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Cutting Through a Wi-Fi Traffic Jam?

Posted by Cliff on from the too-many-airborne-packets dept.

eric3xxx asks: "A week or so after Christmas, I tried to connect to my home wireless network and while I could see my access point I could not connect. After scanning the network, it turned out that there were at least twenty new access points in my apartment building (and in the surrounding buildings). Most of them had names such as 'linksys' and were all set on their respective vendors default channel (apparently a lot of people received 802.11b/g WAPs as presents). I tried changing the channel on my access point, starting at 1 and continuing through all of the channels, and none of them worked (probably since the channels overlap). In any case, I have no clear solution to this problem. I suppose I could boost the signal, however, that also increases noise. Perhaps I could convince my neighbors to put together a shared wireless network. I may just switch to 802.11a since it isn't as widely used." Has anyone else had success in configuring their APs to work in an areas of heavy wireless traffic?

17 of 531 comments (clear)

  1. You poor guy. by plover · · Score: 5, Funny
    You're surrounded by people who are unable to properly configure their wireless routers.

    The answer is staring you in the face. You simply find one of your neighbor's Linksys routers that's wide open, and save yourself $40/month on your Comcast bill. Duh!

    --
    John
    1. Re:You poor guy. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Change all the open APs to channels 1 and 6 and set a password on their config, then use 11 for your own WLAN.

  2. New paint by MeanMF · · Score: 5, Insightful

    How about some Wi-Fi Proof Paint? Or just freeload on your neighbor's network...

  3. Lemme get this straight... by Skyshadow · · Score: 5, Insightful
    So let me get this straight: You have 20 wireless networks to choose from in your apartment and can't connect to yours.

    Okay, here's the procedure: (1) Call your DSL or Cable provider and cancel your internet, (2) sell your wireless router on eBay, (3) choose an unsecured connection and go nuts. Simple, no? Plus it has the advantage that when the MPAA or RIAA come knocking, it won't be on your door...

    Or you could install a Faraday cage in your apartment. Much more expensive, but much more cool IMO.

    --
    Every year during my review, I just pray the words "slashdot.org" aren't mentioned.
    1. Re:Lemme get this straight... by Neon+Spiral+Injector · · Score: 5, Funny

      A Faraday cave?

    2. Re:Lemme get this straight... by spectre_240sx · · Score: 5, Interesting

      I think it would be better if he kept his router actually, that way he could play dumb and say "I thought I was connecting to my router, I didn't know I was freeloading, really." Could anyone make a dispute against him in that situation? If he got rid of the router all together then he's pretty much caught red handed.

    3. Re:Lemme get this straight... by rcw-home · · Score: 5, Informative
      There is a relationship between the size of the holes and the wavelengths that seep through so if you know which wavelengths you want to keep out, you can tailor your cage to match your requirements.

      For those following along at home, you can use Google Calculator to help you with this.

      1/10th wavelength is a generally accepted mesh size for blocking RF. You can be more paranoid if you want (for example the holes in your microwave oven door are about 1/50th wavelength).

      To calculate 1/10th of a wavelength at 2.45GHz, type "c/2.45GHz/10" into Google. Bam, 1.22 centimeters. Anything conductive with holes no larger than that will function as a faraday cage for RF up to that frequency (and will probably significantly attenuate RF in higher frequencies as well).

  4. Change Your Firmare? by OctaneZ · · Score: 5, Informative

    If your router supports it, grab an open source firmware, and step outside the normal 1-11 channels. Channels 12 - 14 are almost guaranteed to be empty.

    1. Re:Change Your Firmare? by Flower · · Score: 5, Funny

      Yeah they'll come knocking and put you in a worldful of .... . .-. - --..

      --
      I don't want knowledge. I want certainty. - Law, David Bowie
  5. What this is asking: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I find that my neighbors are shouting near me when I want my child to shout the news to me . I cannot hear my child over the neighbor children and I have already tried having my child scream at very high and very low pitches (along with everything between).

    Should I convince my neighbors to hire a single child to shout the street news for all of us?

    Should I make my house soundproof?

    Should I train my child to shout louder or in a different language?
    Should I move?

    This isn't a technical problem at all!

  6. overlapping channels by olibri · · Score: 5, Interesting

    The non-overlapping channels are 1, 6, & 11. Don't use anything else as this just overlaps with the other two default channels. You can also discourage your neighbors from using the 2.4GHz frequency by buying a 2.4GHz phone and leaving it off the hook for a while. Also, make sure you microwave lots of water. That'll piss em off real good.

  7. Yes, there is a solution to your problem. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    It's called cat5. Look it up.

  8. In a way... by Telastyn · · Score: 5, Funny

    My ethernet cable laughs at your meaningless WiFi interferance!!! muhahahaha!

  9. If it were me... by tekiegreg · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I'd probably opt to cooperate rather than isolate, specifically:

    1) Contact the neighbors (door to door, flyers, etc) and inform them of the problem, offer to secure their WAP's and put them on a Wi-Fi co-op that would give the entire complex a single Wi-Fi connection
    2) Contact an ISP that's willing (I know Speakeasy, Slashdot's sponsor is doing this) and get a big pipe from them (High power DSL or T-1)
    3) Set up one WAP as the main station and configure everyone else as a repeater
    Advantages:
    1) Big fat Wi-Fi pipe
    2) Wide range (entire complex and then some)
    3) Everyone has tighter security if you know how to set up Wi-Fi properly
    4) Joint budgets make this more affordable

    Disadvantages:

    1) Bandwidth hogs (though it can be mitigated)
    2) Bickering neighbors or those who refuse for whatever reasons (good diplomacy skills here)
    3) Large initial expense (those T-1's aren't cheap if you go that route, good equipment and setup charge investments involved)

    So far it hasn't been a problem in my area, I personally appreciate being the one secure well guarded WAP with 3 other Default SSID's around me :-D

    Unfortunately if this isn't plausible for you, I fear you might be stuck going 802.11a or how about just plugging in the ol' cat 5/6 again?

    --
    ...in bed
  10. Welcome to FCC Part 15 devices by Wapiti-eater · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Read the FCC notice for your WAP lately?

    There's a reason folks that're "serious" about RF tech shy away from Part 15 gear.

    I quote:
    "This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.(emphasis mine)

    Part 15 devices have no protection, no guarantee of function.
    Seems quite the platform to base your IT world on, don't it.

    Title 47 CFR:
    http://www.fcc.gov/oet/info/rules/

    --
    Senior NCO in the fight against entropy. I've seen things, man. Things no one should have to see.....
  11. Bad Idea, but will work.... by NotoriousQ · · Score: 5, Funny

    This assumes your neighbors actually use the connection. (If they do not, should not most APs stay quite silent?)

    Anyway....
    1. Run airpwn
    2. Watch your scared neighbors turn off APs in horror.
    3. Wifi!!!

    --
    badness 10000
  12. Three letters... by nettdata · · Score: 5, Funny

    E M P :)

    --



    $0.02 (CDN)