Stupid netbook tricks: DIY microwave shield testing
By Joseph L. Flatley 
posted May 16th 2009 7:42AM
posted May 16th 2009 7:42AM
So, we're guessing that at some point in your life you've wondered whether or not your microwave oven has sufficient shielding. Well, we certainly haven't -- but maybe we're the fools for trusting the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission. Then again, in Russia they don't even have a "United States Consumer Product Safety Commission" (for obvious reasons). Clearly, someone over there was nagged by the thought that this appliance was scattering radiation where it didn't belong, so he got this bright idea: as microwave ovens operate at 2.45 MHz, and 802.11d WiFi operates on a 2.4 GHz frequency, any netbook placed in a closed microwave should be woefully un-pingable. And you know what? When he placed his netbook in a closed microwave, it couldn't be pinged. Clearly relieved that his microwave oven was amply shielded, the author has one final piece of advice for any of you who might be thinking about conducting this test for yourself: "Don't try to turn your microwave on, while experiment." Action photos after the break.
The enclosure is made from highly conductive metal.Microwaves generated by the netbook will bounce around inside the microwave. And since the power of the waves are miniscule, your netbook will not be damaged.
well, we had different findings. build a large panoramic scanner for wifi (spectrum) waves, just the see how pretty they are. but whenever a microwave oven is turned on, even if its several rooms away, it just washed our sensors out.
check the video
http://wificamera.propositions.org.uk/Panoramic-Wifi-Camera
forgot to say, its at 1:20.
ok.... what is the purpose of the experiment again?...... wait... does it mean that if RF can get in, microwave can get out?
Russia does have consumer protection and in the case of microwave ovens they identify the risk as being to your eyes (scientifically correct, it can cause glaucoma when youare exposed to much I understand) and they advise you to stay at least a 25cm (I think it was), or a 'foot' if you will if you live in backwater US, away from microwave ovens during operation.
I have a question regarding this test, it seems to be a microwave in some livingroom setting, so is the thing plugged into a grounded outlet? and if so is the ground of that outlet actually grounded (sometimes it's not), and also, the inside seems to not be painted so is anything touching between the netbook and the housing since that might turn the microwave housing into an antenna.
US? Backwater?
Kind sir, the microwave oven was invented in the US. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microwave_oven
Tongue in cheek ;) because the author joked about the russians not having "'United States' Products Safety Commission" and because the US although officially having adopted metric still use foot and inches and such.
Thanks for being so polite btw! :)
Incidentally, the microwave was discovered in the US, but since it's based on RADAR which was invented in britain the US can't claim full credit, also did you read how it was discovered?
"He was working on an active radar set when he noticed that a peanut chocolate bar he had in his pocket started to melt. The radar had melted his candy bar with microwaves. "
Hate to know what that did to his private parts if he's basically standing in a microwave.
Also inventing something that way does sound a bit.. backwater, doesn't it? But that's coincidence in this case.
Haven't you seen MIB? The microwave was handed to us by aliens of course!
Hmmm... I wonder if my *blender* is properly shielded...
Stupid netbook tricks: DIY microwave shield testing = Slow news day, technically uninformed writer.
Scanning for signal is what he wanted to do not pinging, D'OH!
Doesn't seem like a great test - relative power of Microwave vs consumer WiFi anyone?
What is stupid about this? It's a sweet idea.
Except he didn't have the results twittered automatically, tisk tisk.
Or he could have bought one of those little $5 testers you hold around the seams when you are cooking something to see if it's leaking.
I was going to mention that but you beat me to it. I have one of these:
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=222028
Of course, there's no way to tell if the thing is working unless you actually have a broken microwave - it doesn't react to my phone at all, but it does blip a little if you hold it near a dent in the microwave door when it is running.
We used to have a low tech detector which was some sort of bulb in a plastic case. Microwave doesn't make it light up but a plasma ball does.
Nice. About 15-20 years ago we used these little strips that changed color in the presence of it. Tested them in a radiation lab to make sure they were for real.
If microwaves are so shielded why is it that my old 2.4ghz cordless phone used to sound like crap if the microwave was on (the reciever sat on top of the microwave.
Chances are that had to do with the electromagnetic radiation from an unshielded/badly shielded power cord. The things draw a crapload of power compared to other other kitchen appliances (fridge excluded). It's possible that the current gave off enough of a magnetic field to disrupt the receiver.
Actually... Has anybody tried using a bluetooth earpiece near a running microwave? Something is bugging up my 2.4GHz range... and only when the microwave is on... so...
Yeah... what Mark said...
stop spamming us with your crappy blog
The operating frequency of a microwave is 2.45 Ghz (not the quoted 2.45 Mhz). Wifi, Cordless phones, Bluetooth, etc all use the 2.4+ Ghz range, Wifi channel 9 has a center freq of 2.452Ghz!. It's always nice to know why your head gets warm while using a Wifi/Cordless phone ;-)
Just stay away from hypnotists, you I fear are very susceptible.
Microwaves operate at 2.45Ghz and so do cordless phones (most of them anyway). So it makes sense why you can't use a cordless phone near an operating microwave without either being disconnected or having extreme static. A lot of the wireless singals (namely /b/g) are around 2.45Ghz as well but will vary depending on the channel that it's on. So it only makes sense why microwaves, cordless phones, laptops, and baby monitors are all bad for each other if used at the same time.
Also, put your face near a microwave, you'll feel dizzy, I know I do -- then again I might just be weird or a mutant. Also don't put your face near a microwave, it might cause cancer. =P
Aha, sorry for repeating you Richard, I wrote this before your post (or this page for the matter) was even up. Guess we have hiveminds!
My remark to richard could be mirrored here.
We have 2 microwaves- an old one that got gross and no one wanted to clean, and a new one that my new roommate brought. We switched them out, and I wanted to know which had better shielding.
So I tested this with my iPhone as I have AFP installed (
What the hell is wrong with the comment system?
From above...
AFP is an awesome addon.
So..
On the newer microwave (which was plugged in), I was still able to access my iPhone via wifi and take files off, and actually watch a vid from the folder of my cycorder videos.
When I put it in the considerably older microwave (not plugged in) any connection attempts would time out, and I was unable to make phone calls to it.
Really makes me uncomfortable, looks like I'll be washing the old one and putting it back into use. And putting some kind of extra shielding junk just to be be overly paranoid...
Hmm, you know I also had a feeling for some time now that in the west the government doesn't do any effort any more to safeguard people, dirty restaurants that don't get fined, firetraps that get no citations, USB cables that clearly have no shielding, and now it seems we are finding out microwave ovens aren't shielded anymore, I wonder if you can still sue about that stuff.
well i made a test with microwave, in fact i used 2 new microwaves and they both leaked
and here is the link to my youtube video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovfviS6rZIQ&feature=channel_page
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZ7tbP6futE&feature=channel_page
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGuoGtLitck&feature=channel_page
from my exoerience all microwaves leak, that is a sad story, and small children often look inside the oven and lean their head close to the source of HF field
if you need to contact me admin@altermedicine.org.