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[amigamax]

I am starting this topic to try to get a summary of devices that interfere with X10 wireless products.

I do not mind repostings into this thread, and would appreciate any "meaty" (re) postings here.
Please try to keep postings condensed.  Maybe X10 or some of the moderators can turn it into a reference at some point.

I would appreciate it if any posters on this thread refrain from bashing X10 only because I want this thread to be USEFUL to those of us "poor suckers" who actually want to make this stuff work.  It is very clear that many people are not satisfied with their equipment.  Others are.  I expect a lot more headaches in the city from interference & 802.11x Wifi & 2.4 Ghz Phones. 

I just bought a system & already have the phase problems & may also have issues as I use a lot of UPSs which may prove to isolate or degrade wireline, but my intent is not to whine, but to make it work.  No need to wish me luck. 

Thanks.

Gizmo

[amigamax]

The following is a summary of what I found out learning to set up my stuff mixed with 2.4 Ghz wireless stuff: 

My cordless phones are Siemens Gigaset 2.4 GHz DSS phones.  This presents a problem.
(DSS = Digital Spread Spectrum or FREQUENCY HOPPING in the 2.4 Ghz band)
It likely that my DSS phones span most of the 2.4 Ghz spectrum used by 802.11.

I have yet to get the specs from Siemens on the actual frequencies used by the Gigaset.
5.8 Ghz phones with DSS are also available and will not likely interfere with 2.4 Ghz devices.
For more info on DSS & its history see http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/question326.htm and
http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/framed.htm?parent=question326.htm&url=http://www.conexant.com/news_events/dss_faq.html

My Gigaset 4000 & 4200 handsets and 4210 & 4215 bases don't stay on one frequency long enough to take out my Wifi network, but could explain the occasional problems I have with my Wifi network "dissappearing" occasionally.  I now suspect the router "resets" occasionally from interference.  I still get good performance on channel 11, though it still disappears occasionally & the bases are still very close to the router.

This is also the band where X10 cameras transmit their video. When hooking up a non X10 wireless camera in approximately X10 band "A", my DSS phone caused the video image to get varying lines in it, and made the video display roll occasionally as it interfered with the vertical SYNC.  Since I had 2 sets of these phone systems installed, It was a big mess.  It both causes interference and noise in the wireless camera.  The closer to the wireless video receiver, the worse it will get.  No phoned = clear video.  I fully expect X10 wireless cameras to be analog video due to their cost and be affected the same way.  If you get lines in your display, start looking for 2.4 Ghz wireless devices.  With X10 you get 4 settings to find a clear spot in the spectrum.  A, B, C, and D.  If you can change channels on any device, try it.

I am going to put my wireless phone transmitter on a module so I can turn it off with a macro if I want to use the lower band for video; triggered if a motion sensor alerts while I am gone, but plan to hardwire most of my system for increased reliability.

See center frequencies and likely incompatible 802.11 channels below:

Keep in mind a video signal is much broader than a Wifi channel.
If your 802.11 wireless device is close to your X10 frequency you may have problems.
Proximity to the receiver & transmitter will also have significant effect.

my Geeks.com Night Vision Infrared dual mode camera receiver frequencies:

1.   2.414 Ghz  Channel 1, 2 (Only channel available NightVision from Geeks.com at present)
2.   2.432 Ghz  Channel 3, 4, 5
3.   2.450 Ghz  Channel 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
4.   2.468 Ghz  Channel 10?, 11

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
X-10 WIRELESS video center freqs & expected 802.11 interfereence channels

Channel A; 2.411 GHz = Wifi Channel 1, 2
Channel B; 2.434 GHz = Wifi Channel 4, 5, 6, 7
Channel C; 2.453 GHz = Wifi Channel 8, 9, 10, 11
Channel D; 2.473 GHz = Wifi Top of Channel 11
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

FCC Channel map for 802.11b:

    Channel / Low Frequency / Center Freq / Upper Freq
    1      2.401         2.412         2.423
    2      2.404         2.417         2.428
    3      2.411         2.422         2.433
    4      2.416         2.427         2.438
    5      2.421         2.432         2.443
    6      2.426         2.437         2.448
    7      2.431         2.442         2.453
    8      2.436         2.447         2.458
    9      2.441         2.452         2.463
    10      2.446         2.457         2.468
    11      2.451         2.462         2.473

USA/FCC & Canada regions have 11 total channels allocated.  All frequencies are in GHz.

This may explain some interference issues.  Correct me if I misstated any facts.

Gizmo

[netguy]

Previously posted under "Interference of X-10 Equipment" thread: Interference of X-10 Equipment