Cordless Phones Causing Wi-Fi Problems

Have you noticed your wireless internet connection dropping without warning? Your cordless phone might be to blame. Wireless routers utilize the 2.4 gigahertz frequency band, and so do most cordless phones. Bluetooth devices, Xbox 360 controllers, Playstation 3 controllers, baby monitors, and microwave ovens can also interfere with wireless signals. Cellular phones do not contribute to interference with Wi-Fi because they operate on very different frequencies.

The Federal Communications Commission has divided the airwave spectrum into bands that are reserved for certain uses. The crowded 2.4 GHz band is divided into 14 channels. Some devices randomly select a channel to operate on each time they are powered up, while others rotate channels during each session of use. When a device is operating on the same channel as a phone, the user hears severe static. The same garbling that causes static is deadly wireless internet. Interference is not limited to situations where devices are operating on the same channel. If devices are operating on adjacent frequencies, there can still be interference.

Luckily, there is a short term solution to the problem. A new generation of cordless phones operates on the 5.8 GHz band. These phones also allow users to roam farther from the base. 5.8 GHz phones have come down quite a bit in price, and are now available from major retailers starting at $35. By utilizing a 5.8 GHz phone, you will be able to unclutter the 2.4 GHz band in your home.

In the long term, the interference problem will be solved by new advances in Wi-Fi technology. The next generation of Wi-Fi hardware will comply with new 802.11a standards. 802.11a will operate at the 5 GHz band. This band is very different from the 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz bands being used by other devices. It should also improve the power and range of Wi-Fi signals. As Wi-Fi continues to grow in popularity, 802.11a routers will likely become the industry standard.

The introduction of 802.11a wireless technology won't solve all of our problems. Since these transmitters have a very long range, neighbor's Wi-Fi networks may interfere with each other in multifamily housing complexes. As users set out to equip their home with wireless technology, they need to coordinate the bands that their devices will be operating on. Ideally, a Wi-Fi network will utilize the least crowded band range. Cordless phones can be purchased and set up much more easily.