What's your take on the safety of Wireless?

[TheCrust]

(mods - feel free to shift this if you feel it is inappropriately located)

 

I was reading information on my union's website earlier on this week to do with the alleged effects of wireless networks in schools - particuarly for those with this "Hypersensitivity to EM radiation"

 

The union had written to the secretary of state for education asking him to investigate the physical effects of wireless networks and consider their implementation in schools as he had "massive concerns"

 

It got up my nose a bit to be honest - I suppose in some respects because here was a "well meaning, but potentially ill-informed person" stepping into our realm because of something they may have read in a broadsheet that may have been written by an journalist that had no understanding of the situation (in saying this, I'm nodding towards a recent Angry Tech blog post ).

 

Although there may be grounds for concern, I personally feel that there are lots of other sources of EM radiation that should be giving greater cause for worry - such as mobile phones - where the case is yet far from proven either way.

 

What's everyone elses take on this issue?

[Dom_]

I just don't tell people here we have sitewide wireless, not had a complaint yet... :-)

[Dos_Box]

It does seem to be that you only get complaints once people realise that there is a wirless network within the school, regardless if it is actually switched on or not! And stangely, many symptoms are the same as with stress related illnesses. There have now been plenty of reports and investigations on the health aspects of wireless networks and all have given them the all clear, in fact, Lancaster Uni did a test and found that you would need somewhere in the region of 13,000 wireless base units to emit the same kind of EM radiation that a normal microwave oven emits from it's door (no microwave oven completely blocks the radiation from it's door when in operation).

Your union isn't the NUL (National Union of Luddites) is it?

[mjs_mjs]

tbh there are alot more dangerous things that we should worry about more.

[Guest blacksheep]

I think the 'long-term' effects are a potential worry.. who knows what years of exposure will do to some people? Different to Microwaves for example, as you get periodic exposure although it is hoped this has been thoroughly investigated. There are a mixture of reports out there though!!

 

We are all guinea pigs for the future really! Fingers crossed eh

 

I wlan'd all of this place, now I have 9 transmitters running all the time!

 

I have put off getting a mobile phone for my daughter, who is now nearly 12. I have given in this year!

[webman]

This has been covered on the forum a few times before, and as you can see in the forum posts there are a few paranoid people who thinks we're all going to die due to the use of wireless APs.

 

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/networks/19089-wifi-power-levels-compared-mobile-phones.html

 

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/behind-red-door/5096-wireless-ban-schools-health-issues.html

 

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/general-chat/9609-just-had-my-first-dangerous-wireless-radiation-complaint.html

 

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/networks/8580-wireless-question.html

 

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/networks/8528-panorama-s-wireless-schools-program-8-30-tonight.html

[Guest blacksheep]

This has been covered on the forum a few times before, and as you can see in the forum posts there are a few paranoid people who thinks we're all going to die due to the use of wireless APs

 

There is nothing solid to say that phones etc. are not a risk.

 

Im not citing links, I cannot be bothered however im not 100% satisfyed as seen so many conflicting reports

 

Plenty of people who dont care about it though, you sounds like another LOL

 

Still ive got my own wlan.

[webman]

Plenty of people who dont care about it though, you sounds like another LOL

 

My own personal opinion is that the situation gets blown out of proportion and great assumptions are made against the use of it. If a fair, scientific study can categorically prove that wireless technology directly causes adverse health issues, then I'll reconsider my opinion

[Guest blacksheep]

My own personal opinion is that the situation gets blown out of proportion and great assumptions are made against the use of it. If a fair, scientific study can categorically prove that wireless technology directly causes adverse health issues, then I'll reconsider my opinion

 

Well I havent had a good read for a while, years really, we all seen panorama for example not sure if that was an objective study

However yoiu say nothing has been proven that it does cause cancer etc. but then they havent dissproved it either where there are suspicions

 

There was one up England with lot of people in a street developing cancer and this was believed to be due to 2 mobile phone masts rf emissions hitting that street from a distance etc...

 

Im not being paranoid as it really hard to know what to think, but I do think they should have a precautionary approach on these things! If they get it wrong the problems could be terrible. like as happened in the past wth things like asbestos, xrays etc.

[webman]

I can potentially see issues with mobile phones; but that's a different argument. The wireless access points that you and I use in homes and in our schools are vastly different in the technology, RF frequencies, power levels and distances than mobile phones and their towers.

 

You can't say mobile phones and WLANs are the same and have the same potential effects just because they both emit RF radiation.

[apeo]

Yes BAN all WLAN!!! Annoying technology when run at a large scale...

[elsiegee40]

We have a big private secondary school in our town which uses wireless links between all its boarding houses and other buildings around the town... quite neat looking kit sitting on the outside of their buildings which I notice, but assume 99% of the population doesn't.

 

My school is surrounded by boarding houses for the other one... should parents start to complain when we go wireless, I shall be killing myself laughing.

[TheCrust]

Your union isn't the NUL (National Union of Luddites) is it?

 

 

Hehehehehehehehe! That was my first thought when I read through the WiFi information on the website too!

[Guest blacksheep]

You can't say mobile phones and WLANs are the same and have the same potential effects just because they both emit RF radiation.

 

No I agree would be seperate experiments only having some things in common.

Both have various contradicting reports etc...

 

I believe they both maybe potentially dangerous over the longer term but will not take a black/white attitude about it.

 

Mobiles are higher power levels intermittent exposure etc.

WLAN are of a lower levels constant exposure etc.

 

We could go on ..

 

In regards parents, I gave the old Headteacher a printoff off the Cisco site to say there are no known issues, consensus of the scientific community is they are ok..

[webman]

I'd hardly say Cisco were unbiased in their statement on the issue (being a manufacturer of wifi devices) but that doesn't mean they're wrong

 

A slightly more reliable source would probably have been The WHO. Not the band, but the World Health Organisation - I think they've produced something to the effect of wireless vs. health.