Wireless LAN Performance & Wireless IP Cameras

Q: The company next door recently deployed wireless IP cameras. Since then, my wireless LAN performance has been terrible. What can I do? 

A:Wireless IP cameras transmit a constant video stream. This stream can have a significant impact on WiFi systems because WiFi access points (APs) don'ttransmit if the noise level is above a specified threshold.

The first thing that you need to do is to sniff the air. Verify that the wireless cameras are causing the problem and determine the frequencies on whichthese cameras are transmitting. I like to use a basic tool such as MetaGeek Chanalyzer, but for a larger site, I'd use the more-sophisticated CiscoSpectrum Expert. When you have this information, you can decide whether you can move your APs to a different frequency channel or band to avoid theinterference.

If that doesn't provide a solution, you can try talking to the neighboring business. Many wireless cameras can also connect via an Ethernet cable. Yourneighbor might not know that it's causing you a problem and might be willing and able to run a wire to the cameras that are causing you the mostinterference.

You might also let your neighbor know that interference goes both ways. In other words, when you transmit, you're interfering with the signals from thewireless camera, which could be causing your neighbor to experience a degradation of video-image quality. Indeed, some electronic stores have stoppedrecommending the use of wireless cameras for this very reason.