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Christmas Decorations May Slow Your Wi-Fi Speed

At this special time of year, many people love decorating their homes and offices with a dazzling array of holiday-themed lights. However, some broadband providers are warning consumers that certain types of lighting can adversely impact the speed of their wireless connections.

According to an article posted to the website of the British tabloid The Sun, broadband companies are singling out strings of flickering lightbulbs as an unanticipated potential source of electromagnetic interference, which can adversely impact the speeds at which wireless routers typically operate.

Research by UK broadband provider Zen notes that “a few lights may not have much impact, but when you have hundreds of them around your home, their effects can be amplified, potentially causing interference with your Wi-Fi signal and, ultimately, dropped connections.”

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The simplest solution for solving the interference problem associated with flashing holiday lights, according to Zen? Try moving the router further away from the light string!

Read The Sun’s article about how certain holiday lights can affect the speed of in-home Wi-Fi communications.

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