Which Wireless Channel?!

[mad0maxx]

How and why did you choose your wireless network channel?

Also why does everyone tell me only choose 1, 6, and 11?!

What about all the others from 1 to 11 besides the usual 1, 6, and 11?!

 

[spidey07]

Honestly I chose my channels by running a spetrum analysis of my house. Not kidding. 😉

As far as channels 1,6,11 - those are the only non-overlapping channels with wi-fi. If you select channel 6 part of the energy/signal is modulated over other channels. With 1, 6, 11 there is no overlap of signal/energy.

spectrogram of my home coming up...

Use channel 1, 6, 11 and see what works best in your environment is the only advice one can offer. If you have other 2.4 Ghz radios in the area be they wi-fi or not the WILL interferre with you.

Here's the spectral analysis.
http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/spidey07/homespec.JPG

Notice the colorful lower-left quadrant. The top half of that I was in my basement and you can see the red dots of my 2.4 phones. Below that is when I was walking up two flights of stairs into the office. Once I got close to the AP You see the burning red/white of my AP. You can also see the tale tell pattern of wi-fi on channel 1 and 11 with the familiar banding and equal intensity among the 1,6,11 bands.

Constrast that with how UTTERLY QUIET the 5 Ghz spectrum is...
http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/spidey07/homespecA.JPG
This is why I recommend 802.11a in open space areas. It's just so much quieter and as a technology much faster.

 

[JackMDS]

Alas Spectrum Analyzer is Not a device that a regular user (or even a common IT guy) have access to.

So as an humble substitute.

Signal strength per-se is Not as important as Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR).

Find a Wireless card that is compatible with NetStumbler and test which channel provides the best SNR in your specific environment.

http://www.ezlan.net/wbars.html


Edited after the advice in the following link.

http://stinet.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=ge...tadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA412482

 

[spidey07]

Screw that Jack. Spectral Analysis.

😉

 

[Fardringle]

As others have said, channels 1, 6, and 11 are really the only three that you want to use in most cases. I don't have the benefit of a spectrum analyzer (😉) but using NetStumbler at my new house I was able to quickly and easily determine that channels 6 and 11 were already in use nearby (by multiple different networks in fact), so I use channel 1. 🙂

 

[n0cmonkey]

I used kismet to find out where the other 20+ WAPs were, and chose something different.

 

[Rottie]

in my apartment building they use channel 3 or 6 but I used channel 11.

 

[Cogman]

I think I'm on 7 because I like that number 😀 . There is not another wireless user within a mile of me so... Free Roam 🙂

 

[ScottMac]

Except that anyone using channels 6 or 11 (or "Super G" will interfere with your signal (and you will interfere with them).

Clear spectrum today doesn't guarantee clear spectrum tomorrow.

Good Luck

Scott

 

[spidey07]

awww, c'mon Scott. Tell me what you really think of my analysis.

Knock some holes in it. Tear it up. Did you see the change?

 

[ScottMac]

The images don't really come up well on this computer, I'll have to check it out when I get home.

I did notice what appears to be a lack of Bluetooth .... it's full spectrum noise as far as 802.11b/g is concerned ... it just kinda hops on through from time-to-time.

I'll check it out and edit / repost.

Scott