Could Christmas lights slow down your Wi-Fi?
Christmas lights brighten homes across the country this time of year -- but could all those glowing lights put a damper on your plans to binge-watch holiday specials on Netflix?
A report by Britain's communications regulator Ofcom shows about 20 percent of poor Wi-Fi performance is caused by electronic gadgets and lights in your home, raising concerns that Christmas lights could take a toll on Wi-Fi speed.
"Halogen lamps, electrical dimmer switches, stereo or computer speakers, fairy lights [thin strings of decorative bulbs], TVs and monitors and AC power cords have all been known to cause interference to broadband routers," Ofcom warns on its website. "Keep your router as far away as possible from other electrical devices as well as those which emit wireless signals such as baby monitors etc."
Experts say electronics that generate a strong electromagnetic field can compete for broadband frequency.
But University of Texas chemistry professor Kate Biberdorf tells CBS Austin affiliate KEYE the impact from Christmas lights is so slight, most homeowners won't be able to tell the difference.
"I'm sorry, it's silly," she said. "You won't even notice it. People who are playing really high intense video games or downloading music or downloading a movie, they might experience it a teeny, tiny amount, but it's a non-issue."
And she said, if you do see a slow-down, it's easy to fix. "All you have to do is unplug it and make sure you don't have your Christmas lights and router plugged into the exact same outlet. Just move it apart," she said. "Your microwave is much worse for your Wi-Fi than your Christmas lights."
"Christmas lights are going to create a very small magnetic field. Very, very small," agrees Brad Cimaglio of Skyway Techs, who spoke with CBS Minnesota. "The only way I could see Christmas lights affecting Wi-Fi is if you wrapped your router up in bubble wrap. And even then it would probably still work."
So even if your house is lit up like the Griswolds' this holiday season, you should still be in business when it comes to doing your shopping online or streaming your favorite videos.
A good tip to keep your Wi-Fi running at full speed and save energy is turn off any electronic devices you aren't using.