NETGEAR WNR1000v3h2 User Manual page 68

Note: Failure to follow these guidelines can result in significant
performance degradation or inability to wirelessly connect to the
router. For complete range and performance specifications, click the
link to the online document
Appendix B.
The following list describes how to optimize wireless router performance.
• Identify critical wireless links.
If your network has several wireless devices, decide which wireless devices need the
highest data rate, and locate the router near them. Many wireless products have
automatic data-rate fallback, which allows increased distances without loss of
connectivity. This also means that devices that are farther away might be slower.
Therefore, the most critical links in your network are those where the traffic is high and
the distances are great. Optimize those first.
• Choose placement carefully.
For best results, place your router:
- Near the center of the area in which your computers will operate.
- In an elevated location such as a high shelf where the wirelessly connected
computers have line-of-sight access (even if through walls).
- Avoid obstacles to wireless signals.
- Keep wireless devices at least 2 feet from large metal fixtures such as file cabinets,
refrigerators, pipes, metal ceilings, reinforced concrete, and metal partitions.
- Keep away from large amounts of water such as fish tanks and water coolers.
• Reduce interference.
- Avoid windows unless communicating between buildings.
- Place wireless devices away from various electromagnetic noise sources, especially
those in the 2400–2500 MHz frequency band. Common noise-creating sources are:
• Computers and fax machines (no closer than 1 foot)
• Copying machines, elevators, and cell phones (no closer than 6 feet)
• Microwave ovens (no closer than 10 feet)
• Choose your settings.
- Use a scanning utility to determine what other wireless networks are operating
nearby, and choose an unused channel.
- Turn off SSID broadcast, and change the default SSID. Other nearby devices might
automatically try to connect to your network several times a second, which can cause
significant performance reduction.
• Use WMM to improve the performance of voice and video traffic over the wireless link.
68 | Chapter 5: Fine-Tuning Your Network
N150 Wireless Router User Manual
Wireless Networking Basics in