User's Manual Part 1

motors, spot welders, and similar “electronically noisy” devices.
Range is shorter than it should be
Repeat some tests late in the evening, or on a weekend, when there may be less
interference. However, some users leave their networks turned all the time so this test is
not foolproof. By all means, try more than one channel. Your range problem may just be
a nearby user whose system uses your present test channel.
Interference from fluorescent lights
If you mount an access point close to fluorescent light fixtures, the lamp glow appears
constant, but inside the lamp tube, ionization appears and disappears 120 times a
second. This can modulate or “chop” an incoming signal and interfere with reception.
When too much range is undesirable
Too much range is not necessarily a good thing. At first it would appear that you would
want as much range as possible, but with the increase in range comes an increase in
interference potential, as your unit hears not only your other units but also manages to
hear the systems of other companies up and down the street. If you have a large
installation, you will also wind up with more than one access point using the same
channel. If a remote unit hears two or more access points, this will slow the network.
Help Prevent access to wireless networks from outside the building
Excess transmit range presents a special reverse problem. For example, putting an
access point adjacent to a second floor bay window invites anyone with the right software
on the street below to pick up and enjoy all network transmissions. We discuss some
possible solutions to this problem further on.
Problems with Network Connectivity
If you cannot connect to the wireless network, try the following:
Check Network Settings
1. From the General page, check that the Network Name (SSID) and operating mode
are correct. If the laptop is configured for ad hoc networking, make sure that the