We've observed similar behavior out here in New Mexico. In one high-
end home with copper window screens, ironically we had to reposition
the interior base stations to transmit through the walls, since the
signal wasn't getting out the windows. Fortunately this adobe home
didn't have much, if any , mesh in the walls.
Cheers,
--John
Founding Board Member
La Canada Wireless Association
Those who do not understand Unix are condemned to reinvent it, poorly.
Usenet signature, November 1987
—Henry Spencer
On Oct 13, 2009, at 6:15 PM, Mike Burgess wrote:
>
> It all depends on the "mesh"
>
> Old plaster mesh was expanded metal, about 80% solid. No Wi-fi thru
> that.
>
> Then came plasterboard, just sheet rock with thumb sized holes in it
> for the plaster to oze thru. No metal except edges and corners.
>
> Stucco wrap has varied mesh, sometimes 1" chicken wire, which is
> pretty porous to wi-fi. I'd guess anything smaller than 1" chicken
> wire would have a bad effect, along with real plaster (concrete)
> over substrate (metal or plasterboard or wood lath) Stucco
> (concrete about 1.5 - 2" thick) can't be good for the signal either.
> Then there are the plywood sheer walls (earthquake resistance) which
> is 10-20% moisture to suck up your signal.
>
> And the neighbors leaky microwave oven gasket.....
>
> ( side note, my question last week about antenna vendor, resulted in
> my purchase fo a 19db panel antenna, which gave me a +2 mile range
> from the ranch to open AP's in town. )
>
> Mike B.
>
> --- On Tue, 10/13/09, Mike Outmesguine <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> From: Mike Outmesguine <[email protected]>
>> Subject: [SOCALWUG] Ready for this - Does chicken wire block Wi-Fi
>> signals?
>> To: [email protected]
>> Date: Tuesday, October 13, 2009, 4:52 PM
>> I'm being asked some questions about the
>> effect of chicken wire in old houses. Does it block the wifi
>> signal?
>>
>> We know that old houses are hard on wireless, vs. new
>> drywall-style houses. But I always felt it was more the
>> plaster and wood density and water-content of the walls than
>> the chicken wire in the walls absorbing and/or reflecting
>> the signal.
>>
>>
>>
>> My half-baked notes on the matter..............
>>
>> Most of the problems I've seen
>> with old houses
>> seems more likely due to the plaster and sheer density of
>> the building
>> material than specifically chicken wire. For the wire to be
>> a strong
>> reflector, and so to block the Wi-Fi signal, it will need
>> to be a
>> specific length between the gaps in the wire mesh. For
>> example, a
>> parabolic grid antenna spaces the wires about 15 mm apart
>> for optimal
>> reflection of the 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi signal. I think chicken
>> wire is made
>> with larger gaps than that, so the signal will mostly pass
>> right
>> through it. My feeling is that the water content in the
>> plaster and
>> wood in the wall is blocking the signal. But I haven't
>> done, or seen
>> any tests of this theory as compared to modern drywall.
>>
>> As I understand
>> it, the wire mesh would need to be in certain fractions
>> of the wavelength to make a good reflector. It's not so
>> much that the
>> wave can't "fit" through the mesh as the mesh
>> material actually
>> absorbing and/or reflecting the signal - where each
>> component of the
>> mesh acts as individual antennas.
>>
>> So, I think the mesh would need to be 1 full wavelength, or
>> 3/4 or
>> 1/2 or 1/4 wavelength to be quite good at blocking the
>> signal. Which
>> would mean the mesh would interfere best at around 4.8,
>> 3.6, 2.4, and
>> 1.2 inches (for Wi-Fi Channels 1-11). Anything in between
>> those would
>> not be as effective at blocking the signal.
>>
>>
>>
>> What do you SOCALWUGgies think about it?
>>
>> -Mike
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Mike Outmesguine
>>
>> Connectedness:
>> www.twitter.com/mikeout
>> www.facebook.com/mikeout
>>
>>
>> www.linkedin.com/in/mikeout
>> www.wifi-toys.com
>> www.transstellar.com
>> SMS "mike" to 50500
>>
>>
>>
>
> >
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