Wireless Network

[Djinni]

So I've been doing some reading up on various wireless network channels, and I found something quite interesting its called: inSSIDer 2.0.

It allows you to see what channels other wireless networks around you are using. And while it might seem logical to take a channel that has no one on it. Consider this for a moment.

Logically it would make sense to pick one of the available channels such as 2, 3, 4, 8, 9 or 10. However all channels "suffer" "bleed through" from neighbouring channels, so does it make sense to switch channels from one I know is in use, and only overlap a single network. Or would it make more sense to switch to a "free" channel and possibly overlap 3 or 4 networks?
I am currently on the wireless network "Behind_your_TV".

Below is a screenshot of the inSSIDer program so you can better see exactly what i'm talking about.



While I'm pretty sure its better to stick with the channel i'm on, I thought I might see what others think.

[Invex]

Was using the same program, but I find it easier and better to set the wireless channel in your router to 'Automatic', it will automaticly choose the channel/frenquency which is less used/not used.

[Djinni]

Was using the same program, but I find it easier and better to set the wireless channel in your router to 'Automatic', it will automaticly choose the channel/frenquency which is less used/not used.

Unfortunatly :P Always setting devices to "automatic" doesn't always give the best end result. That aside :P You don't learn anything from it, other than the device will do it for you.

[Vermicious]

I read up on this a bit... it seems that 1, 6, 11 are the best channels because they don't overlap... whatever that means.

I think I'd go with a channel that doesn't have competition with nearby strong signals.

If yours is the one highlighted in the picture, you have competition on Ch 11 nearby, so I'd change my channel, probably to 6.

[Djinni]

I read up on this a bit... it seems that 1, 6, 11 are the best channels because they don't overlap... whatever that means.

I think I'd go with a channel that doesn't have competition with nearby strong signals.

If yours is the one highlighted in the picture, you have competition on Ch 11 nearby, so I'd change my channel, probably to 6.

In an ideal world, if you looked at a street in which every house had a wireless network, you would have it like this:
House1 would be on channel 1
House 2 would be on channel 6
House 3 would be on channel 11
House 4 would be on channel 1
House 5 would be on channel 6
etc.....

This would mean that there would be very minimal overlap of channels, from one house to the next so essentially each network would be free of other wireless network interference as the signal from networks on the same channel, would be given sufficient space/time to attenuate into "nothing".

Channel overlap is when you have say:
House1 would be on channel 1
House 2 would be on channel 1
House 3 would be on channel 1
House 4 would be on channel 11
House 5 would be on channel 11

As I said in my original post, all channels suffer a "bleed through" in which the frequency wave length of the transmission is outside of the range for the channel, so it "bleeds through" into the neighbouring channel creating "interference" on the neighbouring channel.

[Deleted]

I suggest you take channel 3, since there is very little interference at channel 3, 4 and 5. The overlap at channel 1 and 2 is roughly the same at all channels excluding 3, 4 and 5.
Channel 14 would by the best choice, if you have hardware which supports it, but unfortunately its illegal outside japan^^
There could be of course other interferences from microwaves for example, which are not shown here. So my avise would be test all channels by trial and error.