What Does the "Use Interface Robustness" Option Do? (Airport)

[SamIchi]

In the Airport Menu options. What does it do? I tried searchin it in Help, but couldn't find anythin'.

 

[Sedulous]

If I had to guess, it might shorten the receiver range so that errant signals are less likely to be picked up.

 

[ChrisBrightwell]

It's "interference", not "interface."

In either case, Apple has the answer:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=166651

 

[840quadra]

From apple

Base station Interference Robustness, which provides improved performance when 2.4GHz devices like cordless phones and wireless video distribution system cause significant interference with the AirPort network.

 

[Sedulous]

Yeah, thanks for the link... but I think SamIchi was more interested in what it actually is doing to reduce interference. I stand by my original theory: The base reduces it's receiver's range.

 

[ElectricSheep]

How it works

The answer is that Orinoco provided a settable option in their PMCIA to give robustness against microwave ovens. We believe that this option is the one that Apple calls "interference robustness". The key to this option is that microwave ovens have a strong periodic component to their radiated power. For 60Hz ovens, at least,, they spend 8.3ms radiating strongly, and 8.3ms being quiet, out of a 16.6ms period. Now, if a PMCIA sees interference, it'll slow down the transmission more and more. At some point, the packet size takes longer than 8.3ms to get out, and such long packets will get whacked every single time (at least by a 60Hz oven) - not just occasionally. What the option does, I think, is to prevent the PMCIA from ever backing off to packet sizes that are longer than this. Clever. Basically keep the PMCIA from shooting itself in the foot as it valiantly tries to keep up.

 

[Sedulous]

But why would shorter packets reduce the range of airport?

 

[Koodauw]

All I know is that it doesnt work. My 2.4 ghz phone still makes the Wifi connection cut out when ever im on it. Sucks that I have no internet for those long hold times.

 

[PlaceofDis]

All I know is that it doesnt work. My 2.4 ghz phone still makes the Wifi connection cut out when ever im on it. Sucks that I have no internet for those long hold times.

try to change channels on both the phone and on your wireless signal and that should help too

 

[Sedulous]

try to change channels on both the phone and on your wireless signal and that should help too

Some phones actually spread over multiple frequencies to make it hard for evesdropping. The interference robustness doesn't work for me either. However, once I moved the router closer to the computer, the phone and microwave never causes me any problems.

 

[SamIchi]

It's "interference", not "interface."

In either case, Apple has the answer:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=166651

Haha Stupid Me, Maybe that's why I couldn't find anythin' in Help.

Thanks for the trply guys. It seems like I get more signal bars when I have this on, so I'll leave it on.