Tearing my hair out with 2.4GHz interference

SOLVED
alecwood
Conversationalist

Tearing my hair out with 2.4GHz interference

I have 12AP each transmitting 3 of 4 SSID in a factory in Slovakia that's basically a part of a huge warehouse, our bit is split into four chunks by fire proof walls. There's some offices too at each end. So, anyhoo, it doesn't seem to matter what I do, one of the AP shows "Jammed" on 3.4GHz, and almost all others show very high useage. It causing me problems of very high latency which is bearable for the limited web-app traffic from that area, but causes problems for the half dozen wireless IP cameras I have running

My neighbours on either side run wifi which i can detect at sometimes very high levels, and the landlord has recently ringed the entire site with outdoor AP providing voice and data links as a service to other tennants. In the screengrabs below "DSN" SSID are mine

I am using auto channel selection, and the profile I am using is based on the "Open Office" template. AP are about 20m apart. What's puzzling me is why the AP is still using CH6 if CH6 is so badly congested? Why doesn't it switch? I am no expert in WiFi, my network knowledge is "enough to stop things breaking" usually, but I am all we have

alecwood_0-1580309851845.png

alecwood_1-1580310174865.png

 

I'm looking for a prod in the right direction from folks more knowledgable than me, or any ideas anyone has that might improve the situation

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION
Uberseehandel
Kind of a big deal

As you are in desperate circumstances, I could point you at some perfectly OK affordable dual band 1080p video cameras, if required. They are not Meraki, but they are widely used and affordable. There are distributors in Slovakia. I use quite a lot of that manufacturer's network kit to do stuff that Meraki chooses not to do. I don't make a habit of touting other brands in this forum, so pm me if you want information.

Robin St.Clair | Principal, Caithness Analytics | @uberseehandel

View solution in original post

8 REPLIES 8
kYutobi
Kind of a big deal

Do you know what might be causing the interference? Microwave, radios, handheld phones (2.4ghz), etc? You would also be able to change your channels manually away from channel 6 if it's congested through your "Radio Settings" and see if it improves. Since I don't know what's in the warehouse I cannot give you more info but I hope this helps. 

Enthusiast
Uberseehandel
Kind of a big deal

Having lived in Mitteleuropa, I would suggest that you don't fight for space on the 2.4 GHz portion of the spectrum and go up to 5 GHz.

 

There is a lot of kit around that is at best shiite, and under certain circumstances, distinctly unfriendly. All the door bells, weird wireless phone extensions, wireless speakers, selfish neighbours with super-performant Access Points, dodgy RFID readers, noisy neon, refrigerator motors, lathes and other machine tools, anti-drone systems, to say nothing of electric jugs, old neon signs, faulty switchboards. All of these, and more, stuff up the 2.4 GHz band. With a limited number of non-overlapping channels you will be playing wack-a-mole.

 

If close to the airport, the Danube, military bases etc, be careful to avoid interference emanating from these sources.

 

and, take care out there, you never know whose toes you are about to step on.👻

Robin St.Clair | Principal, Caithness Analytics | @uberseehandel

Thanks,

It's the "selfish neighbours with super-performant Access Points" that are causing my issues i think. I am moving everyone i can up onto 5GHz. I am about 50km from Bratislava so far enough from airport etc, but a lot of industrial neighbours. As is common here the estate is made up of huge logisitics sheds about 100m wide, 800m long around 25m apart, and we have a 400m chunk in the middle of one of them.

There doesn't seem to be much available in the 5GHz camera market, so I'm kinda stuck having to use at least some 2.4 for the half dozen wifi cameras I have connected to that AP

Nash
Kind of a big deal

Meraki MVs will do 5Ghz but cost like hurting, so um. You know.

 

I wish your neighbors were better behaved. That sounds frustrating.

Uberseehandel
Kind of a big deal

As you are in desperate circumstances, I could point you at some perfectly OK affordable dual band 1080p video cameras, if required. They are not Meraki, but they are widely used and affordable. There are distributors in Slovakia. I use quite a lot of that manufacturer's network kit to do stuff that Meraki chooses not to do. I don't make a habit of touting other brands in this forum, so pm me if you want information.

Robin St.Clair | Principal, Caithness Analytics | @uberseehandel

@alecwood 2.4Ghz is so overpopulated no matter where you are in the world. We gave up on 2.4Ghz 2 years ago now and haven;t looked back. You might find it more cost effective to run some basic ethernet cabling for cameras rather than going down the 5Ghz wifi camera route. 

 

Good luck!

I've cabled as much as I can, the WiFi cameras that are left are necessity unfortunately, just one of those things

That would be fantastic thanks, I'll drop you a PM shortly

Get notified when there are additional replies to this discussion.
Welcome to the Meraki Community!
To start contributing, simply sign in with your Cisco account. If you don't yet have a Cisco account, you can sign up.
Labels