Whilst I agree inssider will only display certain types of interference, I cannot imagine that any of those sources is worse than a second wifi hub standing right next to the first, on the same channel.

I don't have the equipment to prove it, it's just what I believe.

In reply to a post by BatBoy:

Are you suggesting the Sky router has a spectrum analyser that can detect non-wifi radiation?

Yeah, that would seem unlikely. At the most I would expect routers to run something like "iwlist scan" to determine the likely sources of interference.

Evening Batboy et al

No, I am NOT suggesting that routers act as Spectrum Analysers.

They simply react to the presence of RF power that would swamp their own efforts; and look for a quiet/er channel within the WiFi allocation.


Think of persons such as Radio Amateurs. Before transmitting, they check using their receivers, within the allocated spectrum such as the "20 Metre Band" for a quiet/er spot, tune their transmitter (Tx) to that frequency, either manually or by changing crystals, then go on the air.

They may change frequency several times during a session, as other transmissions or noise appear and disappear.

The Routers effectively do a very similar thing with WiFi; but are fully automated, particularly when set to the "Auto" mode.


I suggest that you search for "frequency hopping", "Hedy Lamarr" (WW2 Film Star and Mathematician).

WiFi technology works in a very similar manner!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedy_Lamarr

A starter-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedy_Lamarr


Thus the OP's Routers may be sticking to Ch 1, because the rest of the 2.4 Gb WiFi allocation is saturated with "noise"; but do not have the means of conveying this to him as a user.

Basic inSSIDer only displays what it recognises as being WiFi transmissions. Check on the Metageek site for the extension converting it to a Spectrum Analyser, called "Chanalyser".

I prefer the simpler explanation that it's broke

Evening Oliver

inSSIDer in itself only didplays the active WiFi circuits it can decipher.

It does not display in any manner, any sources of interference, whether coherent (intelligent transmissions) or incoherent (noise etc).

Take a look at Chanalyser and other extensions of inSSIDer-

http://www.metageek.net/support/downloads/

The site has some very interesting documents.

In reply to a post by eckiedoo:

It does not display in any manner, any sources of interference, whether coherent (intelligent transmissions) or incoherent (noise etc).

Can you be sure that the Hub is scanning for non wifi interference when choosing a channel?

Can you be sure that the amount of non-wifi interference in my house on channels other than 1 exceeds the amount generated by a Sky Hub set to channel 1 literally touching the second Hub set to "auto"?

Yes, it possibly is - BUT "if it ain't broke" then one would expect any other replacement Router/s to similarly stay on Channel 1.

That would be one way of establishing what the problem, if any, is.

I wonder if he moved the Routers as far apart as he reasonably can, would this help clarify the situation.

===========================

My own Brightbox Router generally operates on Ch 6 & 11, including the secondary circuit I have set up for visitors. Both show 300 Mbps "bandwidth".

The Router is set to "Auto" Channel Selection.

Often when monitored on inSSIDer, I see either of those two circuits independently and separately cutting back to Ch 6 only; and on a rare occasion, to Ch 11 only.

Occasionally those moves can be (almost) "simultaneously; but generally are widely separated n time. Minutes etc.

Occasionally I see other double channel (eg Ch 6 & 11) Routers switching down to Ch 6 only. None of them appear to have a Visitors/Secondary Channel set up.

There are others operating on the other Channels, generally Ch 1 and 11.

One of the other Double Channel Routers has a "bandwidth" of 274 Mbps, the majority of the rest whether double or single Channel are at 144 Mbps, with a few at 54 Mbps.

In reply to a post by eckiedoo:

Yes, it possibly is - BUT "if it ain't broke" then one would expect any other replacement Router/s to similarly stay on Channel 1.

That would be one way of establishing what the problem, if any, is.

I wonder if he moved the Routers as far apart as he reasonably can, would this help clarify the situation.

I though it already has been clarified?

In reply to a post by Oliver341:

The funny thing is, my older D-Link Sky router behaves exactly as desired: when set to auto it picks the least congested channel. The newer Hubs seem to have taken a backwards step.

"Can you be sure that the Hub is scanning for non wifi interference when choosing a channel?"

That is a basic function of their design, to make best use of the available spectrum.

If course, it could be that one or t'other or both are faulty in that aspect.

==========================

"Can you be sure that the amount of non-wifi interference in my house on channels other than 1 exceeds the amount generated by a Sky Hub set to channel 1 literally touching the second Hub set to "auto"?"

Without visiting your house with an array of monitoring equipment and special test equipment, NOBODY CAN BE SURE OF THE CAUSE,.

Try moving the Routers as far apart as possible.

If you have a "spare" laptop or notebook or netbook available, download CONNECTIFY or similar software which would allow that PC to act as a WiFi Hotspot, ie similar to the Routers.

With your SKY Routers widely separated take that Hotspot PC close to each in turn, switching the CONNECTIFY PC across Ch 1 to 13 progressively, to see if that has any effect.

If for example, one SKY Router remains on Ch 1 whilst the other moves automatically away from the Hotspot Channel, then the one that stays on Ch 1 is likely to be faulty; but if both react in a similar manner, the it is likely that both are functioning properly.

========================

If you download inSSIDer and monitor your SKY Routers, you will see that when they are nit handling traffic, their Transmission Powers remains low, typically about -45 db in the case of my Router.

When actually handling traffic, ie actually Downloading particularly, the Power Levels will increase to in my case, around -11db.

The lower the Power Level (eg -45 db), the less chance of interference.

If your two Routers are not Downloading significant streams of traffic simultaneously, then they are unlikely to cause to interference with one another, hence remaining on the same channel.

So that give you the basis for another test.

With them close together/touching, try downloading on both simultaneously, a film ir TBB's bigger Test Files, whilst monitoring on inSSIDer, to see if Channel Switching occurs.

==================================

As you will appreciate, WiFi technically is far from simple.

It also could be that the design of the newer routers is "more robust"; and can handle worsening SNRs.

As more and more devices use WiFi, technically this is an essential improvement.

Intelligent - Refrigerators, CH Systems, Speaker connections etc etc.
(Dfficult to keep up with them all!)

It could also be simply different design parameters, chip sets etc.