Conficting channels

I installed two new BT Broadband Home Hubs today with a lot of trouble
establishing the required wireless networks. Firstly it seems that a lot of
Wireless devices do not like the WPA2-PSK security that is the default level
that these routers come with and secondly the channel setting conflicts
frequently with other wireless networks.

I had problems with inbuilt and PCMCIA cards in laptops that can see the
BTHomeHub2-XXXX wireless network but when you enter the supplied key as
shown on the card and on the back of the HomeHub router. Previously you used
to enter the serial number as the password to access the admin settings of
the HomeHub, now they print the password on the back instead. You still have
to change it though. You cannot disable the wireless security but you can
change to WEP either 64-bit or 128-bit. This allows other devices to attach
to the HomeHub router.

However you are still stuck with the channel problem. The HomeHub channel
selection though set on Auto(matic) seems stuck on Channel 6. And this
frequently conflicts with other wireless networks in the local area giving
the 'Network is not in range' error when it clearly is. The previous
versions of the HomeHub seemed to work better in this respect. So you simply
have to choose an unused channel and then the connect works perfectly.
Admittedly I had only a couple of other networks to avoid, so I wonder what
will happen in a more technology populated environment.

Anyway, it looks like the latest BT HomeHub needs more work done on it.

Jonathan

In message <(E-Mail Removed) >, Peter
Crosland <(E-Mail Removed)> writes
>As for the solution to overcrowding then the
>switch to 5GHz will ease the problem for a while. Out of interest I found no
>5Ghz networks in range on the same site.
There's a reason for that. It's bloody expensive stuff (or was last time
I looked)
>
>Peter Crosland
>
>

--
Clint Sharp

Clint Sharp wrote:

> In message <(E-Mail Removed) >, Peter
> Crosland <(E-Mail Removed)> writes

>> As for the solution to overcrowding then the
>> switch to 5GHz will ease the problem for a while. Out of interest I found
>> no 5Ghz networks in range on the same site.

> There's a reason for that. It's bloody expensive stuff (or was last time
> I looked)

Look again. An A/B/G MiniPCI card costs less than £20, A/B/G AP starts at
£30. Not as cheap as B/G, but if needs must then it's not all that much
IMHO.

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Peter Crosland wrote:

> Out of interest I found no 5Ghz networks in range on the same site.

Probably because the range on 5GHz isn't as good a 2.4Ghz ;-)

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I did change the protocol to B/G, and the ZyXEL PCI and PCMCIA 54G cards
that I've used for a couple of years because they never give problems. I
agree with you that maybe I should take the time, effort and money and play
with N protocol devices.


"Kráftéé" <Kraftee@b&e-cottee.me.uk> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Jonathan Eales wrote:
>> I installed two new BT Broadband Home Hubs today with a lot of trouble
>> establishing the required wireless networks. Firstly it seems that a
>> lot of Wireless devices do not like the WPA2-PSK security that is the
>> default level that these routers come with
>
> That is a problem with the other kit & not the Home Hub, if they don't
> like WPA then I very much doubt if they will be stable if you don't change
> the protocols from N to B/G
>
>>and secondly the channel
>> setting conflicts frequently with other wireless networks.
>
>
>>
>> I had problems with inbuilt and PCMCIA cards in laptops that can see
>> the BTHomeHub2-XXXX wireless network but when you enter the supplied
>> key as shown on the card and on the back of the HomeHub router.
>> Previously you used to enter the serial number as the password to
>> access the admin settings of the HomeHub, now they print the password
>> on the back instead. You still have to change it though. You cannot
>> disable the wireless security but you can change to WEP either 64-bit
>> or 128-bit. This allows other devices to attach to the HomeHub router.
>>
>> However you are still stuck with the channel problem. The HomeHub
>> channel selection though set on Auto(matic) seems stuck on Channel 6.
>
> Most if not all N/N+ routers will default to that channel, unless you
> decide you don't require that protocol. Turning off the N protocols will
> allow you complete freedom to which channels you can use.
>
> There have been a few reports of intermitent wifi drop outs caused by the
> router trying to drag the speeds up to N as well so if you have any non N
> kit then you may as well turn the 'wick down' to B/G as the network will
> only work at the lowest speeds anyway.
>
>> And this frequently conflicts with other wireless networks in the
>> local area giving the 'Network is not in range' error when it clearly
>> is. The previous versions of the HomeHub seemed to work better in
>> this respect.
>
> That's because they didn't have the N protocols & so you could use any
> channel.
>
>>So you simply have to choose an unused channel and then
>> the connect works perfectly. Admittedly I had only a couple of other
>> networks to avoid, so I wonder what will happen in a more technology
>> populated environment.
>> Anyway, it looks like the latest BT HomeHub needs more work done on
>> it.
>
>
> Won't deny that (every piece of kit could be better) but the user needs to
> learn more as well. Long gone are the days of buying kit, throwing it
> together & it working. Even using different brands of kit on the newer
> (supposedly) same N protocols is patchy at best, I've got a laptop here
> which is even incompatable at the B/G level & it's only 2 years old.
>
> Don't start 'calling' the newer hub just because it is different. & there
> lies the rub it is different with different protocols built in. It's your
> job, as end user, to learn how to drive it to get the best advantage for
> you, but plug & play has long gone (if you want the best trouble free
> performance that is).
>
>
>