I reach the limit with using wired sensors/nodes and now I started to build wireless node. I am worried about all the wireless noise/radiation as it has effect on our health.
WiFi with ESP is fine for sensors (temperature, humidity etc.) as I make them sleep and reconnect after a minute or two. You already have router and security is high.
Now the problem is when you need to have an actuator. You need WiFi node that is always online. There is communication all the time even if you do not send commands.
I explored the option for NRF modules (MySensors platform) and it is perfect except for the encryption part. Everyone can hear what you are controlling but it is hard to replicate as an intruder. Building gateway was easy but everything else is DIY too. Emission is low if you need few action per day.
And there is the 433Mhz option. Lots of cheap stuff is already available but your nodes are totally public. Should be fine for fire detector that runs almost never and is hard to sniff. However, I will avoid PIR sensors that send data on every move while I am at home (Both for security and health reasons)
The information out there is contradicting, as to whether WiFi radiation is bad for your health or not.
One reason is how higher education and research is set-up… Universities are no longer independent; research is only allocated based on what industry is funding; western governments have become neoliberal in their approach to almost everything, thus reducing your freedom, your human rights, your environment, and the list goes on.
The point: anything bad for industry is subdued, rail-roaded, hi-jacked or full of alternative news. Think tobacco industry: smoking is not harmful. Or e.g. the US government curtailing the EPA, climate change deniers, etc., hence, do you believe you are getting good research on the effect of WifI on the human body, on children, their brain development, etc.?
I for one, do not think so.
As a result I am taking a cautious approach (and I am lucky that I am building new) will wire everything; everything talks Ethernet and MQTT, either to each other of for openHAB to listen and/or control… and I’ll avoid wireless wherever possible.
E.g. wireless is only on for 2 hours in the early morning hours to sync phones calendars and mail – that’s it, and it switches auto-off via schedule.
Security is another reason, but wireless can be secured sufficiently…
I am sure you will find all sorts of truth; at the end of the day you have to decide what you believe based on your understanding.
Also, if you have a bunch of wireless sensors, and they are on for 10 seconds every minute, you’ll end up with a continuous signal in your house anyway… on the other hand: is it a real risk that someone will send bogus info to your system?
This link may not be a credible source (see comments), but think about how your mobile phone (sitting next to you) communicates with cell phone towers a few kilometers away in comparision to wifi that is only strong enough to go a few meters with walls
Well, I prefer wired too but when you do not have other option, which technology is less noisy? I can not find data about radiation of wifi when idle, does it change much if you send the esp32 to sleep vs running it all the time? I found some routers called “eco” that do not broadcast SSID so often and was wondering if turning that feature off in my router will make a difference.
ESPs can be run in AP and station (STN) mode. I am pretty sure that they do not send in STN mode when at sleep.
When it comes to radiation, BT has the lowest, the 433MHz, the wireless, then phone output… the latter has research supporting the idea of causing cancer; however, as indicated before, research is not funded in this space.
… very cynical indeed. It is a fact of live that anything in excess will lead to ill health.
… and it is no useful contribution to the OPs questions/concerns.
… and close to an ad hominem attack.
yes, you are right, but it is 21th century and we have flat earth, creationists, post-truth, anti vaccination and others … and it is getting only worse and dangerous … and if on forum that i believe people are more educated in science than normal people, something like that is happening i’m getting really scarred …
Tell me about those flat earthers… this is beyond believe… anyway…
Asking about radiation impacts / concerns has got nothing to do with a flat earth perspective… I am radio/television technician by (original) trade, and had 4 friends, 3 have died before the age of 50 due to cancers related to GHz radiation exposure, by working on microwave tower technologies. If I hold my mobile phone up on the ear it gets hot; I have done this non scientific experiment by holding the pone to my ear while switch on, and while switched off, both times for the same duration, and then measure the temperature of the ear areas with an IR temp probe. When the phone was switch on, the area was 4 degrees warmer compared to when the phone was switched off. There is medical research confirming these effects, and there are now long term studies showing a clear link between brain tumors on the side where the phone was held. As you can imagine, given the world we live in, the industry does not want to know about this type of research which has the potential to curtail sales, etc. … and with the history of industry denials (Exxon knew about global warming in the 60s; the tobacco industry knew smoking kills; radioactivity tests causing cancer)… yes, look at climate change deniers – whatever does not suit the agenda will be subdued, etc.
So it is in fact very difficult for most to find scientific and reliable material about any health impact of today’s technology (not only in electronics, but more so chemistry).
As such, I err on the side of caution – I am not claiming anything; I am simply choosing not to be exposed to radiation where I can.
But, the OPs concern was not about mobiles, hence I am off topic…
