FCC and wifi interference resolution

CptDondo <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> I've got a wireless issue (not strictly linux)...
>
> I'm in the US so this is more of a FCC regulatory question...
>
> The school across the street from me installed a wifi network over the
> summer. They are allowing the APs to assign channels ad-hoc, meaning
> that they have an access point on every channel.
>
> This has resulted in my 802.11 network being totally useless during
> school hours.
>
> Their admin is taking the position that what they are doing is 'legal'
> so there.

Yep. Welcome to the wonderful world of wireless. This is pretty much par for
the course with any large installation. As for the FCC, the 2.4Ghz range is
considered pretty much a free for all, where you get whatever bandwidth you get
and put up with whatever interference happens.

Your best bet, honestly, is to switch over to 802.11a gear which uses a
completely different frequency range.

--
Frank Sweetser fs at wpi.edu | For every problem, there is a solution that
WPI Network Engineer | is simple, elegant, and wrong. - HL Mencken
GPG fingerprint = 6174 1257 129E 0D21 D8D4 E8A3 8E39 29E3 E2E8 8CEC

I've got a wireless issue (not strictly linux)...

I'm in the US so this is more of a FCC regulatory question...

The school across the street from me installed a wifi network over the
summer. They are allowing the APs to assign channels ad-hoc, meaning
that they have an access point on every channel.

This has resulted in my 802.11 network being totally useless during
school hours.

Their admin is taking the position that what they are doing is 'legal'
so there.

I would like to come up with something from the FCC that guides this
sort of conflict resolution. I don't want to escalate this to the
political arena; I would rather find something in the regulations that
says, "you cannot hog all of the bandwidth all the time to the detriment
of all your neighbors. You have to work with them to share bandwidth."

If anyone knows of any such FCC guideline, tech note, or regulation, I
would really, really appreciate a reference.

--Yan

Frank Sweetser wrote:
> CptDondo <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>> I've got a wireless issue (not strictly linux)...
>>
>> I'm in the US so this is more of a FCC regulatory question...
>>
>> The school across the street from me installed a wifi network over the
>> summer. They are allowing the APs to assign channels ad-hoc, meaning
>> that they have an access point on every channel.
>>
>> This has resulted in my 802.11 network being totally useless during
>> school hours.
>>
>> Their admin is taking the position that what they are doing is 'legal'
>> so there.
>
> Yep. Welcome to the wonderful world of wireless. This is pretty much par for
> the course with any large installation. As for the FCC, the 2.4Ghz range is
> considered pretty much a free for all, where you get whatever bandwidth you get
> and put up with whatever interference happens.
>
> Your best bet, honestly, is to switch over to 802.11a gear which uses a
> completely different frequency range.
>

Hmmm.... I'd hate to do that; I just spent a bunch of $$$ upgrading my
802.11g.. 2 new routers, 2 antennas, cabling, and so on. So did the
School district... And they have more.

Any 802.11a equipment that runs linux yet?

--Yan

CptDondo wrote:

> Frank Sweetser wrote:
>> CptDondo <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>> I've got a wireless issue (not strictly linux)...
>>>
>>> I'm in the US so this is more of a FCC regulatory question...
>>>
>>> The school across the street from me installed a wifi network over the
>>> summer. They are allowing the APs to assign channels ad-hoc, meaning
>>> that they have an access point on every channel.
>>>
>>> This has resulted in my 802.11 network being totally useless during
>>> school hours.
>>>
>>> Their admin is taking the position that what they are doing is 'legal'
>>> so there.
>>
>> Yep. Welcome to the wonderful world of wireless. This is pretty much
>> par for
>> the course with any large installation. As for the FCC, the 2.4Ghz range
>> is considered pretty much a free for all, where you get whatever
>> bandwidth you get and put up with whatever interference happens.
>>
>> Your best bet, honestly, is to switch over to 802.11a gear which uses a
>> completely different frequency range.
>>
>
> Hmmm.... I'd hate to do that; I just spent a bunch of $$$ upgrading my
> 802.11g.. 2 new routers, 2 antennas, cabling, and so on. So did the
> School district... And they have more.
>
> Any 802.11a equipment that runs linux yet?
>
> --Yan
You could try lining the front wall with aluminium foil. That would stop
the school signal dead (without disrupting their useage) and keep yours
inside your house. You could probably use a wire mesh also as long as
the mesh is smaller than the wavelength. To make it really effective
earth it.

David

CptDondo <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> Hmmm.... I'd hate to do that; I just spent a bunch of $$$ upgrading my
> 802.11g.. 2 new routers, 2 antennas, cabling, and so on. So did the
> School district... And they have more.
>
> Any 802.11a equipment that runs linux yet?

Atheros based cards, such as the Netgear WAG511, work well with the madwifi
driver.

--
Frank Sweetser fs at wpi.edu | For every problem, there is a solution that
WPI Network Engineer | is simple, elegant, and wrong. - HL Mencken
GPG fingerprint = 6174 1257 129E 0D21 D8D4 E8A3 8E39 29E3 E2E8 8CEC