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Need software to resolve RFI issue

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Stoic Joker:
SJ: Is it screwing with the 802.11bgn (2.4GHz) or 802.11a/ac (5GHz) WiFi ?Or both?
-4wd (November 08, 2016, 04:07 PM)
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I don't think my (antique) WRT54G has 5GHz so I'm guessing it's in the 2,4GHz range. However I've not a clue what range the garage door and ignition/alarm fob on the bike run at. Come to think of it the house alarm system is cellular and appears to be unaffected ... Or - since some of the sensors are reporting low battery - it may be causal if it (can...) turn itself up a bit in an attempt to reach them. Alarm control, garage door and spot where bike alarm flaked are all within 30' of each other. Wireless router is quite slow, but stable-ish, and at the other end of the house.

@Curt - I do not believe that the situation is intentional. I suspect that something in the (strictly residential) vicinity is either saturating a channel, gone a tad out of spec, or both. e.g. there's no need to get the - instant over complication - Fuzz involved ... Even if I could get them to stop laughing long enough (small southern town...) to take a report.

Radio/Ham armatures never really came to mind as that type of interference always manifests differently. You can/will hear them talking over various audio devices like clock radios or TVs. Case in point, where I work there is a tow yard next door, and any time one of the drivers transmits (high-end CBs) from the yard I can hear them over the computer speakers in my office. Kinda freaked me out at first because I didn't know where "The Voices" were coming from...but I hardly notice it anymore.

wraith808:

@Curt - I do not believe that the situation is intentional. I suspect that something in the (strictly residential) vicinity is either saturating a channel, gone a tad out of spec, or both. e.g. there's no need to get the - instant over complication - Fuzz involved ... Even if I could get them to stop laughing long enough (small southern town...) to take a report.
-Stoic Joker (November 09, 2016, 07:17 AM)
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Also, what I was thinking about.  If they are broadcasting a station intentionally, then the FCC will eventually get involved.  Interference on an unlicensed band is very hard to get them to do anything about- ask me how I know.

4wd:
@SJ: What channel is your WiFi set at?  Default is usually channel 6.
You could try changing it to either end, 1 or 13 (I think it's 13 for USA), and see if it improves. Might be someone using a WiFi repeater link that happens to pass over your property.

If it's something that isn't specifically WiFi broadcast related then I'm not sure the apps Wraith mentioned will help, you really need a Field Strength Meter.
I don't suppose there's any HAM Radio people you know that can help?

Shades:
WiFi channel 11 is the highest channel you are allowed to select. Most devices don't even show that channel. As far as I know channel 13 is only available in Japan.

4wd:
Depends on the country and the modulation used: 802.11b you can go to Ch14; 802.11g can be Ch11 or Ch13 (country dependent); 802.11n is Ch11.

eg. In Australia it's Ch13 for 802.11b/g but channels 1, 6, and 11 are the ones that are most likely to avoid overlap so it's usual to find the default being Ch6.
Which, quite frankly, is nuts if they're trying to avoid overlap since most people wouldn't know how to change the channel in the first place  ;D

@SJ: I guess another simple thing to try that might give you a clue is directional shielding, eg. grab a sheet of steel/Al/etc, (maybe around 4' x 4'), and place it on one side of your bike centered near where the receiver for the alarm is.  Then see if you can activate the alarm from the opposite side from what would be a normal distance.

Move the sheet around the bike until you get a spot where it's intermittent and the theory goes the interference will be coming from the direction behind you, ie. in the line going from the sheet, to the bike, to you.

Haven't tried it but it's something simple, might work but depends on how bad the interference is.

EDIT: Whoops, being directionally challenged I actually meant the interference will be coming from behind you  :P

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