Two APs converged in the office

[acole1]

If two access points are right next to each other, yet on different channels (1 and 11), can one interfere with the other so much that it knocks the users offline?

 

[kevnich2]

Define right next to each other?

 

[acole1]

Sitting on my desk less than 4 inches away from each other.

 

[s44]

Are they both 40mhz? If not, they shouldn't overlap.

 

[acole1]

At least one is 20Mhz.

 

[JackMDS]

If two access points are right next to each other, yet on different channels (1 and 11), can one interfere with the other so much that it knocks the users offline?

It depends on what you call "knock off line", usually it will create glitches in the working (and at time knock off line) because the Laptops might keep alternating between APs.

It will do it even if the two APs are more apart but are within the same room.

Wireless frequently fluctuate, if the fluctuation is more that few sec. most laptops will shift to the AP with the strongest signal.

In such case the solution is to assign different SSID to each and configure the Laptop with a priority toward a specific SSID.



😎

 

[RadiclDreamer]

It depends on what you call "knock off line", usually it will create glitches in the working (and at time knock off line) because the Laptops might keep alternating between APs.

It will do it even if the two APs are more apart but are within the same room.

Wireless frequently fluctuate, if the fluctuation is more that few sec. most laptops will shift to the AP with the strongest signal.

In such case the solution is to assign different SSID to each and configure the Laptop with a priority toward a specific SSID.



😎

To expand on this, changing the roam aggressiveness can make this better (or worse depending how you set it)

Setting it to low aggressiveness can case it to stay at one AP even under less than stellar conditions

 

[acole1]

Each AP has it's own SSID, and they are the only two AP's with those SSID's. I had them up for testing and noticed that I would disconnect from one of them occasionally, even when I had good signal.

 

[RadiclDreamer]

Each AP has it's own SSID, and they are the only two AP's with those SSID's. I had them up for testing and noticed that I would disconnect from one of them occasionally, even when I had good signal.

Good strength or good quality? I would take good quality signal (SNR) over good signal strength any day.

 

[acole1]

Good strength. Not sure about quality. That's why I'm wondering if one AP could cause bad quality for the other. The laptop connected was maybe 30 feet away through one wall.

 

[spidey07]

If they are on separate channels, 1, 6, 11 and using 20 Mhz channels then no, they cannot interfere with another.

What is more likely is you have interference from other APs in the area or other sources of interference. It's very common for the 2.4 Ghz band to be highly congested/used.

 

[acole1]

Thanks!