23 APs on 2.4GHz Ch 1 :(

[Bull Dog]

So the apartment complex I'm currently living in decided it would be a good idea to upgrade the 'free' (useless) internet they were providing and install a DSL Modem/(2.4GHz only)Wireless AP unit in every apartment.

Most, if not all of them appear to be using channel 1.

Somehow, I don't think the wireless throughput is going to really be that good.

Thankfully I'm on wired Gigabit Ethernet, but this just makes me sad.

 

[azazel1024]

A condo my in-laws were renting in Florida was the same way. Community Wifi, plus AT&T based DSL modem/router combos in every unit. Despite the 12"+ thick concrete walls and floors, I could still pick up around 28 wireless networks (not all of them were the community ones). Speeds actually weren't bad.

I mean, yeah, they sucked, but considering all that, it was suprisingly not bad. I don't know what the actual service was, but I think I speed tested it at around 3.8/580 which I am guessing was vaguely in the range of what the DLS service was actually capable of.

Here is the thing though...if those aren't being used much, the overhead won't be THAT horrible. Especially if most of them are weaker signals.

That said...ouch. Figure about 3% overhead per AP...Roughly 60% of the wireless bandwidth is being soaked just by beacon signals. That said, if a lot of them are much weaker signals, it probably won't interfer at all or very little (figure if you signal strength is 30dBm higher, it likely won't interfere at all).