What All Can Make WiFi Stop Working

[Lansing_Banda]

Okay, I am about to set up a wireless network at my house using the D-link DI-624. I have been looking around for commen problems just to see what I might incounter along the way and I have found some interesting things.

It turns out that (for the most part) anything that runs on the same frequency of the wifi signal (2.4 ghz I believe) will cut the signal.

I have seen reports about cordless phones, microwaves, and even the action of starting up and shutting down a desktop computer will cause the wireless network signal to be cut.

I also just finished reading this:
http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,63705-2,00.html?tw=wn_story_page_next1

So my quesion goes out to all the people who have a Wireless network right now; have you had any phantom cuts in your signal and what do you think caused them.

[el-half]

I've been running a wlan for about a year now and there was never any problem with it.
Except for the fact that the router is replaced for the 2nd time already but that was because of my own fault, I screwed it.

[muert0]

I have a linksys BEFW11S ver4 that i connect to wirelessly with a laptop, tablet, and a iPaq. I also have desktop connected to it. We lose the signal every once in a while and I never noticed it before but it does happen when the desktop gets shut down . But it's not really a permanent problem I just reset my cable modem and the signal is back up. I've never had to go into what they tell you to do on that page. But thanks for the read if the problem ever pops up and reseting doesnt help I'll try that out.

[Negative]

The technical part: 802.11b (11Mbps) and 802.11g (54Mbps) both operate in the 2.4GHz radio band (2.4GHz to 2.4835GHz to be exact). Within this band, there are three available radio channels (1, 6 and 11 - you could theoretically use the other channels as well, but that could cause overlapping). Microwave ovens and some (residential) cordless phones use the 2GHz band, so interference is possible...
The problem is that there aren't enough "public" radio bands available...
I have yet to see evidence of this interference though (that is: experiantial evidence): we have a microwave, a desktop plugged in straight into the router, and one of our 2GHz cordless phones is constantly right next to the router...

You could always go for 802.11a (54Mbps) which is in the 5GHz band (although some cordless phones are already using that band as well.... the difference is that there is 300MHz available in this band, Vs. only 83.5GHz in the 2GHz band, thus reducing the chance of interference)...

I guess that theoretically the chance of having no interference at all is minimal, but practically the chance that there actually will be noticeable interference is close to zero...

[11001001]

A co-worker of mine reported that he did indeed get interference on his phone after he installed his wireless linksys router. The router and the phone both operate on 2.4GHz, but the router's signal is much stronger than the phone's. As a result, nothing happens to his wireless connection, but his phone oftens endures a lot of static. Changing the active channel on his phone helps some, but it is not a "fix"...

I had an article about this... I'll post a link when I find it.

/EDIT: This isn't the original paper, but it's all I can find right now...
https://linksys.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/linksys.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=470

[Tiger Shark]

we have a microwave, a desktop plugged in straight into the router,

ROFL, I had to read that twice...... I'm thinking "nifty... computer controlled popcorn"...

[cacosapo]

Spread Sprectum networks can resist well to interences and can recover from them.
However a very long (and strong) interference can shutdown it.
But i dont really think that a cordless phone or a microwave can fit on that kind of interference.
On a Industrial Plant Environment you can face big noise (I had this problem when bringing up a plant floor wireless network) but some equipments can be "tuned" to bypass or reduce the impact (sometimes with speed reduction although)
For Beginners, here is a powerpoint presentation (commercial one) with some aspects of wireless communications, including interference:
http://www.locusinc.com/library/2003StandardElectric1.ppt

[AngelicKnight]

Heh heh, I'm glad I'm not the only one who had to read that twice!

"You have a microwave plugged into your router?!"

[cacosapo]

is there a firewall for microwaves?
"Oh, God. Someone is hacking my popcorn!"

[Negative]

The popcorn-maker is actually plugged into the TV... starts automatically every time it detects a commercial.

Learn to read! :p

[AngelicKnight]

Does that make it "hackcorn"? Buh-dum-dum!

*ducks tomato*

[gunder]

I used to set up wireless networks for a living using 802.11b. It was pretty rare that we had a customer who had interferance problems due to their phones, it did happen though. All it took was for them to change the channel on the phone and it started working again.

[Lansing_Banda]

/me readies my pumpkin launcher at Angelic

Yeah, I knew a guy that has a usb power supply that draws power from usb to power stuff. He had a mini fridge hooked up to it. I found it silly as hell. Anyways, plug in a microwave and run the
popcorn.sh script that cat's "on" to /dev/usb_microwave.

But back to the post, so really you guys haven't seen any hardcore outtage all the time because of random crap? That is good. If anyone else has any quirks that may be encountered post them here and let me know. Thanks!

[AngelicKnight]

NO, NOT PUMPKINS! *smack* Oooow!

Anyways, plug in a microwave and run the
popcorn.sh script that cat's "on" to /dev/usb_microwave.

Everyone knows that'll never work! Penguins don't eat popcorn!


We just put in our first wireless AP here within the last month or two. Nothing wierd yet, but I'll post if something odd happens.