It's all down to the baby listeners and video senders

[Rik]

El Reg reports that:

An Ofcom-commissioned report into Wi-Fi performance concludes that it's baby-listeners and TV-senders that are mucking with the signal, not to mention the "Free Public Wi-Fi" virus, without which we'd all be connecting faster.

Ofcom's remit is to ensure efficient use of radio spectrum, including the unlicensed 2.4GHz band used by Wi-Fi. To that end, it commissioned specialist consultancy Mass to examine how effectively the band is being exploited.

What Mass discovered is that while Wi-Fi users blame nearby networks for slowing down their connectivity, in reality the problem is people watching retransmitted TV in the bedroom while listening to their offspring sleeping, and there's not a lot the regulator can do about it.

Outside central London that is: in the middle of The Smoke there really are too many networks, with resends, beacons and housekeeping filling 90 per cent of the data frames sent over Wi-Fi. This leaves only 10 per cent for users' data. In fact, the study found that operating overheads for wireless Ethernet were much higher than anticipated, except in Bournemouth for some reason: down on the south coast 44 per cent of frames contain user data.

More details at El Reg, but it's a sign of the problems to come as airwave congestion worsens.

[Simon]

It's not going to get any better, is it? 

[Rik]

No. It's been noticeable round here that, as the uptake of broadband has increased, there's more interference as more wireless channels are in use. It's why I like to use cables as much as possible.

[Ray]

No. It's been noticeable round here that, as the uptake of broadband has increased, there's more interference as more wireless channels are in use. It's why I like to use cables as much as possible.

Same here, Rik, I prefer to use cables whenever possible, I've not been that impressed with wireless when I have used it. 

[Rik]

I find it handy for the Sammy, Ray, but the notebook I tend to cable as that's far less portable.

[Ray]

I find it handy for the Sammy, Ray, but the notebook I tend to cable as that's far less portable.

I normally only use wireless for the Laptop if I want to use it out in the garden in the summer, otherwise I use cable with that as well, Rik.

[Rik]

I do have a 30m ethernet cable for those masochistic moments.

[Ray]

I do have a 30m ethernet cable for those masochistic moments.

Yes I've got one about that length somewhere, Rik, that I used before I put an ethernet socket point in the lounge. 

[Rik]

I used to use it when we went homesitting, but it was handy for updating the Bluray player as well.

[D-Dan]

For home solutions where wireless is less than ideal, homeplug can be much more effective (and doesn't require a router change).

Just a thought.

Steve

[Gary]

For home solutions where wireless is less than ideal, homeplug can be much more effective (and doesn't require a router change).

Just a thought.

Steve

I'll second that 

[Sebby]

I too am more a fan of ethernet cable. Wireless is good when it works, but as others mention, it can be problematic beyond belief when there is a lot of interference. I wonder what the solution is going to be - after all, things are going to get worse.

[Gary]

The 5GHz specrum is being used now for draft N products, my laptops wifi adaptor uses both 2.4 and 5ghz, but that will get busy enough the more dual band routers get released, at least its free of doorbells and baby monitors and DECT cordless phones right now.

[Niall]

No. It's been noticeable round here that, as the uptake of broadband has increased, there's more interference as more wireless channels are in use. It's why I like to use cables as much as possible.

This is actually the reason I don't use wireless in my house. Besides cabled networks being more secure, I have a video receiver in my bedroom which is unwatchable if the wireless is turned on, on my router.

Oh and while I'm on the subject, I was gobsmacked at how many unsecure networks there are in my area. I can see 4 when I look on my laptop and there's 6 up by my sisters house. I really think that ISPs should notify people via a newsletter about securing their networks. I can think of a lot of ways that extremely bad things could be blamed on these people if someone else was using their network for illegal activity.

[Rik]

Would they listen though, Niall?

[Niall]

Yeah I think that's the problem isn't it? A lot of people get the full package via BT and leave it running all the time, without realising you can still connect to their router. It's a mistake a lot of novice PC users make, which is understandable if you've never used a PC for the internet before, as it's now becoming much cheaper to do. You can get fantastic notebooks for £300-£500 now! Most of the networks were BT (I think only 1 wasn't actually) that I saw, so it's only going to get worse I'd have thought.

[Rik]

How many people do we hear of who run without AV? How many open email attachments without knowing who sent them? It's a huge problem for the 'net community as a whole, because these people, by their neglect, impact on the rest of us. I've long held that people should be required to take a basic proficiency exam before being allowed a 'net connection, we're not so different to radio hams in our ability to adversely affect others and, while knowledge doesn't guarantee compliance, at least it might make people think about what they are doing.

[Niall]

I can't see that happening, unless all networks were suddenly crippled costing companies millions. I think that'd be the only way any bill/law would get forced through.

I think the installer packages you get for wireless routers that come with phone packages, really should have the instructions include setting a password and encryption up. My aunt is using Orange (god don't get me started on their support or instructions...) and their setup process is awful. As long as they've got you on a package, that's where the interest ends.

[Rik]

I agree, it's not going to happen, but it would be a good thing. That, or only giving people dumb terminals with security handled by ISPs until they could demonstrate competence. Orange... 

[Lance]

I like the fact that people run with unsecure networks - it helps me sometimes if I'm out and about!

[Rik]

Every cloud, eh.

[Lance]

 

[Sebby]

Unfortunately, personal computers got more and more popular over the years, but very few are educated on the subject of security.