[Grrr]

Over the past 3 weeks or so, i've had some strange problems with my wireless set up. It has been behaving exactly as if the signal is weak (slow data throughput). Although I still have at least 3 bars left on the signal strength meter at all times.
Thinking maybe my powerbook had a faulty airport extreme card, I swapped it out with the one in my eMac. Same thing. So not the airport card.
As luck would have it, I also have 2 Apple airport base stations too. So, I swapped that with another.. And still no joy.
In the mean time, I also tried various WiFi channels.
Frustrated with my setup of an Alcaltel 4 port modem (which was a bit of a pig to configure at times) and ABS, I just bought a Netgear DG834G combo ADSL modem/router/wireless thingy.. Nice upgrade. But alas, same wireless problems!
I figure now, that I have some kind of interference issue. Today, my connection slowed to a crawl.. Then out of the blue, my wireless signal vanishes entirely. Turn airport card off and on, no joy.. Restart powerbook, no joy.. eMac cant see the network either. Restart DG834G, still no joy.
Odd.. I then changed the WiFi channel once more on the DG834G, from 3, to 7, and voila, my network is back! For now..
But still, clearly something is interfering.
I just tried Macstumbler to see if perhaps there were some other WiFi networks around that could be interfering (Unlikely in this quiet and leafy English village) but Macstumbler only found my network.. So that fairly conclusively proves there are no other wireless networks interfering, right?

Any suggestions or clues?? This is doing my head in..

[John Strung]

Do you by any chance have a cordless phone? Most cordless phones work on the same 2.4 GHz frequency as WiFi and can easily knock you off air. Same with other wireless appliances.

[Grrr]

Actually, yes I do have a (digital) cordless phone. However, It's the same cordless phone i've had for the past 5 years

Having said that.. I do have new'ish neighbours. I'm guessing they might have a less WiFi friendly cordless phone? In which case, I hope my wireless stuff is screwing with their phone calls as much as their phone screws with my wireless network
What are my chances of getting them to turn it off? Slim i'd guess. Grrhrrmph.. I don't like these neighbours already.. As if listening to them humping at 12-45am every morning wasn't annoying enough..

[John Strung]

The one thing you might try doing is changing the channel your wifi base station uses. Default is usually channel 6. Try channel 1 or 11 (all the rest overlap).

[Grrr]

If/when it happens again, i'll give that a go. For now it's working ok.
Thanks for the suggestions

[tooki]

2 things, in my experience, cause most WiFi interference:

1. microwave ovens -- they operate in the same range of frequencies, and willl interrupt the network. Curiously, it often does so in a way that doesn't totally destroy the signal, as the computer sometimes still thinks it has a full signal. Just no data gets through.
2. Panasonic 2.4GHz phones. They are notorious for decimating any WiFi nearby. I know from personal experience that Siemens and V-Tech 2.4GHz phones do not cause problems.

Obviously 900MHz and 5.8GHz phones do not cause problems, either.

Changing channels is a very good idea. I had similar troubles until I changed the channel. My new base station now does it automatically -- it searches for the channel with the least interference.

tooki

[Grrr]

Tooki, I suspect it isnt a microwave? Although the symptoms are exactly as you described. I would guess that would only happen while the microwave is on.. And unless my neighbours also have a 3am Microwave fetish, I think it's unlikely.
So, more likely a cordless phone. Im thinking i'll power up all 3 wireless base stations in an attempt to fook up their phone as much as possible, and have the humping neighbours consign it to the depths of their trash can. Worth a shot eh!