Common Enterprise and Household Devices Can Have Dramatic Impact On WiFi Networks Running Data, Voice or Video Applications

GERMANTOWN, Md. -- Summary

Farpoint Group's research validates other industry research on the effects of interference, and points to a need in the marketplace for solutions to help manage interference in WiFi network deployments.

Core News Facts

* Farpoint Group, a leading advisory firm focused on wireless technologies, today released three additional reports detailing the results of their study on WiFi interference.

* Farpoint Group found that common wireless devices and equipment frequently caused interference to wireless-LAN traffic. For example, microwave ovens caused throughput reductions of 62%, Bluetooth headsets caused approximately 20% reduction in throughput and some household devices such as cordless phones caused a 100% reduction in throughput.

* For voice, Farpoint Group found that most interfering devices, such as microwave ovens and cordless phones, caused enough impairment that voice quality was severely impacted.

* For video, Farpoint Group found that most types of interfering devices could cause pixelation and/or an unwatchable picture.

Quotes attributable to Craig Mathias, Farpoint Group

* "As wireless LANs become the default connectivity for essentially all users in enterprise environments (and in the home as well), the interference issue will become more acute."

* "Lower throughput almost always impacts user productivity. It behooves any enterprise-class installation to have the tools necessary to recognize, characterize and remedy radio-frequency interference."

Quote attributable to Mike Brown, IT Administrator, Arizona State University

* "When WiFi interference occurs, it can manifest itself in strange ways. Interference sources often are turned on briefly, and move between locations. If you don't have the right tools, it's quite difficult to diagnose, and convince the users whose wireless gadgets are causing the interference."

Links to Farpoint Group Research

* The Effects of Interference on General WLAN Traffic

* The Effects of Interference on Video Over WiFi

* The Effects of Interference on VoFi Traffic http://www.cognio.com/farpoint/effectsofinterference.html

**These papers are available on the Light Reading and Computerworld Web sites, as well as other locations.

Multimedia and Related Stories

* Jupiter Research: An overview of the experiences and pain-points of consumer WiFi home network owners http://www.autocell.com/news/docs/jupiter_interference_ study.pdf

* WiFi Interference, are cars the culprits? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0oF0eq6mPI

* Mesh: Interference in the City? http://www.unstrung.com/document.asp?doc_id= 104937&f_src=techweb

* Keeping Interference Out http://www.wirelessweek.com/article/CA6387870.html?spacedesc =Features

* Sides chosen in Logan WiFi battle http://www.boston.com/business/globe

* City WiFi could lead to interference issues http://www.mlive.com/mbusinessreview/west/index.ssf?/base/ test/1145520014178060.xml&coll=12&thispage=1

* WiFi Interference: 3 Things New WISPs Need to Know http://www.isp-planet.com/fixed_wireless/business/2001/ wifi_interference_part2.html

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