My 2.4GHz airspace is cramped

[Yegolev]

I have sort-of-recently decided that the problems I have with my PS3 controller is due to too much shit in the 2.4GHz bands.  I have a 2.4GHz phone, a WRT54GL and of course the Sixaxes.  I spotted some phones today (that I don't want) that operate in the 5GHz bands which apparently are regulated, and this got me thinking about what I can do to cut back on the interference in my house.  Anybody else have any thoughts on this?  I might be able to convince the wife to replace our phones but I need more options.

[Mrbloodworth]

I thought the controllers were bluetooth. Was i wrong? Is there a difference? lol.

[Yegolev]

Bluetooth operates in the unregulated 2.4GHz band, which is why I'm suspicious of my phones and WRT54GL, which handles the 802.11g wireless network in my house... since 802.11g is also in the 2.4GHz unregulated band.

F13 is sort of like the TekTips forums in that my questions are generally so above the norm that they go unanswered.  I don't mean that as a complaint, more as a I AM SO AWESOME THAT MY QUESTIONS HAVE NO ANSWERS.

Moonspeak jokes aside, Bloodworth, I appreciate the response since I know you are a technical guy.

[Murgos]

Bluetooth has 79 channels in the 2.4 GHz band and hops between them several hundred times a minute.  It's not impossible that your phone is so poorly designed that it stomps all over every single channel but I would highly doubt it.  It's even much less likely that your IEEE spec 802.11 router will step on your IEEE spec 802.15 bluetooth.

edit: wiki

Bluetooth devices, while operating in the same band, in theory do not interfere with 802.11b/g because they use a frequency hopping spread spectrum signaling method (FHSS) while 802.11b/g uses a direct sequence spread spectrum signaling method (DSSS).

[Mrbloodworth]

No, its cool, i honestly didn't know about Bluetooth (GHz range), thats why i asked.

And the Moonspeak comments keep me in check. 

[schild]

Your 2.4GHz airspace is not cramped. Sorry.

The PS3 dropping the blue tooth signal was a common occurrence in 60 and 20GB units.

Basically, suck it up and be thankful you have a 60GB.

[Mrbloodworth]

Just talked with some of the air force guys in the building (they do installs, write manuals, and design systems for various air force systems, all basically wireless communications) over a smoke break. They basically said that its quite possible, but they haven't personally experienced it. One guy said he had experienced a conflict with a router and phone of the same GHz range, basically he could hear the router on his phone line, so he changed to a different phone system (different GHz) and all was well. But the consensus was that its possible that the other devices are interfering with with the Bluetooth, but thats not fact as far as they know.

Take it for what its worth.

[schild]

I have 2 PS3s, multiple bluetooth things, a wii, an xbox, a wrt45g, and afaik 3 other wireless devices in the same area.

I've never experienced any conflict whatsoever.

Oh and 2 laptops.

[Murgos]

Bluetooth devices should all be able to work out their frequency hopping amongst each other, I don't know what the upper limit on Bluetooth devices in one are is but it should be pretty high (several dozens? Probably MUCH more).  The router and the Bluetooth together should be fine (see quote above).

Dump the phone and get a Bluetooth one or one that operates in 900MHz or 5 GHz and then you can sleep easy.

[SnakeCharmer]

How about nixing the land line and just use a cel phone?  Or do you require a fax line? 

Edit: Speling is hard werk!!!

[SnakeCharmer]

I have 2 PS3s, multiple bluetooth things, a wii, an xbox, a wrt45g, and afaik 3 other wireless devices in the same area.

I've never experienced any conflict whatsoever.

Oh and 2 laptops.

Your kids are going to glow in the dark, assuming your nuts haven't been microwaved completely.

[Yegolev]

Basically, suck it up and be thankful you have a 60GB.

O WHY DID YOU NOT TELL ME THIS EARLIER, O SONY MAN?!

Don't you have a 60GB?  S'up?

Eh, so I'm up shit creek.  Appreciate the responses.  Will wait for a PS3 that has both BC and non-shitty-bluetooth.  BC is more important.

RE: SnakeCharmer, I use a corp cell phone myself and in fact I don't see any use whatsoever for a landline outside DSL.  Somehow I still have a house phone.  I blame the woman.

[schild]

I have 2 60GB.

I do not have bluetooth issues.

BUT. SOMETIMES IT'S THE CONTROLLER. Ask whoever to replace it.

[SnakeCharmer]

If you have DSL you MIGHT be fux0red into maintaining a land line.  Aren't you in Georgia?  If BellSouth is your DSL provider, then I think you HAVE to have a land line to keep DSL.  In which case, I'd nix the DSL, go with cable broadband, shut down the land line, and save 75.00 bucks a month.  That is, of course, assuming the wife has a cel phone already and you have the option to go with cable broadband and the cost/performance ratio for cable vs dsl is equal.

[Lantyssa]

Can you unplug the phones and router for an evening and see if the controller behaves any better?  Figure out if it is the controller or the other devices first.

[Grand Design]

Lantyssa has good advice.

Eliminate the background noise and see if it improves.

It's easier and cheaper than immediately assuming it's X and replacing X.

[Yegolev]

BUT. SOMETIMES IT'S THE CONTROLLER. Ask whoever to replace it.

Three different Sixaxes and two different PS3s with the same issue?  One of the Sixaxes was not a packin.  The commonalities are only "60GB" and "in my entertainment center".  I can't do anything about the first part, so I was going to investigate the second part.  Best I can do is unplug my 2.4GHz phone and wait for it to happen, trouble is that it is very intermittent and doesn't happen at all some nights.  Other nights it causes Ellen to be molested by folk several times.

So, yea, will unplug the phones.  Turning off the router at the same time won't tell me which one, if it is either of them.  I need to find a master list of things that use the unregulated 2.4GHz frequencies.

I'll keep the DSL (and landline) since installing cable is not going to happen.  I hate the cable company, for one, and for another I don't want to pay them to run a cable all the way to/inside my house.

[SnakeCharmer]

It doesn't feed off your existing cable line?  Or do you not have a cable line period?  If your provider is Comcast, I *completely* understand that sentiment.  I wouldn't use them if BellSouth had a remotely competitive speed available.

[Yegolev]

No cable TV.  DirecTV.

It's not the phone.  It's not either WAP.  Must be the PS3, unless I find something else.