We had one of those smart meters installed two months ago, and ever since we keep getting WiFi disconnections, especially in the living room right next to the meter box. Could that be related, or is it just a coincidence? Should I call the electrician back?
With smart meters, the main thing to watch out for is the radio frequency - many operate in the 868 MHz range, but some models can still bleed into the WLAN bands (2.4 GHz or 5 GHz), especially if the meter box is poorly shielded or sitting right next to your router. That said, this isn't automatically a defect - it's often an installation or placement issue. Before you call the electrician, try moving your router further away from the meter box or switching to a different WLAN channel - sometimes that does the trick. If that doesn't help, it's definitely worth having a technician come out to check things, mainly to make sure the box's shielding is up to spec.
That can actually be related. Smart meters transmit data via radio (usually in the 868 MHz range) and can interfere with your WiFi if they're placed awkwardly or poorly shielded, especially if your router is close by. Try positioning your router further away from the meter box or setting it up in a different room - that's often the simplest solution. If that doesn't help, call an electrician or the meter manufacturer; they can check your meter's exact frequency and possibly optimize it.
Try switching your router to the 5-GHz channel or positioning it further away from the meter box - that often helps a lot 😊 The other answers are right that smart meters transmit in the 868-MHz range and can still cause interference, especially if your WLAN is running on 2.4 GHz. Before you call the electrician, you could also quickly test whether the problems get better when you move away from the box - then the cause is pretty clear. If that doesn't help, it's definitely worth calling, because the meter might not be properly shielded.
I wouldn't automatically assume it's the smart meter. The problem could have completely different causes - two months is a suspiciously long timeframe to say for sure the meter's to blame. My WiFi got worse too, but it turned out to be a new neighbor's device in the 2.4 GHz band, not the meter. That said: if it really coincides timing-wise and the interference is strongest right next to the box, you shouldn't ignore that.
Smart meters do transmit on various frequencies, and some models can interfere with your WiFi in the worst case, even if they're supposed to operate in the 868 MHz range. How you figure out if the meter's the problem: try turning it off (if possible) or spend a few hours in another room with the router further away from the meter box. If the connections are stable there, you've got your answer.
It's still worth calling them. The electrician can tell you which model was installed and what frequency it transmits on. In the worst case, the meter needs recalibration or your router needs to be switched to the 5 GHz channel (if you have a dual-band router). But test first whether it's really the meter - otherwise it'll just be frustrating.
It could definitely be the case, but before you call the electrician: check whether your router might be running on an overloaded channel anyway - in the living room next to the meter there are often neighbor networks active too, and they could just as easily be to blame as the meter itself.
If the problems started right after installation, it's definitely worth calling your electrician - have them check whether the meter was properly shielded and installed, because that's actually a common culprit. Most smart meters do transmit in the 868 MHz range and shouldn't interfere with WiFi on 2.4 or 5 GHz, but poor installation or faulty shielding can indeed cause interference. Before you spend a lot of time experimenting, get the professional to come back - it'll take less time than moving your router around or switching frequencies.
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