AT&T Wireless Router Interferes with Cordless Phone

1) either place your cordless phone as far away from your wireless router, to reduce the interference they are causing each other. 2)If that is not possible, get a cordless phone that operates on a different frequency. >

I thought that wireless operated on the 2.4 band, so should not afftect that phone.

Phone jack filters will not help if the static is in 'the air'. Have you tried all availablke channels?

I had so much trouble with my 2.4 phones, with interference from wireless lan and other sources, that I bought a panasonic 5.8 phone that specifically stated 'wireless network friendly'. We are really peased with it here.

Stuart

LauraM hath wroth:

Does it have a model number or do I have to guess whether it has

5.7GHz 802.11a inside?

Nope. No suggestions until you disclose some model numbers. That includes the Vtech phone. Some of their cordless phone models transmit on 5.8Ghz, but receive on 2.4GHz. If the 2Wire wireless router is 2.4GHz, you'll hear interference.

The DSL line filters have nothing to do with an RF problem. They're to isolate the DSL carrier on the phone line from the telephone audio. However, the symptoms are very similar to an improperly installed DSL filter. Without filters, you'll have erratic dropouts of the DSL carrier (as indicated by the lights on the front of your unspecified

2Wire model router), especially when the phone rings. You'll also have lousy download speeds as indicated by the SBC/AT&T DSL speed test.

You'll also hear a continuous hiss, but not very loud. You can talk over it. If what you're hearing is an intermittent loud hiss, something like a motorboat running, then you're hearing the wireless transmitter from the 2Wire router. If it's a continuous low level hiss, it's the DSL carrier, in which case you should check your filter installation.

Thanks Jeff. I appreciate your thorough answer.

Model # is MI6896. I posted the previous message accidentally before I had added in the model #. Sorry!

"Stuart Miller" hath wroth:

Wireless also operates on 900MHz(1) and 5.8GHz(802.11a). In this case, I wasn't sure if 2Wire made a wireless router that included 802.11a. So, I looked it up:

Nope. I'm not 100.0% sure, but it appears to be all 802.11g "HyperG" which is 2.4GHz only. Nothing on 5.8GHz.

There is a possiblity that the Vtech phone is one of those that xmits on 5.8GHz, but receives on 2.4GHz. I'll wait for a model number rather than speculate.

Otherwise, it's a bad DSL microfilter installation where the "interference" is the audio hiss generated by the DSL carrier. I keep finding users that install them backwards (with sometimes works), or gets the "phone" and "data" ports backwards.

Yep. I was looking at the lastest mess of wireless "all in one" printers with printing, fax, scanner, ethernet, and wireless. I was just waiting for someone to throw in a cordless phone. They did and as expected, it's a 5.8GHz phone.

(1) 900MHz 802.11g

LauraM hath wroth:

Is that the 2Wire router or the Vtech cordless phone? I don't recognize the number. See:

for a list of 2Wire numbers. However, it doesn't really matter. All

2Wire routers are 2.4GHz, not 5.8GHz.

Bingo. I downloaded the manual for the Vtech 6896.

The specs are on Page 59 which show: Transmit Frequency Telephone base: 5725-5850 MHz Handset: 2400-2483.5 MHz Receive Frequency Telephone base: 2400-2483.5 MHz Handset: 5725-5850 MHz

That means your telephone base is going to hear RF interference from the 2Wire router at 2.4GHz. However, all is not lost. Just more the phone base (not the handsets) as far away from the 2Wire router as possible and see if it helps. You can operate the handsets near the router without difficulties.

There's one potential problem. My guess is that your unspecified model 2Wire router is the 400mw high power version that SBC has been shipping. This is quite a good router, but generates 10 times as much RF power as the typical commodity router. Great for range, but not so great for interference.

If moving the Vtech base doesn't help, then methinks the cheapest and best solution would be to sell the Vtech cordless phone system to your worst enemy and buy one that uses only 5.8Ghz (and not both 2.4 and

5.8).

Jeff Liebermann hath wroth:

I forgot the punch line. I found this on the same page:

"Enhanced 5.8GHz technology: Your phone operates on a dual band transmission that combines the best of 5.8GHz and 2.4GHz technologies, providing enhanced performance over standard cordless telephones."

Translation: Vtech saved a few pennies on a proper 5.8GHz duplexer by using a cheaper dual band chipset. With one of these phones, you can trash both the 802.11b/g and 802.11a bands.

Ah ha! Thanks for all your help. I'll try moving the evil doer and if that doesn't work....wanna buy a phone??? Thanks!

Just use a 900 mhz phone. They're cheaper anyway.

Jeff Liebermann wrote:

Some home and small biz WiFi devices use 5.8 GHz.

As well as 900 MHz.

And some "5.8" telephony devices use both 2.4 and 5.8.

Continue reading this thread starting at:

Good catch...I forgot all about vTech doing that. I remember seeing one at Walmart a few months ago.