If you have aquatic animals at home, they can affect the quality of your connection BBC/Serenity Strull/Getty Images Alex Hills is a pioneer: he was one of the first people in the world to experience problems with a Wi-Fi connection. In 1993, as a professor at Carnegie Mellon University in the United States, he led the team that built one of the first large Wi-Fi networks. Hills tells this story in his book Wi-Fi and the Bad Boys of Radio. But "Bad Boys" isn't a reference to the makeshift group of internet pioneers he worked with. It's the name he gave to objects and phenomena that disrupt the functioning of Wi-Fi. Your house may be full of these "villains", doing everything they can to disrupt your memes. Some of this interference is predictable, such as thick walls. Others are much more unusual. Identifying these obstacles can help improve your connection — and even change the way you see one of the most important technologies in everyday life. Wi-Fi slow and crashing? See how to improve the connection and amplify the signal at home Microwaves For 17 years, mysterious radio signals have intrigued astronomers in Australia. Some attributed the phenomenon to solar flares. The public came to suspect aliens. In the end, they discovered that the cause was much closer: the telescope picked up bursts of energy emitted by the office microwave at lunchtime. And telescopes are not the only equipment affected by microwaves. They can also interfere with Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi, like most wireless communication technologies, transmits information using radio waves. Governments reserve most radio frequencies for specific uses, such as security forces, air traffic control, and AM and FM radio broadcasting. But some tracks are free for public use, without the need for a license. One of them is 2.4 gigahertz (GHz), one of the frequencies most used by Wi-Fi networks and Bluetooth devices. Coincidentally, it is also the frequency used by the microwave oven to heat food. Microwave ovens are shielded to keep these waves inside the device. But, according to Hills, old or damaged equipment, or even opening the door before the heating is finished, can cause interference with the Wi-Fi signal. "It's one of the most important sources of interference that people often talk about," says Hills. The same type of problem can occur with frequencies emitted by fluorescent lamps or car ignition systems. "These days, microwaves cause fewer problems," says Hills. The devices are better built and the Wi-Fi can also operate on the 5 GHz frequency, instead of the 2.4 GHz frequency. Still, if you have an old router or a well-used microwave, heating a frozen meal can mess up your memes. Microwaves Getty Images via BBC Aquariums If you have aquatic animals at home, they can also affect the quality of the connection. "A radio signal naturally loses intensity with distance," explains Hills. "But sometimes it passes through an object which weakens the signal. We call this 'shadowing'." Wi-fi and water don't mix. Among other problems, water molecules can act like tiny magnets that drain energy from the radio signal. If there is an aquarium between you and the router, it can create an area without Wi-Fi coverage. Shading is the biggest problem facing Wi-Fi networks, according to Hills — and not just because of aquariums. Radio waves pass through materials like wood and drywall with relative ease. Brick or concrete walls represent much greater obstacles. "Think of a straight line between the router and the device you want to connect," says Hills. The signal can spread throughout the environment and find other paths to bypass obstacles. But the more barriers there are on the route, the more difficult it will be to maintain a good connection. The shorter the distance, the better the Wi-Fi performance. Therefore, placing the router in the center of the house and in the highest possible position is usually a good start. If that doesn't solve the problem, it's worth trying a Wi-Fi repeater, which extends the signal range, or replacing the router with a mesh network, which distributes the connection to several devices spread throughout the house. This way, you don't have to bother the poor fish. Mirrors Microwave ovens can disrupt the Wi-Fi signal. Aquariums can weaken you. But there is another common problem: reflection. Radio waves are a form of electromagnetic radiation, just like light. In the same way that light reflects off surfaces like mirrors, the Wi-Fi signal can also be reflected. Any flat, reflective surface, such as a television, can cause this type of interference. The same can happen if there is metal in the walls of the house. If there's a spot where the Wi-Fi doesn't work well, imagine a straight line between you and the router and think about whether there's a mirror or large TV that could be diverting the signal. One solution may be to move these objects around. If this is not possible, a Wi-Fi repeater can also help to overcome the problem. Mirror Getty Images via BBC Snow, heat and rain Rain generally does not affect Wi-Fi unless you use a network installed in another building, separated by an open area. But, when time closes for good, problems begin to appear. Snow can damage the infrastructure that serves a home, a neighborhood or even an entire city, either because the extreme cold affects the metal components of the cables, or because the accumulation of snow blocks satellite signals. Heat can also cause similar problems. And even when the weather doesn't directly interfere with the network, the connection can be slower if everyone in the house is watching YouTube at the same time. This means that interrupted memes could be yet another consequence of climate change. The solution? In addition to doing your part for the planet, demand preventive measures from telecommunications companies and local authorities. Hills currently lives in Alaska, USA, where he has spent much of his career helping remote cities and towns connect to the internet. Satellite internet services have made this job much easier, but they also have their own wi-fi "villains". Sometimes when a blizzard covers the satellite dish with snow, there is no alternative but to get out the shovel and clear it.