Can WiFI interfer with my audio-recordings?

[Sekhmet1]

I have been in the habit of recording my songs occasionally, but have only recently started trying in our new address.

Regardless whether I use my (NEW) microphone, skype headset, one of our two digital cameras, or my partner's handheld digital sound recorder, it's always poor quality with hissing and spitting whilst being faint. In the case of my camera, the sound comes and goes, i.e. sometimes there is NO sound recorded whatsoever (?!)

However, using the same devices elsewhere, outside the house or in someone else's, they work fine (at least the cameras and sound recorder I have tried.

Now I have discovered that my laptop is picking up no less than 17 different WiFi signals from the neighbourhood (probably because the entire block of flats is a timber construction...).

Could this be causing interference responsible for my crap recordings?

If yes, what can I do about it (except move, dig a hole in the ground to record in, build a cubicle, hire a studio...)? I like playing my guitar and singing leisurely on my sofa and recording myself, I don't want to make a major hassle of it...

 

[ShanPeyton]

I typically disable the wifi services while i am recording. Especially if it is a laptop. (When i had one)

But that doesn't sound like it is your difinitive problem. You might have a crappy audio interface, or mic? Could even be a proximity issue as well like if you are just on your couch with one mic thats not going to produce glowing results. But i am diagnosing with out hearing what you are hearing.

If you posted up a sample that might be easier for us to help.

 

[Steenamaroo]

If you posted up a sample that might be easier for us to help.

+1 to sample posting.
I've never come across wifi interference issues. Actually I've a router on my desk about 2 feet from my interface!

It's more likely you've got some compatibility issue or you haven't got the right drivers install or something.

If you post audio clips, please give us specifics about the hardware and software used to record it.

 

[miroslav]

I... in our new address.

Could it be something got changed or damaged with your equipment during the move...?

...using the same devices elsewhere, outside the house or in someone else's, they work fine (at least the cameras and sound recorder I have tried.

Well...the neighborhood WiFi would still be there when your are outside of the house...so it very well could be some device in your house causing the problem.

Do you have lots of fluorescent lighting or other type w/transformers...like the new eco bulbs that have the mini transformers in the screw-in base (they are the worst)? That stuff will cause nasty interference and noise with audio equipment...even it is the next room or just by polluting the electricity.

... what can I do about it...

If it is outside WiFi or some type of radio transmitter interference...there are devices to help clean up your audio signal and your electricity...but if it is real bad, nothing sort of a Faraday Cage would help...and that's not something you would easily implement.

 

[RickWaugh]

No question it can. However, when I had the problem, it was the fact that wifi was on on my pc that was the problem. Soon as disabled it during recording, no problem.

 

[Sekhmet1]

Thanks for your suggestions, I don't think I changed anything to the equipment whilst moving, especially since 5 different items are all affected in the same way (2 cameras, 1 plug in Mic, 1 handheld digital recorder and 1 -new- skype headset). When I said they worked fine outside the house I meant elsewhere, not in the carpark. Fluorescent lighting we only really have in the bathroom, but the recording that went particularly badly was done on a summer's (week) day between 9 and 10 am, so hardly any neighbours in and definitely no lights on, the bedroom was slightly less affected than the living room and at the time of the recording we ourselves have not had any wifi. Interesting you mention the Faraday's cage, we kind of lived in a Faraday's cage before we came here, as the building had wiring all around the entire block of flats which prevented any signals (e.g. mobile) getting into the block, annoying when you had to go outside to take a phone call, but quite useful for recording it seems.... Also interesting re radio signals as we now live in the flightpath not far from a local airport... Will see if I can find some samples, basically what happened was that on the camera the audio just completely disappeared in patches. I thought the little mic was jammed up, but couldn't see anything and when recording in other places I got full audio for the entire recording.

 

[Sekhmet1]

No, I don't think our own wifi is the problem (at the time of the recording we didn't have any), but there are lots of intersecting signals from 17 other wifi transmitters with strong signals in our block of flats (no bricks, no concrete, just timber/mfd construction). I used a normal digital video camera and the sound just came and went as it pleased, this was when played back on the camera itself as well as a laptop. The other camera had lost of hissing, likewise the plug-into-PC mic and handheld digital sound recorder. The same devices don't have the same issue when used in other locations, e.g. the great outdoors or work (only 2 wifi signals there). Will see if I can find some samples or if I might have been so annoyed to delete the dudd recordings (about 1.5 years ago).

 

[Sekhmet1]

Wasn't using PC / Laptop to record at the time, wasn't even switched on, and yes I did disable WIFI on it when I discovered all those other competing wifi signals (we had a plug in router at the time).

 

[Sekhmet1]

Will see if I can get some samples, I might well have deleted the dudd recordings back when they occurred, but it was basically using a digital camera on a tri-pod and the sound was coming and going as it pleased, thought it was the mic on the camera, but it worked perfectly in other locations... Other equipment had hissing and crackling in when used at home, I've basically not been able to get any decent recordings since we have lived here. I don't suppose one wifi signal would do this, but there are 17, high strength ones in the immediate vicinity that I can pick up with my laptop.

 

[Sekhmet1]

Thanks, will have a look and see if I have kept any of the dudd recordings, it was basically the sound on recordings with digital video camera coming and going, or completely fuzzy and crackly, but turned out not to be the camera-mic as worked perfectly elsewhere.

 

[mdainsd]

I get trouble from cell phones and blackberry type devices. Radiating those clicks, chips and bursts into not only the recording gear but the guitar and PA amps. All handhelds are to be turned off on recording days. The other culprit has been light dimmers.