RF interference

[Bogtrotter]

Can RF (Radio Frequency) interference have an effect on your wireless nework or you radio broadband service?

I counted up the following RF emitters in my home:

1.Child Monitor
2.Video Sender (x2)
3.Mobile phones (bluetooth not enabled)
4.Mobile phones (bluetooth enabled)
5.Microwave oven.
6.Oil level monitors
7.under counter lighting.
8. cordless landline phone
9 various radio controlled toys
10 Electric knife
11 wireless home alarm


This in addition to similar in my neigbours houses and my neighbours wireless networks and their wireless (radio bb).

If you wireless radio bb and your wireless network are in close proximity can they interfere with each other.

[Kensington]

Yes, child monitor's and video senders tend to use the same frequency band (2.4GHz) for transmission as WiFi so will unfortunately interfere with your WiFi internet.

[Bogtrotter]

Thanks Kensington,

Do you know whether mobile phones (blue tooth enabled) can interfere with wireless networks?

[Kensington]

To a certain extent, yes, as they use the same frequency spectrum as WiFi. But they don't interfere as much as the likes of video senders - bluetooth divides the spectrum into channels, and transmits very short "bursts" of data across many channels, which it switches between many times a second. Plus, the majority of power (and hence interference) is actually only present when transmission of data is taking place between two devices. Video senders and baby monitors on the other hand tend to transmit continuously, in one long constant broadcast, so are always pumping out RF when your WiFi modem is communicating with devices.

[Bogtrotter]

Thanks again Kengsington,

Thats very interesting.

One last question.

In addition to my wireless home network I suscribe to a radio based bb service. The transmitter/reciever is attacthed to the wall of my house about five yards from my wireless home network router. Is it possible that these two sources of RF interfere with each other?

Thanks again,
BT

[Kensington]

No - your WiFi router operates in an unlicenced frequency spectrum, which means anyone is entitled to transmit in it (there are limits on the amount of power you are allowed to transmit though). Obviously, you can imagine with the amount of devices that use this spectrum there's a hell of a lot of interference.

Wireless broadband operators such as Irish Broadband, Digiweb, Ice, Clearwire etc. use a seperate, licenced spectrum - much like FM104 in Dublin is the only company allowed to transmit on 104.4MHz, Digiweb say, are assigned a certain frequency spectrum and only Digiweb are allowed transmit in this frequency spectrum. Irish Broadband are given another, completely seperate frequency spectrum. These spectrum are far away from that of the WiFi one, and it is illegal for any other company or person to transmit in such licenced spectrum.

Each company then divides up it's assigned spectrum in such a way that no interference occurs between customers.

[Bogtrotter]

Thanks Kensington,

That information is very interesting and usefull.

BT