# WiFi underwater?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wifi-underwater/220554>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 22, 2003, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wifi-underwater/220554 "2003-12-22T23:43:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![McDeath\_the\_Mad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a3d4f5/32.png) [@McDeath\_the\_Mad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/McDeath_the_Mad)\
**Post date:** [December 22, 2003, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wifi-underwater/220554/1 "2003-12-22T23:43:47Z")

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Could you setup a wireless data network underwater?

If so what would the range be like?

I was thinking it would be great for underwater archeologists. They could have waterproof tablets, laptops and cameras and have all the data transmitted to a boat on the surface.

MtM

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**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\
**Post date:** [December 22, 2003, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wifi-underwater/220554/2 "2003-12-22T23:48:34Z")

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Yea, if you can waterproof the eqiuipment, you can do it, but your range will be drastically less, since water is very good at absorbing RF in band WiFi operates in. At a guess, you’d get maybe 5 to 10 feet, tops.