The present situation in my flat is a classic failure of coordination. There are so many (encrypted) wireless networks operating that interference seems to have become a major issue. Internet access has become slow and unreliable. Of the eleven channels in the 802.11b/g standard, only three (1, 6, and 11) are fully non-overlapping. The individual wireless access points are all interfering with one another, as well as with everything else that operates in the same part of the radio spectrum: microwaves, 2.4 GHz cordless phones, security cameras, Bluetooth devices, baby monitors, wireless video game controllers, fluorescent lights, etc, etc. Indeed, a new phone somewhere in my vicinity may well have been the straw that broke the camel’s back, as far as the 2.401 MHz to 2.473 MHz range goes.
Everyone would have faster and more reliable internet access if we could shut down all but a couple of the access points. Unfortunately, there is no way to coordinate such an action. Furthermore, anyone who actually ran one of the reduced number of access points, if such an agreement could be reached, would be faced with the same kind of illicit usage that forced me to shut down my open network.
One option is to seek a technological fix, in the form of 802.11a or 802.11n equipment that is less likely to be interfered with by existing devices. Of course, given enough time, those devices are likely to face similar hurdles.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Aristole’s tragedy of the commons rearing its ugly head again…
A/N work on the 5GHz band using only 20Mhz chunks per channel (N allows bonding of 2 20MHz chunks so a possible 40Mhz), so the number of available channels is much greater than the 11 available on b/g in NA, of which only 1, 6, and 11 which don’t overlap. Much less possibility of interferance.
Regarding that, run a wireless network sniffer (kismet or netstumber), and determine what channels networks in your arrea are using (most default to 6) then run yours on either 1 or 11 depending on where the least amount networks are.
if you run a G router with open source firmware (ie. tomato, openwrt, etc), you can usually select channel 12, 13 or even 14 (which was only ever allowed by Japan for use with b networks…) Most European contries allowed channels 12 and 13 with g… Less interference in those channels here in NA…, thouh 10 and 11 interfere with 12 and 13… Just make sure your wireless NICs can also use those channels and you are set… Note that 2.4GHz cordless phones call also use channels 12 and 13 in NA so ymmv with those channels.
I don’t really want to switch to A or N. For one thing, my iBook only works with G. It would be annoying to need to buy and use a USB dongle. For another, the speed limitation on the network arises mostly from the DSL line, so using A or N won’t speed up surfing (though it might foil interference for a while).
Most of the other networks are on 6. A few are on 11. Mine is one of the only two on 1.
Regarding channels 12-14, will the Airport Extreme cards built into G4 iBooks work with it? There is also the matter of Emily’s computer, my DS, etc…
What is Interference Robustness?
Arbi Karamians
Monday, September 10, 2007
There are few forces more powerful
than geeks desperately trying to get
internet in a new apartment.