[Make-wifi-fast] I used to dream of a single wifi cpu, memory, and I/O

[David Lang]

First off, I am a Huge proponent of getting the RF layout clean before anything 
else. Directional signals sound like a fantastic idea, until you realize that 
the stations you are talking to are not using directional antennas, then the 
value drops significantly (under these conditions, directional antennas create 
more hidden transmitters)

When I setup conference wifi, I take advantage of the fact that some walls block 
the wifi signals, so I can put the APs closer to the walls that block them 
without worrying about what's on the other side. I also place them on the ground 
(under the chairs) as the bodies of the attendees absorb the signal and let me 
use more APs in a room than I could get away with otherwise. I also stick to the 
standard 10MHz channels, as that lets me re-use a channel with more separation 
between APs using the same channel

And yes, I agree that it makes no sense to run an AP at a higher power level 
than the stations talking to it, so I turn the power way down.

I haven't knowingly run into the problem you describe of clients enumerating all 
available APs, but I may not have setup a high enough density of APs to run into 
the problem, can you give more info on that?

> There is no reason to send energy more than 29' as that's the distance per 
> fire code that a human has to be from a working smoke detector. and in many 
> cities, one can't sell a house without a hard-wired, battery backed up, and 
> inter connected smoke detectors.

As someone who has been looking at building a house, it's not that simple. Hard 
wired smoke detectors are only needed in some rooms, not in all, and only if the 
house is above a minimum size. Then you need different amounts of power to get 
through walls depending on how they are built.

When I setup wifi in a conference center exibit hall that's 25,000 sq ft, I 
don't believe that there are 80 smoke detectors in that one room (not to mention 
the fact that the cealing is more than 29' away, even if I'm standing directly 
under it)

Then there's the fact that not everything is inside.

David Lang