As I wrote yesterday, I’ve been suspecting that my wireless network is getting interference from a nearby AP. 

Yesterday afternoon the problems started again and I was able to get outside with my WiFi finder and snoop out the house where the signal seems to originate.  Interestingly, I’ve also noticed that I always see the 2Wire AP in conjunction with the other AP on channel 6.  That AP, no so coincidentally, has an SSID that is the name of the owner of that house.  So I think I’ve got a good handle on where the problem is coming from.

But I was a bit puzzled that I only see these AP’s intermittently.  As far as I could tell I wasn’t doing anything to change the RF access path like opening windows or doors.  After thinking about it a bit, my suspicion is that this guy has two AP’s, one of which is the 2Wire, and he’s trying to operate them at the same time and they’re interfering with one another.  I also suspect that the 2Wire may be increasing its power to try to “burn through” the interference it’s seeing from the other AP on the same channel.  The pattern of interference probably coincides with him fiddling with the equipment and then shutting it off for a while.  My WiFi detector also showed a 2.4GHz phone being operated there, so I suspect his network is all over the floor. 

I’m still curious as to why he has two AP’s, though.  If he was using the 2Wire previously and just got Fios, I suppose that could be one reason.  Another could be that he seems like one of those “more power” guys who’d search out something like the 2Wire (see next paragraph).

Anyhow, I now need to figure out how to approach him without making him defensive.  I’ve only dealt directly with him once, when his dogs broke through the fence and came into my yard.  But his demeanor during that incident, his subsequent treatment of the dogs, and the way he yells at his kids don’t give me much hope that he’s the type that one can work with.  An offer to help him “fix” his network might be interpreted as a threat to his pride/manhood.