IP: more on. Is Wi-Fi Getting Too Crowded?

[David Farber <dfarber () earthlink net>]

-----Original Message-----
From: Joel M Snyder <Joel.Snyder () Opus1 COM>
Date: Fri, 17 May 2002 08:06:41 
To: farber () cis upenn edu
Subject: Re: IP: Is Wi-Fi Getting Too Crowded?

> Is Wi-Fi Getting Too Crowded?
> By Ed Sutherland
> <http://www.80211-planet.com/columns/article/0,4000,1781_1122641,00.html>

Our experience at Networld+Interop last week seems to demonstrate
otherwise.   I participated in a group (the Interop iLabs) working on a
wireless security demonstration (802.1X, IPSEC, all that jazz).  As part
of that, we had 10 access points, 802.11b, all within 4 feet of each
other.  We had no problems at that density.  When we moved from hot
stage to show floor, the density was incredible.  I used a new AirMagnet
( http://www.airmagnet.com/ the new tool of choice for 802.11b
troubleshooting) and was able to "see" over 60 access points and over
180 stations without moving an inch.  This is without any high-gain
antenna, mind you.  Walking the distance between our booth and classes
we were giving, a corridor perhaps 100 yards long, brought the station
count up to over 300.  

Yes, at that density, there were issues: beacons at 100 ms are probably
too closely spaced together.  We also saw anecdotal evidence of cards
associating to the wrong access point, possibly because of an overflow
in the stack where SSIDs are stored.  But people were also happily using
wireless and no one was complaining about thruput.  

But I regard that show floor as an amazing validation of the whole
concept of spread spectrum.  If you can get 802.11b to operate on the
Interop show floor, then I'm not horribly worried about it "in the
wild."  

jms

Possibly relevant URL: iLabs wireless security http://www.ilabs.interop.net/details?topic=WLAN_Sec

-- 
Joel M Snyder, 1404 East Lind Road, Tucson, AZ, 85719
Phone: +1 520 324 0494 (voice)  +1 520 324 0495 (FAX)
jms () Opus1 COM    http://www.opus1.com/jms    Opus One

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