So we've been using the same Wireless Router (G) for a while with... ok-ish results, something I've decided is provider related (Quest is our ISP).

Recently we (husband and I) have been experiencing some slower download times, as well as latency issues. At first I thought maybe someone cracked our WPA2 and was leeching off our connection (we can see 6-7 wireless connections at any time, so obviously they can see us). I downloaded WireShark and started monitoring our incoming and outgoing traffic flowing through our IP Space... didn't see any unknown hosts. After that I checked to see what channel the other wireless signals were running on, and found the following:

router 1- Channel 2
router 2- channel 6
router 3 (us) - channel 6
router 4 - channel 6
router 5 - channel 6
router 6 - channel 11

OK, so I figured that was the issue...we're getting channel overlap with the other routers, and figured that was causing interference.

Changed our router to channel 9, thinking it was far enogh from the other channel spectrums to keep us from picking up other interferences.
Now, when I look at available wireless signals, I only see two people - us, and router 6 (the channel 12 guy).

My husband said the internet was running flawlessly earlier today, but now we're both getting dreadful load times and he's getting constantly booted off WoW.... so we're dropping packets or signal. Also, I unplugged and took the battery out of our Wireless phone, thinking maybe the Wireless Phone was causing interference.

The obvious troubleshooting answer would be "change the channel again and see if fixes it" but I was hoping someone with more brains than I could explain
A) If my logic was sound in changing channels
B) Channel 9 would be a good choice for channel (i was thinking of joining channel 2 dude, but decided to try 9 because it was vacant)
C) You think our dropping of packets is related to changing channels

Thanks in advanced =)

A - Yes
B- not really. With wireless routers you have a practical limit of usable channels 1,6 and 11. (gives you the most options for channels also) This prevents overlap...the situation you find yourself in now. Any channels other than these 3 (yes I know there are more) will over lap to some extent with the other nearby channels. Unless if course you have the only AP in range then it doesn't matter what channel you use.
C - Maybe

Do you live in an apartment building? I hate to say it but with that many APs in range you may be S@#+ out of luck. Unless of course you can work something out with the other people that it. I would recommend switching to wired connections for your WoW anyway. Channel 6 is default which is why the majority of people are on it. You could try to figure out if router 1 or 6 is farther away and then use channel 1 or 11 respectively but I doubt it will work since you can detect them now.

THIS is a perfect example of why planning a wireless network deployments is so important. Home wireless routers are somewhat limited in this regard and you are experiencing it first hand. Granted you have no way of controlling your situation but your theory is spot on.

Do your own homework lol!!!

Obviously this sounds like an essay question, but I'm smarter than that.

I'm a technitian, I just don't deal with wireless.

I saw your fb post lol

I'm desperate... can you tell? Don't tell me a lolcat is blockin' my tubes.

dude you need to use either 1, 6, or 11. those are the ONLY non-overlapping channels.

It will look like this when having multiple AP's deployed:



Ill copy and paste from the Cisco Networking Simplified book:

I say the router is going bad, Replace it.

If you have Cable then I would have your Cable Provider come out
and check your RF signal, and replace your modem as well.

Uhhhhh... no?

Isolate the problem first. Plug one computer directly into the modem and see if you are still having problems.

What type of router is it? Throw some Tomato or DD-WRT on there if it is compatible. It is way more stable than the default linksys/buffalo firmware.

I'll tell you what. Their may be some idiot with an 802.11n AP out there who lets it hop all over the 2.4Ghz spectrum. I lived in an apartment and I did a little survey and found the signal was being generated from upstairs. And then there was the SSID that gave away the fact that it was N spec. When the upstairs neighbors moved my service lit up as bright as day. If there is a neighbor near you who has N, I would suggest you try channels 1 or 2. Any others and you will face interference. If that ain't working you can always replace your router antenna's with some better ones and if your router supports it increase the output. Just make sure you stay within the confines of FCC part 15.

http://www.fab-corp.com/db.htm

BTW- I run dd-wrt on mines, but I need to upgrade the hardware.

There is no need to be rude. I can see that she did her homework. At this time she is asking for an advice. If you don’t know the answer don’t answer anything at all. You are just acting like a smart guy and just typing something stupid.

exactly what I said. however since the other routers are using 2, 6, or 11 she has no options without overlap.

I've had the same problem recently with my wireless and getting booted off WoW. Tried changing channels on the router as well, which didn't fix the problem.

I isolated the problem to our wireless baby monitor, which sends audio and video to the receiver. When the monitor was on my latency was really bad, when it's off, I'm in the green.

Do you live near someone that recently had a kid?

The person using 2 will get trounced.

Dude needs to find out which channels are in use around him, and pick the least used one of 1, 6, or 11.

Or move to 802.11n on the 5 Ghz channel.

Very nice. I heard about this. Did you get a chance to go this year with all that snow? I'm still waiting for them to post all of the videos. I need my fix. HAK5 is cool and CCC from Germany is pretty nice and technical, but I want to see the Shmoocon vids.

What is the point of this? Are you suggesting that the neighbors connection be high-jacked?

I'm throwing a penalty for improper use of the term "high-jacked". There is clearly no high jacking of connections at all in this video.

My assumption was that this video is referenced because this could be happening to indie and it might not even be an interference issue. She is trying get QoS for her infrastructure, why would she be concerned with a neighbor connection? As long as the neighbor is not outputting more juice than is allowed then they should be fine.

The video was so cheaply made, and nothing worked in their presenation, and then they were throwing balls all over the place.. I didn't see what their main point in the video even was.
I jumped to the high-jacking conclusion because aircrack could be used in conjunction with the tools in the video, and I thought interference would be eliminated if you simply take their connection.

Throwing flag for improper use of QoS.