Electromagnetic Interference

Electromagnetic Interference

Electromagnetic interference (EMI) consists of outside electromag-netic noise that distorts the signal in a medium. When you listen to an AM radio, for example, you often hear EMI in the form of noise caused by nearby motors or lightning. Some network media are more susceptible to EMI than others.

Crosstalk is a special kind of interference caused by adjacent wires. Crosstalk is a particularly significant problem with computer networks because large numbers of cables often are located close together with minimal attention to exact placement.