NETGEAR WPN111 - page 49

User Manual for the NETGEAR RangeMax™ Wireless USB 2.0 Adapter WPN111
Wireless N etworking Basics B-3
202-10076-01
802.11b/g Wireless Channels
IEEE 802.11b/g wireless nodes communicate with each other using radio frequency signals in the
ISM (Industrial, Scientific, and Medical) band between 2.4 GHz and 2.5 GHz. Neighboring
channels are 5 MHz apart. However, due to spread spectrum effect of the signals, a node sending
signals using a particular channel will utilize frequency spectrum 12.5 MHz above and below the
center channel frequency. As a result, two separate wireless networks using neighboring channels
(for example, channel 1 and channel 2) in the same general vicinity will interfere with each other.
Applying two channels that allow the maximum channel separation will decrease the amount of
channel cross-talk, and provide a noticeable performance increase over networks with minimal
channel separation.
The radio frequency channels used in 802.11b/g networks are listed in Table B -1:
Table B-1: 802.11b/g Radio Frequency Channels
Channel Center Frequency Frequency Spread
1 2412 MHz 2399.5 MHz - 2424.5 MHz
2 2417 M Hz 2404.5 M Hz - 2429.5 MHz
3 2422 MHz 2409.5 MHz - 2434.5 MHz
4 2427 M Hz 2414.5 M Hz - 2439.5 MHz
5 2432 MH z 2419.5 M Hz - 2444.5 MHz
6 2437 M Hz 2424.5 MH z - 2449.5 MHz
7 2442 MHz 2429.5 MHz - 2454.5 MHz
8 2447 M Hz 2434.5 M Hz - 2459.5 MHz
9 2452 MHz 2439.5 MHz - 2464.5 MHz
10 2457 MHz 2444.5 MHz - 2469.5 MHz
11 2462 MHz 2449.5 MHz - 2474.5 MHz
12 2467 MHz 2454.5 MHz - 2479.5 MHz
13 2472 MHz 2459.5 MHz - 2484.5 MHz