Can router location/placement cause Home Theater interference?

[wmarson]

Right now, due to the Internet access point in my home, my AirPort Extreme (upstairs in one corner) is about as far away from my home theater as it can get (downstairs in the other corner). Since my HT is where my Apple TV and PS3 are -- as well as where my wife and I do most of our wireless laptop work, it makes a lot of sense to have Cox Cable come out and relocate the Internet access point to downstairs. In doing so, that would mean my modem and AE would all be housed in my HT Entertainment Cabinet -- where all my other equipment is (TV, PS3, receiver, speakers, Satellite receiver, etc.). What would be nice about this set-up, is I could run Ethernet from my AE to my PS3 and Apple TV. But, will the AE dual band wireless signals be at all degregated by all the other equipment in the same area? Will this cause any sort of 'noise' across my other components -- or visa-versa? Please advise. Thanks!

 

[thiggins]

Putting a wireless router in a cabinet isn't the best place because it will reduce range and run hotter. You also don't want it closer than around 10 feet to other Wi-Fi gear or you may get reduced throughput due to receiver overload.

 

[wmarson]

Thanks Tim. What is considered 'Wi-Fi gear?' Would my PS3 and Apple TV be considered Wi-Fi gear?

 

[thiggins]

If they are using Wi-Fi and not Ethernet for network connection, yes.

 

[wmarson]

Ah. Thanks! But, do you know if these devices are 'smart' enough to disable their internal wi-fi receivers when a Ethernet signal is detected? Or, might you have to physically configure them to turn off wi-fi?

 

[thiggins]

No devices I know of automatically disable their radios if connected via Ethernet.