Interference

Updated: 12/26/2023 by Computer Hope

With any electronics, interference is an alteration or disruption of a signal caused by external noises or signals. When interference occurs, it can cause signal corruption, distortion, signal loss, errors, or other problems. For example, a Wi-Fi device encountering interference may have difficulty connecting with all devices or be slower because of the signal disruptions.

Examples of interference

  • EMI (electromagnetic interference) - An interference caused by an electromagnetic field disrupts nearby devices.
  • RFI (radio-frequency interference) - Interference encountered by signals received over the radio frequency from wireless devices or microwave ovens.
  • Wireless networks - As more wireless devices get added to an area, interference can occur if all devices share the same band. For Wi-Fi devices encountering interference problems, try switching the wireless channel.
Note

See our noise page for suggestions on preventing noise and interference.

Distortion, Hardware terms, Noise