JDPFu.com 2025

WiFi bandwidth is extremely limited unless you place hotspots on different non-overlapping channels and repeat them every 200 ft or so. In the USA, channels 1, 6, 11 don’t overlap on the B/G bands. That’s it. All the other channels do. If you see a neighbor’s wifi on channel 2, 3, 4, 5 OR 7, 8, 9, 10 they are wasting all our bandwidth.
Some quick real math on wifi bandwidth – all approximate, of course. Every extra user halves the available bandwidth.
G is about 50Mbps (to keep the math trivial)
|1 user | 25Mbps|
|2 users | 12.5Mbps|
|3 users | 6.25Mbps <— cable down WAN|
|4 users | 3.125Mbps|
|5 users | 1.56Mbps <— approx T1 WAN|
|6 users | 781Kbps|
|7 users | 390Kbps <— Real 3G is a little faster|
|8 users | 195Kbps|
|9 users | 97Kbps <— EDGE is a little slower|
|10 users | 48Kbps|
|11 users | it is slower than dialup for everyone.|

So in any confined area, using 3 channels, somewhere under 30 people will have ok wifi. That assumes they are evenly spread over all 3 channels. Don’t use Outlook (nobody should be allowed to use outlook on wifi hotspots) and down download or upload that HUGE PPT for your next customer. Only simple web browsing should be allowed. All media should be blocked, definitely, for the overall good of the network.