I just bought a video baby monitor that is not supposed to interfere with other 2.4 GHz devices such as wifi but it definitely does. I noticed it when streaming netflix and other videos and then confirmed it with online speed test. The monitor would cut down the speed by more than half every time and many times more than that.

Any experience on this? I have my router (linksys N) set to channel 11. I tried channel 1 as well and still had the same problem. Would a dual band router solve this? I am also considering returning the monitor but I will probably run into the same issue with others.

5/30/2013 9:06:16 AM

Not supposed to interfere != Not using bandwidth

5/30/2013 11:26:31 AM

^the baby monitor is on the network?

5/30/2013 11:42:11 AM

^yes, obviously the baby is downloading porn torrents.

5/30/2013 11:47:12 AM

Sorry, I am assuming it is indeed a monitor connected to the network. I've looked at quite a few with wireless network capabilities

5/30/2013 12:21:41 PM

No this one is not on the network. You are right though, some of them are.

Mine: http://www.amazon.com/Infant-Optics-Digital-Monitor-Vision/dp/B0052QYLUM/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

Quote :

"Uses FHSS (Automatic Frequency Hoping System) - jumps between different channels in the 2.4 GHz range which virtually 'encrypts' the data"

[Edited on May 30, 2013 at 1:07 PM. Reason : .]

5/30/2013 1:06:54 PM

What part of that makes you think it doesnt interfere with 2.4ghz wireless?

5/30/2013 1:19:45 PM

a ton of the comments on that amazon item mention wifi interference

5/30/2013 1:28:46 PM

you didn't say you're looking for suggestions for other products, but i'll provide one anyway. we use a phillips avent audio monitor & a dropcam. never had any problems with interference with either device. you'll need an iphone, android device, or regular ol computer for access to the video though. it's nice bc we can use it for surveillance & stuff later.

5/30/2013 2:06:15 PM

^^^That post was just explaining the technology it uses

This is the part of the description I was referring to. Under one of the pics in the description

Quote :

"Freely use other 2.4GHz devices in your home without worrying about interference."

5/30/2013 2:19:39 PM

do they mean interference with the monitor (instead of your other devices)?

5/30/2013 2:49:08 PM

i thought n was in the 5.xGHz frequency band

5/30/2013 4:13:28 PM

We have a Summer baby monitor (video, night vision, etc...) and it does NOT interfere with our WIFI...FYI in case you want to take it back and get another

5/30/2013 4:20:47 PM

^^^Maybe.

I looked at getting one of the wifi devices but my wife didn't want to have to use her phone as a monitor. I would like to find one that had a monitor and the option of using your phone.

^^The dual band ones are. I know mine is not: http://www.adorama.com/LKE900.html?gclid=CP_nq-rTvrcCFUyk4AodtWUAaw

^Which model and have you streamed video (Netflix) while using it or tested it with online speed test? Not saying you are wrong, it's just that I can surf the internet (pages) without obvious interference but when I start streaming video I can tell.


[Edited on May 30, 2013 at 4:31 PM. Reason : .]

5/30/2013 4:23:16 PM

If you're in the area (Raleigh/Cary), I'd be interested in bringing over a spectrum analyzer to confirm it. And maybe make a recommendation or two on how to avoid it if there's space left in the band to move your network.

5/30/2013 10:22:32 PM

I live in Franklinton

5/30/2013 11:09:20 PM

I have this monitor
http://www.target.com/p/summer-infant-babytouch-digital-color-video-monitor/-/A-13299985#prodSlot=medium_1_14&term=summer+baby+monitor

I admit, I have not done any heavy duty streaming (like netflix) while using the monitor... but we have several friends who have the same model and have not reported any problems at all.

5/31/2013 5:47:13 AM

It looks like my blu-ray player that I use to stream netflix works with 5GHz so getting a dual band router might solve my problem.

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

5/31/2013 9:09:09 AM

Fwiw ... I have the Foscam FI9810W that I've used for this purpose for about 1.5 years now, and it's the best $70 I spent. Makes it easier to not always run in there when he cries (which teaches him to cry for our attention) and instead we can watch his behavior to know if he needs a diaper change, or is actually so tired that he can't stay standing while crying (ie, crying himself to sleep). Also, it makes my wife happy to hear him sleeping soundly and/or see him wiggling around, ie, alive!

That said, here's the technical side of things:

Near as I can tell, Foscam cameras YELL at your wireless router, and are excessively chatty, so much so that you'll notice many Wifi response times get slower while you are viewing the live camera feed (or recording it to a computer). In other words, the Wifi spec states that you are supposed to ask permission before transmitting data to the Wifi router, but the Foscams are like someone who won't stop talking even if someone else tries to talk over them. Yeah, exactly.

The solution to this, since the cameras are the best available, is to actually get a dual-band router, put your cameras on the 2.4ghz side and as many other devices as you can on the 5ghz.

Problem solved, the cameras can be as talkative as they like, and you won't notice any interference.

Oh, and if you are so inclined to overpay for the Summer or explicitly named "baby monitors", you're doing yourself a disservice, Foscam makes a far superior camera despite the over-chatty Wifi implementation.



[Edited on May 31, 2013 at 12:00 PM. Reason : .]

5/31/2013 11:58:05 AM

Thanks for the tip on the FOSCAM, I'm still debating getting a non-video baby monitor to supplement. For the FOSCAM how do you view it around the house? Constantly opening the app on your phone, or do you have the video up on-screen on a monitor like a laptop/desktop monitor?

5/31/2013 12:31:37 PM

have you guys considered setting up an entirely separate network on a different band that only has the video monitor on it? seems like the best solution if the networked ones slow down your network.

5/31/2013 1:29:41 PM

mine is not on the network. it just interferes with the 2.4ghz signal. I think I will try the dual band and move what I can to 5GHz

5/31/2013 2:03:09 PM

^^If you use a dual-band router, then clients on both 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz bands can communicate to everyone since your router connects them within a single LAN.

It's not an issue of slowing down your router's CPU that is trying to be avoided, the CPU is fine ... it's that your wireless radio can only have 1 conversation in a given moment (think sending/recieving packets over the same wireless frequency). In order to have multiple conversations on the same wireless radio, it has to spread its attention evenly and hope that the devices are polite enough to wait their turn to communicate. So, being that FOSCAM insists on monopolizing the conversation, and your laptop and phone are generally very polite, you can see why keeping FOSCAM on it's own band/channel is a good thing.

If you use separate routers to create separate wifi networks on different 2.4Ghz channels, then you'll need to manually bridge them with a network cable, and while it should be possible with DD-WRT, I've not done it myself.


^^^Oh, and to answer that, I have an HP Touchpad (Android-style) that I keep on the inductive charger in the living room. When we need it, we open up tinyCam Monitor and can keep an eye on it when we are watching TV/movie or have people over. It's awesome to also be able to load it up on your phone if you're not near the tablet. An additional benefit is that you can turn on "background audio" and a low-sound squelch, ie: sound-activation, if you don't want the screen on or you need to use the tablet/phone for something else.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.alexvas.dvr (Free worked awesome for us until I caught Pro at $2; normally $4 and worth it)


As far as a backup, we used the sound-activated Sony Baby Nursery Monitor 900Mhz so that we didn't have to hear the "kssshhhh" all night of a silent transmission. Very solid. We actually didn't get the camera until a month or so after he was born, and still used the Sony at night so that we didn't have to have the tablet running all the time.

http://www.amazon.com/NTM-910YIC-Sony-Baby-Nursery-Monitor/dp/B000S35QLC

Also, this Sony can turn the volume all the way down to zero (surprisingly most still produce sound on the lowest volume) and just watch the bank of lights when there's noise.



[Edited on May 31, 2013 at 2:46 PM. Reason : .]

5/31/2013 2:17:44 PM

Quote :

"It's not an issue of slowing down your router's CPU that is trying to be avoided, the CPU is fine ... it's that your wireless radio can only have 1 conversation in a given moment (think sending/recieving packets over the same wireless frequency). In order to have multiple conversations on the same wireless radio, it has to spread its attention evenly and hope that the devices are polite enough to wait their turn to communicate. So, being that FOSCAM insists on monopolizing the conversation, and your laptop and phone are generally very polite, you can see why keeping FOSCAM on it's own band/channel is a good thing. If you use separate routers to create separate wifi networks on different 2.4Ghz channels, then you'll need to manually bridge them with a network cable, and while it should be possible with DD-WRT, I've not done it myself. "

what i was suggesting was to have one network not connected to the internet, not connected to the other network, and using a different band, connected to an unused older router that you find in your closet, to use for your networked baby monitor. it wouldn't matter if the baby monitor doesn't follow the rules and there would be no need to bridge anything, your Netflix browsing or any other network activity would be entirely separate. (i understand OP doesn't have a monitor on the network, I was making a suggestion for those who did)

5/31/2013 2:53:18 PM

^Ah, true, so it could be that the OP's baby monitor is bad at limiting itself to the chosen channel and causes interference to all channels. That's not cool.

If that is the case, then getting a 5Ghz router would help solve that problem for any device that can use 5Ghz wifi.

My posts were intended as an alternative to using a commercial camera.

[Edited on May 31, 2013 at 3:05 PM. Reason : .]

5/31/2013 3:04:06 PM

Thanks guys.

While we are at it, any recommendations for a decent affordable dual band router?

A couple I have looked at:

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=7980663&CatId=2668

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1528870&pagenumber=1&RSort=1&csid=ITD&recordsPerPage=5&body=REVIEWS#CustomerReviewsBlock

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=7754323&CatId=2668

[Edited on May 31, 2013 at 3:54 PM. Reason : added one]

5/31/2013 3:45:14 PM

Quote :

"^^^Oh, and to answer that, I have an HP Touchpad (Android-style) that I keep on the inductive charger in the living room. When we need it, we open up tinyCam Monitor and can keep an eye on it when we are watching TV/movie or have people over. It's awesome to also be able to load it up on your phone if you're not near the tablet. An additional benefit is that you can turn on "background audio" and a low-sound squelch, ie: sound-activation, if you don't want the screen on or you need to use the tablet/phone for something else. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.alexvas.dvr (Free worked awesome for us until I caught Pro at $2; normally $4 and worth it)"

Of course, I forgot I own a tablet

And I have that app TinyCam Pro already on my phone that I use with my Foscam

5/31/2013 4:41:14 PM

If you do set up separate wireless networks, keep in mind that the only non-overlapping channels in the 2.4 GHz band are 1, 6, and 11. Anywhere else, and you'll still be at risk of interference from devices on other adjacent channels. There's also co-channel interference to potentially contend with too.

6/1/2013 8:42:34 AM