Project Description

Visualizes the spread of Wi-Fi access points across the available Wi-Fi channels, the amount of potential co-channel interference and the geolocation of the access points as known by Google.

Access Points are displayed across 5 channels. Interference inevitably does spread that wide, because the channel frequencies overlap (even more so than visualized, see diagram below). Ideally you should choose a channel that provides an exclusive use of the center channel and 4 adjacent channels. (e.g. you could choose to only use channels 1, 6 and 11 as seen in the corporate network screenshot)

Requirements

• Windows XP SP3 or later

Screenshots

Friendly neighbourhood Wi-Fi usage with satellite view of your current location (if available) in the background:


Detailed info of Access Point includes GPS position and address:


Well organised corporate network (with poor reception):

Wi-Fi Channel Frequencies

References

Programming

• GMap.NET - Great Maps for Windows Forms & Presentation (http://greatmaps.codeplex.com/)
• Google Geolocation API (http://code.google.com/p/gears/wiki/GeolocationAPI)
• Json .NET library (http://json.codeplex.com/)
• Planerator: WPF component that simulates the Silverlight PlaneProjection feature (http://blogs.msdn.com/b/greg_schechter/archive/2007/10/26/enter-the-planerator-dead-simple-3d-in-wpf-with-a-stupid-name.aspx)

Background

• Cisco Whitepaper: 20 Myths of Wi-Fi Interference (http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/wireless/ps9391/ps9393/ps9394/prod_white_paper0900aecd807395a9.pdf)
• Radio-Electronics.com: Wi-Fi channels, frequencies and bandwidths (http://www.radio-electronics.com/info/wireless/wi-fi/80211-channels-number-frequencies-bandwidth.php)
• Spain Moves to Fine Google Over Street View (http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/208173/spain_moves_to_fine_google_over_street_view.html)
• Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada; Preliminary Letter of Findings (http://www.priv.gc.ca/media/nr-c/2010/let_101019_e.cfm)