Household gadgets that function wirelessly have a tendency to pose a number of interference problems. The usual culprits behind such tight spots are none other than baby monitors and wireless phones. Needless to say, deciding to get rid of one device in favor of the other is certainly out of the question.
What is Wireless Interference?
Interference may appear in the form of buzzing, static or irksome sounds. Aside from that, baby monitors that come with a video monitoring feature may also suffer from a fuzzy reception. Another annoying part of the whole interference dilemma is the fact that you could sometimes pick up your neighbor’s phone conversations on your baby monitor – and vice versa. This makes it even more difficult for you to hear or decode the sounds that are coming from your baby’s room.
How to fix Wireless Interference?
As bothersome as these interference problems may be, they are by no means without a solution. Here are some tips on how to avoid or, at least, minimize the nuisance of interfering wireless signals in your home.
1. Factor in your wireless phone.
In order to reduce the likelihood of interference, pick a baby monitor that works on a different frequency band from your other wireless household devices. These days, most cordless phones operate on the 2.4GHz frequency band. Therefore, if you use the same channel for your baby monitor, you’ll definitely encounter problems with the signal.
2. Adjust the channel.
The majority of modern wireless devices allow the changing of channels in an attempt to fix interference issues. It may be as easy as sliding a switch or pushing a button. Then again, if you’re using a wireless router, you’ll have to use your computer in order to resolve the problem. Remember to steer clear of the router’s lowermost or uppermost frequency bands if you’re using an analog phone that’s set in 2.4GHz.
3. Opt for a wireless phone that utilizes the 900MHz, 1.9GHz or 5.8GHz band.
Since these channels are not as commonly utilized as the 2.4GHz frequency band, they’re less prone to interference. If you have a preference for multiple-handset-capable wireless phones with a handset-conferencing option, pick one that makes use of only the 1.9GHz or 5.8GHz channel.
4. Switch on the baby monitor first.
To get the best possible reception and transmission from a 2.4GHz baby monitor with video capability, switch off all 2.4GHz devices in your house. After that, you may turn on the baby monitor followed by your wireless router – that is if you have one. Last but not least, you may switch on the base unit of your wireless phone. As a result of sticking to this course of action, the monitor gets to capture the initial accessible signal that will give out the most excellent reception and not impinge on your other wireless gadgets in the process.
5. Consider purchasing a digital baby monitor.
If you want to ensure that your next-door neighbors won’t be able to pick up the transmitted sounds from your baby monitor, purchase a digital version instead of an analog one. By doing so, you’ll be assured that the only sounds you will perceive are the ones that are coming from your little one’s room.
6. Stay at a safe distance.
If frequency band adjustments still don’t work and replacement of the product is not an urgent alternative, try to keep the differing wireless appliances as distant from each other as possible.
Baby monitors and wireless phones can certainly interfere with each other’s functioning. Even so, you can always do something to fix and/or curtail its inconvenient effects.