Hundreds of access points, open netowrk, same channel?

[bledd]

Hi,

If you've got hundreds of access points on one large site, all with the same open network. Is it better to have different wireless channels, or have them all set to say channel 1?

There's no chance of external interference from other channels (no other buildings or businesses in the area)

Many of them overlap each other

Thanks

 

[bremen1874]

Is it a managed system, or just a load of dumb standalone access points?

 

[DRZ]

Before I start writing a massive post I'm just going to say: It depends.

It depends on the controller and the clients and how much overlap there is. What I will say is that the approach of using a singe channel everywhere is a bit of an older one and the best/more modern systems do not behave that way in an ideal configuration.

If there is no central controller then I'd wonder what was going on but then with hundreds of APs there must be?

If I was designing a WLAN from scratch (which I am at the moment) I'd be producing a site-wide AP layout / channel map for the three 2.4GHz channels (1,6 and 11) which minimises co-channel interference and (where possible) eliminates LOS between APs.