As technology becomes increasingly important to everyday life, it becomes increasingly vital to protect that technology. Technology, specifically electronic devices are replacing more and more analog products every year. So much of life is now dependent upon some form of technology. Calendars, clocks of all kinds, planners, stores, books, movies, television shows, music, games, even seeing someone face-to-face, it is all contained with a smartphone or other internet connected device. TV’s have the ability to talk to you, there are devices that can control the lights, stove, dishwasher, and other things in your home at your command. There are vehicles that can drive themselves. News and information are received through smartphones and laptops. Basically, technology has invaded almost every aspect of life. The problem with this is that there are so many ways to become disconnected. Electronics can be shut down and rendered useless by so many outside factors as well as internal problems. Internally, a virus has the ability to completely wipe out the hard drive of any device. It can wipe out the memory banks, or just crash a specific part of the device’s system. Then take into consideration all of the ways that electronics can be affected by outside sources. EMP strikes, sun flares, signal disruptors, and so many others. If you are looking for something that will protect your devices in the case of an emergency, you will definitely want to look into Faraday bags and cages. There are two ways to obtain one of these containers, You either have to buy them or make them. Here, you will find a comparison of buying versus building.
First, let’s talk about building. It is actually quite simple to make your own Faraday container, all you need are a few simple household products. You need a lot of aluminum foil, a fair amount of plastic wrap or a box of plastic bags, multiple pieces of cloth, and boxes in several sizes. If you need a lot of space for large items or a multitude of smaller items, you will also need a galvanized steel trash can with a tight-fitting lid. It is important to bear in mind that when you use the type of Faraday cage, you will not be able to use the devices or easily access them. This is a “prepping” maneuver to protect devices in case of an emergency and is only to be opened when absolutely necessary. The main purpose of this homemade Faraday cage is to protect against EMP strikes or any other attack or phenomenon that results in electronics being disabled. With that being said, if you do not have an extra device to place into this storage, you will need to obtain cheap devices specifically for this purpose. Some devices to consider are basic cell phones, walkie-talkies, crank radios, and transistor radios. You may also want to consider an e-reader and some sort of MP3 player. Once you have assembled your device you will need to wrap each one in a piece of cloth. This is an attempt to keep the corners and edges from tearing the foil that will be put on later. After each device is wrapped in cloth, the next step is completely to wrap each one in plastic wrap. If you prefer to use plastic bags instead of plastic wrap, place each device in its own plastic bag and be sure to get all of the excess air out when you seal it. Also, make sure that each bag is entirely sealed, there should be no holes or gaps. Next, wrap each device in no less than three layers of aluminum foil. Each layer needs to be molded and sealed. There cannot be any gaps, holes, or tears. If a layer of tears, you should start that layer over. After you finish wrapping each device in foil, place each one it a cardboard box and seal it. Then, wrap the entire box in at least two layers of foil. If you are using the trash can skip putting the devices in cardboard boxes. Instead, line the trash can with cardboard and place the devices inside of the can. There should not be any gaps in the cardboard, the aluminum foil that the devices are wrapped in absolutely cannot touch any part of the metal of the can. Fit the lid on and you are done.
Now, let’s talk about buying these containers. There are a great many places to buy a Faraday bag or cage online. When you begin your search, there are several phrases that you can use in your search. These include Faraday bags, Faraday cages, Tech Protect bags, and EPM protection containers. There is a specific Faraday website as well as techprotectbag.com just to get you started. When choosing what to purchase, you will need to take your specific device into consideration. keep in mind that the bags are more versatile and accessible than the cages like the one described above. While they can be used for the same purposes, the bags are made to protect your devices while keeping them accessible to you. They are a literal bag that is designed to hold various sizes of devices. There are small ones made for key fobs to prevent hackers from intercepting the signal and accessing your vehicle. Next are the ones designed for smartphones. These are meant to protect your phone from any harmful signal that you can imagine. Next is the tablet size which is exactly what you would imagine it to be. The next size up is designed specifically for notebook laptops. Next, you have the size for all other laptops. Finally, there is the largest variety which is a universal size that can hold any device and even multiples at any given time.
There you have it, all of the information you need to make a sound decision about whether to build your own Faraday cage or look into purchasing a cage or bag. Either way, it is a very good idea to take the time to ensure that you will have a working device in an emergency, including an EMP strike. It is impossible to tell what will happen in the future, therefore it is better to be prepared for anything that may come your way.