Wireless Home Networking - Index of

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Part V: The Part of Tens
Many of the newest technologies use multiple
methods to greatly increase the effective
speed and range of wireless connections.
Unfortunately, much of that speed boost can
be lost if you’re in an area with lots of radio
Make sure that other gear isn’t blocking your AP, that it isn’t flush against a
wall (which can cause interference), that its vertical orientation isn’t too close
to the ground (more interference), and that it isn’t in the line of sight of radio
wave interference (such as from microwaves and cordless phones). Even a
few inches can make a difference. The best location is in the center of your
desired coverage area (remember to think in three dimensions!) and on top of
a desk or bookcase. For more about setting up APs, check out Chapter 6.
Move the Antenna
Remember the days before everyone had cable or satellite TV? There was a
reason why people would fiddle with the rabbit ears on a TV set — they were
trying to get the antenna into the ideal position to receive signals. Whether
the antenna is on the client or on the access point, the same concept applies:
Moving the antenna can yield results. Because different antennas have
different signal coverage areas, reorienting them in different declinations
(or angles relative to the horizon) changes their coverage patterns. A strong
signal translates to better throughput and performance.
Look at it this way: The antenna creates a certain footprint of its signal. If
you’re networking a multistory home and you’re not getting a great signal
upstairs, try shifting your antenna to a 45° angle, to increase a more vertical
signal — that is, to send more signal to the upstairs and downstairs and less
horizontally.
Change Channels
Speed: What to expect
interference. If you have lots of noise in the area
or many networks fighting for open channels, the
base speed of what you’re using — 54 Mbps
for n and 11 Mbps for g — is the best you can
hope for.
Each access point broadcasts its signals over portions of the wireless
frequencies called channels. The 802.11g standard (the most common system
at the time we wrote this chapter) defines 11 channels in the United States
that overlap considerably, leaving only 3 channels that don’t overlap with
each other. The IEEE 802.11a standard specifies 12 (although most current