Interference robustness???

May 31, 2007 6:52 PM

OSX wifi: Why would I not use 'Interference Robustness'?

From what little info I can find online, this feature should stop my wifi connection being stung by microwave ovens and welders and things. So if I were to turn this on during a heavy session of welding microwave ovens, what advantage would there be to turning it off again afterwards? Does this cost me battery life, or throughput, or karma, or, well, anything? I'm presuming there must be some advantage to turning it off, or why have the option at all?

posted by pompomtom to Computers & Internet (5 answers total)

I believe I've read that it can lower speeds somewhat, but not overly so. Can't find my source for that right now though, but that was my understanding.
posted by John Kenneth Fisher at 7:05 PM on May 31, 2007

Here's a thread on macosxhints about interference robustness.
posted by danb at 7:06 PM on May 31, 2007

Best answer: When I use it, it lowers my range from the base station.
posted by Addlepated at 7:11 PM on May 31, 2007

I read it only works when you are connecting to an Apple Airport Base Station or other networks that use the protocol. If the base station doesn't support it, the checkbox on your client won't matter.

I have one at home and haven't noticed any interference or degradation in speed with it on. Since switching to the Airport I haven't had any dropouts due to interference -- the neighbor's phone was the worst -- killing my connection.

I'll usually leave it checked when I'm out and about on other non-Apple networks that probably don't have interference robustness. Again, no noticeable lack of performance.
posted by birdherder at 7:21 PM on May 31, 2007

Response by poster: For future people, here is a bit of a summary which addresses this question directly.
posted by pompomtom at 9:05 PM on September 11, 2007