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Xbox 360's Jamming Wireless Signals?

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the raspberry-i-hate-raspberry dept.

WirePosted writes "A report has emerged suggesting the Xbox 360's inbuilt wireless system for communication with wireless controllers and headsets is transmitting over a wide area of the 2.4Ghz spectrum, causing interference to WLAN's and other 2.4Ghz devices."

9 of 222 comments (clear)

  1. How long has the XBOX 360 been out? by toupsie · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I would think we would have heard of this problem long before now. There are million of these units and when they are not displaying the red ring of death, you think this problem would be shutting down WLANs worldwide generating numerous WTFs. Microsoft also sells its own USB wireless adapter for the XBOX 360. You think the wireless adapter would be nuked by the wireless controller if this was the case.

    --
    Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government.
  2. Read TFNOTBOED by Ancient_Hacker · · Score: 3, Insightful
    Read The Fine Note On The Back Of Every Device.

    Something along the lines of:

    (1) Tolerate interference from other devices. (2) .... something else that I forget....

    You see, the FCC does not want to have to certify that each and every $3 wireless mouse keeps its emissions within 0.2 KHz of 945.343 MHz at a field strength of no more than 330 microvolts / meter.

    Welcome to the Republican Spectrum of the Future.

    1. Re:Read TFNOTBOED by mwilliamson · · Score: 3, Insightful

      But, amateur radio operators also have a band that overlaps part of the WiFi allocation, and part 97 rules apply. We indeed do have legal recourse if part 15 devices start to piss on our allocations.

  3. Re:Didn't notice by Cabriel · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I concur with this guy. I've been using a Wii (built-in WiFi), two laptops, and the Xbox360 within five feet of eachother for about two months, now, and we've been relatively free of problems. There is a new issue with one of the laptops losing it's wireless connectivity, but the Xbox360 has been around far longer than the problem, so I'd be very wary of trying to make that association.

  4. Re:Microsoft and Radio? Help us all.... by purpledinoz · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This is why I hate everything that's wireless. Devices interfere with each other, they have to be recharged all the time, and it's slow! I propose a revolution, a revolution where devices don't interfere with each other, they don't need to be recharged, and is fast! I propose the use of thin threads of copper for signal transmission and power supply. In fact, I am inventing the next BlackBerry killer. Imagine a phone which never drops a signal, never requires charging, and can transfer data at 1gbps. That's right, a phone that's wired! Now, I just need to make sure NTP doesn't sue the crap out of me for wired e-mail.

  5. Re:Microsoft and Radio? Help us all.... by jamesshuang · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Tell me again when you live in an apartment building. I can currently see 43 wireless networks in iwlist. I actually see two outside the normal range (it's full of tech-savvy college students anyways). Wireless is useless here, I even bought a signal-boosting router, but it still only works reliably within 20 feet of it. All my computers have ethernet hookups, my friends have to deal with the wireless shit all the time because they're lazy and don't want to string wires.

  6. Re:Microsoft and Radio? Help us all.... by Shakrai · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This is why I hate everything that's wireless

    Wouldn't it have been better to say "I hate everything that's unlicensed wireless"?

    Devices interfere with each other

    I've never had an interference issue with a cell phone. Of course my cell phone is using a licensed band......

    they don't need to be recharged

    This is the single reason why I've never bought a bluetooth headset. Yet another device to charge. Somebody needs to give me a rational explanation for why mini-usb hasn't become the charging standard across the industry. Motorola is using it for all of their stuff (phones and headsets). Why is nobody else? Yes, I mean you Nokia.....

    --
    I want peace on earth and goodwill toward man.
    We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.
  7. Re:Microsoft and Radio? Help us all.... by nschubach · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I even bought a signal-boosting router, but it still only works reliably within 20 feet of it
    Ugh, it's like playing your radio louder so you can't hear other people's music. What happens when they buy a louder radio? Are you prepared to microwave yourself so you have a good internet connection?
    --
    Every time I start to have faith in humanity, I ruin it by driving to work between 7 and 8 am.
  8. Re:Microsoft and Radio? Help us all.... by evanbd · · Score: 2, Insightful

    If there is one thing I have learned about dealing with radio interference and electrical noise in general, it's that it is unpredictable and depends on far stranger details than you would think. That you don't have trouble surprises me even less than that some people do. If it were exceedingly common I'd be surprised -- I imagine MS tested at least a handful of simple, obvious cases. Of course, we don't have proof that the XBOX is at fault, but I wouldn't be surprised either way. Whether it's reasonable to lay blame on MS for it is another question... Sometimes these things don't get along, and as long as everything is playing by FCC rules its hard to lay blame on one party.