[kwlug disc.] detecting wireless

[Cedric Puddy]

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You can use 1-11.  The channels overlap somewhat -- channel 2  
contains parts of it's neighbours, for example.  Essentially there  
are actually only 3 completely distinct channels, by the definition  
that they don't overlap the others frequency space at all.

My rule of thumb is that if I've got strong noise/competition on  
given channel(s) that I try leave a gap of a least 3 channels between  
my chosen channel, and the noisier channels.

The AP/cards are supposed to dynamically hunt for available clear  
channels, regardless of what you set your default to, but this does  
not seem to work well in adverse situations.  I think the problem is  
that if your default channel is blocked/junky, then you can find  
yourself in a situation where you either can't sync up in the first  
place (can't establish association, therefore, can't handshake and  
hunt for a better place to talk), or if your association is dropped,  
you might not be able to sync up again (same reason as the first  
really).

There are some additional channels (12-14 I think), but I believe  
they are only relevant outside North America (not sure, I've never  
needed to dig into the details in Europe, etc.  I think you access  
those by setting the country you are operating you access point in,  
but even then, it's not really important unless channels 1-11 are  
truly and completely jammed by outside noise, and you are totally  
lucky that the jamming doesn't go past channel 11.)

- -Cedric

On 5-Mar-07, at 1:07 PM, Oksana Goertzen wrote:

> Do you know, can you use any of the channels between 1-11?  I was  
> reading somewhere that only channels 1, 6 & 11 could be used.
>
> Thanks, Oksana
>
>
>
> On 3/5/07, John Van Ostrand <john at netdirect.ca> wrote: On Mon,  
> 2007-03-05 at 11:14 -0500, Oksana Goertzen wrote:
> > In my neighbourhood someone has setup their wireless to operate  
> on the
> > same frequency as my home network.  I can see the other wireless
> > network (and occasionally one other) if if I do a scan of available
> > networks from a workstation.  We also have cordless phones in the
> > house set up on a different channel than our wireless.  I'm trying a
> > number of channels to see what's available in order to get our
> > wireless working consistently.  How can I tell what's available?   
> I'm
> > thinking someone else might also have cordless phones that are
> > interfering with our signal.
>
> You could use the iwlist tool. This will show other networks, signal
> strengths, etc. It will not show the cordless phones.
>
> --
> John Van Ostrand                       Net Direct Inc.
> CTO, co-CEO                   564 Weber St. N. Unit 12
>                                   Waterloo, ON N2L 5C6
> john at netdirect.ca                     ph: 518-883-1172 x5102
> Linux Solutions / IBM Hardware        fx: 519-883-8533
>
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|  CCj/ClearLine - Unix/NT Administration and TCP/IP Network Services
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    Cedric Puddy, IS Director            cedric at thinkers.org
      PGP Key Available at:              http://www.thinkers.org/cedric


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