At Worlds, it was requested to turn off WiFi to prevent VEXnet interference.
I also saw a couple volunteers in the Math/Engineering area patrolling the area with a WiFi “magnet” to try to find people running a network. This made me wonder: what causes the interference - a network that is set up, or just having a device that is “on” (i.e. a computer with the network card “on”)?
Andrew
not too sure of the specifics, but in a science match that had most of the robots disconnected, they replayed the match but before they did that, they told all the audience members to “turn off your wifi”
not sure if it helps but it DID happen…
Wireless networks shouldnt usually affect the VEXnet as we run scrimmages at our school with multiple networks and we don’t have any problems.
If the teams are using a wireless network with a wireless intrusion prevention system then they are able to cause other wireless devices to disconnect and this interferes with the VEXnet. This would be why people had to keep wireless networks off as they might be using a WIPS intentionally to disturb matches or unintentionally without their knowledge
Hope this helps
The problem isn’t that wireless networks are running, it is that when people are transferring files over the network they use all of the bandwidth, when this happens, there is no remaining bandwidth for VEXnet. Part of the problem at worlds is that there are just so many people using VEXnet simultaneously that it can cause bandwidth issues even without Wifi networks running.
In a future update to VEXnet, I would like to see them switch to a different unlicensed portion of the spectrum, as 2.4Ghz is getting pretty crowded these days. I would suggest 5Ghz here, but since Wifi is already beginning to crowd those bands too, it would not be a good long term solution. I’ll do some research to see if I can find a better band for VEXnet to run on.
Update: After some quick research it would appear that the 5.8 Ghz band would work, but someone with more knowledge than me on this topic would need to take a look at the specifics of the regulations for this band.