app Tuesday. In its press release, Ofcom notes that Christmas lights are one of many things that can affect Wi-Fi signal performance.

Wi-Fi — like cellular signals, radar and television broadcasts — is a radio frequency (RF) signal operating within a specific range on the electromagnetic spectrum, making it susceptible to interference by other devices operating within the same or similar frequency range. A white paper published by networking giant Cisco points out that microwave ovens, Bluetooth and among common signals and appliances can interfere with the Wi-Fi signal from your router. Read more...