Shop RadioShack for Great Gifts
Networking & wireless: Multiple wireless networks - can they interfere
Multiple wireless networks - can they interfere
by wfavero - 9/19/06 3:30 PMWe run a Linksys wireless router at home. While trying to connect this morning, I notice about a dozen other wireless netowrks showing up (literally). With that many wireless signals floating around, does it have any negative affect of the routers performance? I would suspect not, but it never hurts to check.
Willie
Yes.
by R. Proffitt
- 9/19/06 3:39 PM
In reply to: Multiple wireless networks - can they interfere by wfavero
But if they are on their own channels then not a big issue. I used that information to pick the less occupied channel at the office.
Bob
Oh yes!
by Spockva - 9/22/06 5:13 AM In reply to: Multiple wireless networks - can they interfere by wfaveroI hava had a wireless network for several years now and two new ones have popped up inthe last six months. At forst I was not aware of the new networks, as everything worked "fine". Then my son-in-law had trouble with the desktop in their townhouse(next door), and finally I was trying to get a laptop to connect to the network adn it could not even find the signal. Aparently the other two networks were on the smae channel and one was so powerful it actually masked the one I have from the laptop. I changed channels, and low and behold, there was my netowrk adn a connection was made right away. Since I have changed channels, we have not had any connection problems with any of our laptops or desktops that both families own.
how to change channel
by pappajigowatt - 9/22/06 9:30 AM In reply to: Multiple wireless networks - can they interfere by wfaverohello, i think ive got the same problem. how do i change the channels?
thanx.
That all depends on your wireless router.
by inetdog - 9/22/06 12:13 PM In reply to: how to change channel by pappajigowattEach one is a little bit different, but the common feature is that it is not a hardware switch but software controlled.
There will be a procedure for logging onto the console of your router using your browser. You should do this while wired to the router, since you will lose your connection in the process if you are wireless.
The exact procedure will be in your router manual and may also be described briefly on the bottom of the router. In general you will need to find out the IP address of your router itself. To do this from any Windows, open a command window and type "ipconfig".
One of the entries will be the router and will list a gateway IP address. Type "http://<that IP address> into your browser address line, and follow the browser's prompts from there.
Within the console will be a wireless setup menu, and that is where you can change the channel. Doing that will probably reset the router.
When it comes back, go to the control panel on your PC for the wireless card (it may be controlled through Windows or through the manufacturer's own utility). Look at the list of nearby networks. If you see yours, select it, set up a profile and connect. If you do not see it, usually because you have set it NOT to broadcast its ID, then you will have to open the existing profile for it and edit the channel number to the new setting.
That's it, and good luck.
Inetdog
They can and you can do something about it.
by inetdog - 9/22/06 12:28 PM In reply to: Multiple wireless networks - can they interfere by wfaveroIn the US, a Wireless G router uses part of the 2.4 GigaHerz frequency band, and there are 11 channels available, numbered from 1 through 11. If you have not told your router what country you are in during setup, you may not see any choices other than channel 11.
If you see only one competing network, on channel 11 for example, the best performance for you will be to go to the other end of the band, channel 1. If there are many different networks in your range, spread over a lot of channels, look for a channel which is not used and does not have a strong signal competing on either the channel just above or the channel just below.
The other thing to watch out for is that the 2.4 GHz cordless phones (not cell phones) use the same band, and may allow you to select a channel for the phone or may use a "spread spectrum" or "frequency hopping" process to try to avoid interference. If you get phone interference and you can set the phone channel, try to avoid that channel or to change the phone channel. If you cannot change the phone channel, try setting your router to channel 1 or channel 11 to avoid the middle of the phone band.
| Forum legend: | |
 |
Locked thread |
 |
Moderator |
 |
CNET staff |
 |
Samsung staff |
 |
Norton Authorized Support team |
 |
AVG staff |
 |
Windows Outreach team |
 |
Dell staff |
 |
Intel staff |
