Re: Basic Understanding

"Fred Burnett Preston UK" <fred.burnett-btinternet.com> wrote in message news:suSdnRVCDcJt5QjQnZ2dnUVZ8iKdnZ2d@xxxxxxxxx
I'm trying to understand the fundamentals of Wi-Fi. So far I have ascertained that the 2.4 GHz band is divided up into 11 channels in Europe, and because several routers can work on the same channel in the same area, I have come to the conclusion that the rf carrier is switched on and off every time a packet is transmitted, as in packet radio. I can access my router and change its channel, hence its frequency, but I have yet to find an option using Windows 7 that allows me to change my adapter channel. Whilst a wireless adapter can see several routers within range and therefore is capable of receiving a band of frequencies/channels, what determines the channel it transmits on. Does it automatically switch to the same channel as the router it attempts to connect to?

The channel is only set at the wireless router (or wireless access point), you have no control over it at the PC end. As far as I know (and I'm no expert in this field) the PC always replies back on the same channel as the router is transmitting on.

So if you can see say three different wireless networks each on different channels (or perhaps all using the same channel) your PC will sort out what channel it needs to be using when it connects to the network.

If you are setting up a wireless router then its worth doing a scan to see what channels might already be used and going for a free one. If you have trouble connecting then its worth changing channels at the router.

Hope this helps.
--
Brian Cryer
http://www.cryer.co.uk/

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Wired/ wireless router best choice?
    ... room as the router and I have had no problems connecting. ... wireless networking (which incidentally caused VRPC to stop ... and recommended changing channel from 1 or 6 to 11. ...
    (comp.sys.acorn.hardware)
  • Re: Unstable connection using a Linksys BEFW11S4 and Netopia 2241N
    ... I never figured out if it was the router section that was ... hanging, or the wireless section. ... No DHCP or routing in BEFW11S4, use it as a wireless access point only. ... Set both devices to the same channel? ...
    (alt.internet.wireless)
  • Re: Request to MCX mfgs
    ... > The solution was a router reset. ... >> Microsoft wireless router and while ... >>>> the MCE is wired. ... >>>> I have spoken about the channel miscues in the past. ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.mediacenter)
  • Re: D link DI-784 router
    ... I did the reset and lost the connection. ... changed channel to 40. ... I went into router configuration, ... Local ports 1-4, all are on and steady, port 1 is the only one used. ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.mediacenter)
  • Re: IBSS wireless channel is different the routers but works - interesting?
    ... IBSS channel number and WZC IBSS channel number ... There are at least 3 MAC addresses involved in your wireless router. ... When your unspecified wireless client connects to your unspecified ...
    (alt.internet.wireless)