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Tracking Down Wi-Fi Interference?

Posted by kdawson on from the hello-fcc-i'd-like-to-report-hello?-hello? dept.

Nicros writes "Almost every evening, between 8:30 and 10:00, my Wi-Fi just dies. This, in itself, could be explained by a crappy Wi-Fi source or some hardware failure, except that I know both of my neighbors are experiencing the same loss of signal at the same time. While the Wi-Fi is down, the LAN is OK, and anything plugged into Cat5 can access the Internet just fine. One possibility comes to mind — perhaps some other neighbor arrives home and turns on their router from 8:30 to 10:00? And something in their signal is hosing our Wi-Fi? I have tried looking around for software to help identify the source of interference, but either the programs are ridiculously expensive for a home user, or else my card (Intel Link 1000 BGN) isn't supported. (Netstumbler is an example of the latter.) Any suggestions on how I can track this down?"

17 of 499 comments (clear)

  1. That's weird... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    That's the same time I microwave up all my hotpockets for the next day's raiding Ice Crown Citadel...

  2. Hey Nicros by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'd help you buddy, but every night between 8:30 and 10:00pm I'm working on my microwave disruptor beam. If it happens any other time, let me know and I'll be glad to pop over and take a look.

    1. Re:Hey Nicros by Anachragnome · · Score: 3, Funny

      "I'd help you buddy, but every night between 8:30 and 10:00pm I'm working on my microwave disruptor beam. If it happens any other time, let me know and I'll be glad to pop over and take a look."

      Mike, that you?

      In all seriousness, I knew a guy up in Alaska that was trying to do exactly that.

      He lived on some undeveloped property, raised pigs and collected old cars--his neighbor prided himself on his carefully manicured yard. They did not get along. Things got tense until one day the neighbor called the cops on him during a BBQ...and the war started.

      One day, I'm over at his place and he takes out this finely-crafted, solid brass gizmo with all sorts of gears and worm screws in it, about 4 inches to a side. Barely concealing his excitement, he explained that he got it from a buddy that used to work at the local Airforce base, and that it was used by aircraft landing in the dark or on aircraft carriers. It was the core of a device he was constructing--a microwave cannon...to be used in the war.

      Apparently he had managed to obtain a device that directed microwaves into a tight, adjustable beam. I guess it was used as part of a microwave guidance system for aircraft. Anyways, he had also had a large section of copper pipe silvered and polished on the inside and had fitted a microwave generator from a commercial-grade microwave oven onto the device. Amazingly, the generator fit PERFECTLY into the beam focuser, almost as if it was Destiny guiding his hands (or the industry has standards for such things).

      I moved out of the state before he finished it. As far as I know, his girlfriend had convinced him not to finish it. To be honest, the guy was starting to scare me as I began to think he might actually be on to something usable for it's intended purpose.

      I told him that if it actually worked, and he settled matters with his neighbor in a more civilized manner, he could always mount the thing on a lazy-susan, put it in the middle of his yard, get a clock motor to spin it slowly in circles, and he could simply turn it on to mow his yard. Flatest mow-job in town.

  3. Re:define "dies" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    For example I run netbsd on my wife router

    NetBSD...it really does run on anything!

    Did you get your wife from Stepford?

  4. Re:Change channel / Try Kismet by PrecambrianRabbit · · Score: 3, Funny

    But I want to watch Fox news and you're completely scrambling it.....

    *confused* But I thought Fox news was already scrambled!

  5. Re:report it to the fcc by davester666 · · Score: 3, Funny

    They won't do anything because it's due to a special satellite that happens to pass over his neighborhood everyday...

    Maybe if he covered his router in tin-foil?

    --
    Sleep your way to a whiter smile...date a dentist!
  6. Re:define "dies" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    Its not good just previewing you have to read as well.

    that's proofread, you jackass

  7. Re:report it to the fcc by labnet · · Score: 5, Funny

    http://hackaday.com/2010/03/17/im-me-spectrum-analyzer/ [hackaday.com] The IM-ME can be had for about $15 or so, and is purportedly very hackable.

    But it's... pink...

    --
    46137
  8. Re:define "dies" by smart_ass · · Score: 2, Funny

    For example I run netbsd on my wife router and if the wifi interface goes down or stops working I would look in /var/log for trace information.

    Your wife router ... come on ... Slashdotters are bad ... but you maried your F-ing router?

    --
    Ouch ... did I just say that.
  9. Re:It could be any number of things. by buchner.johannes · · Score: 2, Funny

    Bluetooth is known to cause WiFi interference and degradation. Perhaps some Bluetooth-device is in use.

    --
    NB: The message above might reflect my opinion right now, but not necessarily tomorrow or next year.
  10. Re:Try it the low tech way... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    Make it a friendly note, with smiles, rainbows, and unicorns, so you don't offend anyone or make it look like a witch. As a bonus you get to know your neighbours.

    wow. you have not met my neighbors.

  11. Re:report it to the fcc by Atario · · Score: 5, Funny

    So is your dick. Do you avoid that too?

    --
    "A great democracy must be progressive or it will soon cease to be a great democracy." --Theodore Roosevelt
  12. Re:report it to the fcc by Anachragnome · · Score: 5, Funny

    "It does *not* mean that the FCC doesn't care, or that they won't investigate interference."

    Investigate it yourself.

    Go from house to house, both sides of your street, pounding on doors, yelling "I'm gunna start kicking some ass if you don't stop interfering with my WiFi Signal! Pussy! C'mon!".

    The guy that DOESN'T come outside and kick your ass is the culprit. Speak to him privately after you get out of the hospital. I'm sure the two of you can come to a reasonable solution to the issue if you just relax and work things out rationally.

  13. Re:report it to the fcc by Quabbe · · Score: 2, Funny

    That's the funniest thing I've read all day. Made me laugh out loud and show the guy next to me. I was having a shit day until now, thanks :)

  14. Re:Agree - Old wireless house phones! by Dachannien · · Score: 4, Funny

    and source temperature

    I know this is probably for detecting a fever. But I just wanted to point out that it's also good for detecting dead babies.

  15. Re:report it to the fcc by fuzzyfuzzyfungus · · Score: 3, Funny

    For shame, man! There is no way that your neighbor's router is licensed to run a copy of Genuine Microsoft Notepad.exe

    Just use the first four megabytes that come out of /dev/random. Odds are that those 4 megabytes violate somebody's software patent; but at least the BSA won't be after you.

  16. Re:report it to the fcc by mcgrew · · Score: 3, Funny

    I certainly avoid everyone else's!

    --
    Free Martian Whores!