Fireworks are a wonderful way to add a bit of magic to life’s different celebrations from birthdays to weddings. They have been entertaining us for hundreds of years and most people love the bright colours and loud bangs. But do fireworks work in the modern world? Could your Internet stop working because of it?
The question might seem silly but there are many people who think fireworks might be problematic to wireless connections – or even the weather! The thinking is that because fireworks contain different metals and chemicals, bursting with explosives, they might cause issues with the signalling.
So, can fireworks affect Internet? The short answer is ‘no’. You will be free to browse the Internet for memes on Bonfire Night without a problem. However, nothing is ever completely black and white. There are occasions that might cause you to lose your connection.
Your electrical mast, either antenna or dish, might break or shake if fireworks come into contact with it. If the mast is not well connected or you aim the firework directly to it, this might cause problems in connection and even take it down altogether. However, you need the fireworks to explode nearly on top of the mast. Of course, this could happen accidentally but you should always try to aim away from buildings and masts anyway.
The same goes for any issues with cables. If you explode fireworks on top of cables and they are damaged, then you won’t, quite obviously, enjoy a stable connection. However, like with masts, this requires you to shoot the fireworks right on top of the cables.
Creating an EMI
Since fireworks contain chemicals and metals to give them the right effects and colours, these could cause electromagnetic interference when exploding. There is some suggestion that setting off fireworks might even leave some of the residue in clouds, which would then cause interference between the satellite and your Internet even after you’ve done the display.
However, these scenarios are highly unlikely. For the EMI or EMP to have a significant impact and turn off your Internet, you’d need lots of fireworks going off at the same time and for the residue to gather in the clouds for a long period of time. This hasn’t happened even during the biggest of New Year’s Eve displays so it’s highly unlikely to occur in normal use.
Always Follow Safety Instructions
So, fireworks could affect Internet but this would almost certainly be because of a deliberate act to do so. Not only could mishandling fireworks potentially cut the connection, but it could also lead to many, more serious injuries and events. Fireworks are fun but you always have to use them responsibly!
The bottom line is that fireworks are not going to alter your connection as long as you use them responsively. Consider wires coming to and from yours and your neighbours houses when using fireworks, and you won’t have a problem!
