Cordless mice interfering with wireless connection

[kheegster]

I'm considering getting a cordless mouse for my new MacBook, but most of the mice which have their frequencies listed seemed to be at 2.4 Ghz, which happens to be the frequency which my campus wireless network operates.

Is this something I should be worrying about, or would the mouse work just fine without interfering with my network connection?

[Dominus Atheos]

Nope.

If it does, just change the channel of your wireless network.

[Stark]

Dude, packet switching. It's not going to interfere.

[Darth Mall]

Nope.

If it does, just change the channel of your wireless network.

And how pray tell, is he going to change his campus networks channel?

And kheegan, I never had an issue while I was using a similar set up.

[Dominus Atheos]

Nope.

If it does, just change the channel of your wireless network.

And how pray tell, is he going to change his campus networks channel?

Oops, missed that part.

But anyway, there is virtually no way a wireless mouse could interfere with a wireless network. Think about it, does your network disconnect every time your 2.4GHz cordless phone rings?

[Luke Starkiller]

Nope.

If it does, just change the channel of your wireless network.

And how pray tell, is he going to change his campus networks channel?

Oops, missed that part.

But anyway, there is virtually no way a wireless mouse could interfere with a wireless network. Think about it, does your network disconnect every time your 2.4GHz cordless phone rings?

I work in Tech Support, you would be surprised how often we get call like that.

[Braedley]

There's already a fucktonne of devices and standards using the 2.4GHz band (it's actually relatively narrow for its use, only a couple of hundred MHz). Your microwave, cordless phone, bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and many, many more. Adding one device (espcially something small like a mouse) won't fuck up the entire spectrum. Both my brother and I run the same model of bluetooth keyboards and mice as well as a wireless network and two cordless phones, all within a two bedroom apartment. Admitedly, I've dropped my bluetooth connection on occasion, but that's a minor annoance more than anything.

The only problem becomes when you try setting up your own wireless network on top of your residence wired network. If not set up properly, your university network connects to your personal network (which also happens to be on the university network) and hilarity insues. Not as much of a problem if you use an external ISP.

[phongn]

Dude, packet switching. It's not going to interfere.

What does packet switching have to do with anything?

[Glocksman]

There's already a fucktonne of devices and standards using the 2.4GHz band (it's actually relatively narrow for its use, only a couple of hundred MHz). Your microwave, cordless phone, bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and many, many more. Adding one device (espcially something small like a mouse) won't fuck up the entire spectrum. Both my brother and I run the same model of bluetooth keyboards and mice as well as a wireless network and two cordless phones, all within a two bedroom apartment. Admitedly, I've dropped my bluetooth connection on occasion, but that's a minor annoance more than anything.

The only problem becomes when you try setting up your own wireless network on top of your residence wired network. If not set up properly, your university network connects to your personal network (which also happens to be on the university network) and hilarity insues. Not as much of a problem if you use an external ISP.

My wireless network's connection signal quality downgrades whenever I use the microwave.
Of course I live in a studio apartment and the microwave is about 3 feet away from the laptop.
The annoying thing is that the XM satellite radio cuts in and out whenever I use the microwave as well.

[Edward Yee]

I've had laptop wireless disconnects due to having a cordless phone handset too close to it when I had a 2.4GHz, which is what my router uses, so I switched to a 5.8GHz handset; it's also why I don't use wireless controllers (for PS2 for example).

What other frequencies are out there (in the US) besides 2.4 and 5.8?

[Stark]

What does packet switching have to do with anything?

Given the nature of the signal, I'd be very surprised if intermittent noise like a mouse signal could interrupt it consistently enough to cause problems the network couldn't handle.

Then again, it boggles my mind that Edwards has had these problems: everything in my house is wireless. Phones, speakers, controllers, handheld games, mice, all kinds of shit. My wireless works fine everywhere all the time with no interruptions.

[Braedley]

pdf alert

This is how Canada and the US divide the radio spectrum up. Out of necessity, they are very much the same. You're looking for the ISM frequencies (international science and medical or something like that) on the Canadian chart. Some consumer products are limited to specific ISM blocks(microwave ovens, for example, can only reside on the 2.4GHz block). The lower blocks simply don't allow for enough bandwidth (your max transfer rate for digital signals is about your carrier frequency).

EDIT: typo

[Ubiquitous]

I'd love to know what is causing my wireless connection to randomly stop working ten times every day. It drives me nuts but I have been unable to put my finger on it, being a wireless novice and all.