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Escaping WiFi Interference In The Modern Dorm Room?

j.cherney writes "I recently moved my son up to a dorm at Michigan State University. We set up a wireless router (D-link) and everything worked well-until the rest of the dorm moved in. Now he is getting intermittent outages which I am quite sure is related to the large numbers of cordless phones on the 2.4ghz frequency. So my question to everyone is: Is there anything that I can do to make wireless work in this environment? Obviously I'm not willing to buy everyone in the dorm a new cordless phone! Is one brand more resistant to interference than another? Is there a filter than can be installed? Or is he S.O.L.?"

5 of 144 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Suggestions... by redhotchil · · Score: 4, Funny

    For the college student, 2 is pretty much the only option available.

  2. Re:Suggestions... by hackwrench · · Score: 5, Funny

    Build and turn on a jammer. Everyone else will go buy phones on a different frequency. Then the frequency will be free for you to use your network with.

  3. Back in my day... by bitingduck · · Score: 4, Funny

    We huddled around a 110 baud acousticoupler, and if you read something that was funny the laughing would generate errors in the connection.

  4. use a freakin' ethernet cable by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    My god, you live in a *dorm* and you need wireless networking?

    You're the wifi version of the idiots I lived next to in college with GIGANTIC STEREOS jammed into little 8ftx8ft rooms. Did you know ALL music sounds the same when filtered through the low-pass filter known as "the walls"? I didn't!

    Yeah, when you're in college, you're king of your world and entitled to everything. Whatever.

    Besides, with the wireless, you're just letting that freaky Linux guy next door who wears a cloak see what kind of porn you like to hit it with.

    You don't need a cordless phone either, by the way. You live in a damn CLOSET!

    (Oops, this was the guy's dad. Adjust pronouns appropriately.)

  5. Nuke the bastards by stinkydog · · Score: 4, Funny

    Remove the magnetron from and old school 1500 wattmicrowave. Mount it in focal point of an old Primestar (or other satellite dish). Install a pistol grip and a trigger and you are good to go. Get a nice long extension cord and sweep the entire dorm with cleansing 2.4ghz waves. As long as you shield you AP before you begin you should be the only one left on the 2.4ghz frequency. Save your rig, it makes a nifty hot dog cooker. One warning, line you shorts with lead before you start so as not to cook your own frank and beans.

    SD

    PS Don't try this anywhere, ever.

    --
    âoeWho knew something as harmless as willful ignorance could end up having real consequences?â