Xbox 360 sending out disruptive 2.4GHz vibes?

Details are sketchy at the moment, but some IT folks at Morrisville State College have tracked down a strong and disruptive signal being emitted from Xbox 360s, which messes with WiFi and possibly other 2.4GHz radios such as Bluetooth headsets. The signal is put out even when the console is turned off, as long as it's plugged in, since the 360 is continually looking for controllers to hook up with. Research is ongoing as to how much interference the 360 is actually causing, but apparently the signal is jumping all over the 2.4GHz band. Of course, 2.4GHz devices have always had a bit trouble with interference, but further research will tell if the 360 is taking things too far.

[Via Joystiq]

[dan @ Dec 16th 2007 3:22AM]

I already found a easy fix for this, I just cover my 360 with a lead sheet when it isnt being used

[Pavan @ Dec 16th 2007 9:13AM]

Why go through the trouble of finding a lead sheet when all you need is some Chinese toys and duct tape?

[medel @ Dec 16th 2007 3:28AM]

I've noticed this. We have a wireless A/V link between a couple of our TVs. When my 360 is plugged in, it sends out bursts every second or so that completely bork the wireless A/V. It's actually a little impressive..

[Totalfixation @ Dec 16th 2007 5:44AM]

Same here, i lose internet connection on my laptop because of that sucker. Only way to fix it for me was to get something to increase the wifi signal so that the xbox wouldn't disrupt it. So i ended up getting a range extender.


BTW FINALLY PEOPLE ARE NOTICING THIS!?! I've been dealing with this ever since i got the xbox way over a year ago.

[Will @ Dec 16th 2007 1:03PM]

You get what you pay for. Are you sure it isn't your Vizio?

[Cash @ Dec 16th 2007 3:42PM]

Odd... My Linksys wireless G router is on a rack shelf right above my 360 and I haven't noticed any problems between the two at all. The only interference I've ever noticed on the network comes from the cordless phone of the microwave occasionally, but thats it.

[OBM @ Dec 16th 2007 3:41AM]

Wow only a couple of years later and they figure this out? I could have told you this last year when I heard a baby monitor from the next house on my headset o_O freaked me out

[JB @ Dec 16th 2007 7:49PM]

Maybe they changed some settings with the December update that make this problem more prevalent.

[MarMar @ Dec 17th 2007 9:40AM]

actually that crying you heard was the throng of 2 year olds that play xbox live

[big magu @ Dec 16th 2007 3:45AM]

isn't this something that the FCC is supposed to catch...

[cmonkey @ Dec 16th 2007 4:18AM]

Yes and no. Since the 2.4 Ghz band is unlicensed, there aren't really regulations for interference within the band, except for limits on output power. Basically, companies building devices that use 2.4 Ghz need to put a lot of effort into interference tolerance.

802.11* is very fault tolerant by nature, so I'm surprised that they are having problems with it. Judging by the Wikipedia page on the company deploying wifi at Morrisville State College, I would rule this as badly designed wireless access points rather than a badly designed game console.

[Mike Cerm @ Dec 16th 2007 4:21AM]

No. The whole point of the 2.4GHz band is that anyone can do anything they want with it, as long as it doesn't screw up anything that's actually licensed to be there. It's always nice when devices are courteous in their use of the band, but there's nothing that actually requires devices to play nicely with others and not hog all the bandwidth.

[NovaLand @ Dec 16th 2007 6:25AM]

Here's a story for ya: FCC is payed off by Microsoft to hide this. The 360 sends out this to make sure nearby PS3's can't reach the internet or use the hand controllers.

No, this isn't the inquirer?

[kev @ Dec 16th 2007 10:23AM]

No, and I'll tell you why. 2.4GHz is a really SHITTY band, because it's the natural resonant frequency of WATER. It makes it an AWFUL band to use for long range telecom because you'll need ridiculous amounts of power to get nowhere. That's why its used in short range apps like wireless networks, cordless phones...or microwave ovens.

[kev @ Dec 16th 2007 10:25AM]

-natural +a

Correction: It's a resonant frequency of water. There are plenty others, this being one of them.

The point still stands, nonetheless.

[kev @ Dec 16th 2007 10:30AM]

I need to wake up...correction #2.

It's not really resonance...and now that I think about it, really can't be:

It's just medium absorption of the energy by water molecules that makes it largely impossible to transmit over long distances, which is why the FCC could care less about this band except for how much you're transmitting. I'm sure they would not like you to try to heat the crap out of another person.

[Ken Sheldon @ Dec 16th 2007 3:46AM]

I have a problem where when I hit the "L" button a lot it causes my RF remote controller for the computer to raise my volume by three. It gets real annoying sometimes. I've moved my reciever around quite a bit. Then another problem comes along.

[Grant @ Dec 16th 2007 3:52AM]

i always wondered why i felt a bit cancerous after a long night of spooning my 360

[Samurai John @ Dec 16th 2007 4:09AM]

Makes all kinds of sense, after all
2.4Ghz's a pretty "crowded" freaquency band as it is, for example in my apartment with the Wifi router,PC and PS3 with 2 controllers , 4 BT equippet moblies, 2 of which work with Wifi, 2 BT headsets, about 5-10 neighbouring Wifi networks, and to top it all an Air Force base flooding the airwaves using UHF comm. and doppler radars convinently blasting which frequancy band? that's right, good old 2.4 G.

And now to the point. most recent devices are equipped with frequancy hopping features, meaning two paired devices will hop together across the frequency band at set intervals whenever something interferes with the signal, the problems start when so many devices (see aforementioned well connecected loft built freakishly close to an AFB) are found in eachother's range that they run out of frequencies to hop over, that's when you get the interference.
Therefore, seeing as it's not only a question of signal strength as it is with older (and lamer) RF based protocols, with Wifi and BT it might not be neccesary to insulate the console itself with a lead sheet, when you can eliminate other sources of interference and "free up" some more of the band.

Hope someone who struck through to the end of the post could make use of it all!
John.

[doublej @ Dec 16th 2007 7:46AM]

Don't be silly. It's like say FM Radio is 'crowded'. There ample room for lots of signals. Regulators decidie who gets what.

[Evan @ Dec 16th 2007 11:20AM]

@doublej

You don't be "silly." The 2.4 Ghz band is way overcrowded. Just about everything I own somehow manages to work in tandem there.

I haven't had this problem personally the two years i have had a 360, and my wireless router is no joke, sitting right on top of my 360.

I think the study should be renamed, "Study finds that most 2.4 Ghz devices cause some interference with others" because this does not sound like news to me at all.

Also, for everyone who says the FCC should investigate... there is a nice FCC logo on my 360. They approved the configuration, as did the regulatory agencies of every single country it is sold in. Maybe the headline should be... "Morrisville State College looks for publicity, goes after Microsoft." Ok, ok I am done now. I just think this whole thing is dumb.

[sgt_easton @ Dec 16th 2007 10:38PM]

Not quite, guy. The Air Force is not "flooding" the UHF band - it's used for aircraft communications. Furthermore, the aircraft UHF radios don't go up to 2.4 ghz, and doppler doesn't operate on that freq either. I'm an avionics tech in the Air Force...so, where are you getting this info??

Also, for the record, I have a 360 three feet from my linksys router. No problems noted at either of my computers connected wirelessly.

[Matt @ Dec 16th 2007 4:07AM]

Wow I go to Morrisville this one surprised me I thought I was reading it wrong at first. Strange

[Nathan Jones @ Dec 16th 2007 4:09AM]

I've had problems getting a good signal from some wireless camera's I own for about a month. I read this story went and turned on a camera in a spot I have never been able to get signal from. Still got no signal as usual, I unplugged my 360 and instantly I had a great picture from the camera. I would say that they are right on about this problem. Now I don't feel like I wasted 150 bucks on the cameras.

[keith @ Dec 16th 2007 4:32AM]

I can clearly hear the bursts through my surround headphones. It's not random and comes in very neat and tidy patterns. I think my 360 is starting to become sentient.

[Ivand @ Dec 16th 2007 4:56AM]

its gotta be trying to communicate the others, just like the zune, but with a little bit more of a success rate

[Zorque @ Oct 11th 2008 8:08AM]

^ Even worse, it's trying to communicate with US.

[John @ Dec 16th 2007 10:13AM]

Welcome to the social, baby.

[Hardcore @ Dec 17th 2007 4:47PM]

Yeah - if Skynet comes to fruition, hopefully it will be built by Microsoft so we won't have to worry about it for too long.

[John @ Dec 16th 2007 11:56PM]

"Are you Sarah Connor?"

...

"This program has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down. If the problem persists, contact the program vendor."

[ethana2 @ Dec 17th 2007 1:47AM]

hardcore jokes, but the real difference between skynet/iRobot and us remaining in control is whether or not the source code is open. Don't trust what you can't compile yourself.

[NilliX @ Dec 16th 2007 5:33PM]

Well i've had both my Elite and my Wii running in tandem, using the Wii for surfing the net and the XBox for playing Halo.
They seem to work perfectly, and the Wii uses wireless to connect.

[ikiryou @ Dec 16th 2007 5:42AM]

That's merely the stifled, tortured screams of your 360 console as it inches closer to its imminent meltdown.

[Pete @ Dec 16th 2007 6:04AM]

So THAT's what was causing my wifi problems! Ah well, I already switched to homeplug. Wish I'd switched years ago, I've never had such a trouble free network installation!

[Phil @ Dec 16th 2007 10:49AM]

i have both a xbox360 and a PS3 and never had any problems with having both on at the same time or ps3 on and 360 off

[ArtyG @ Dec 16th 2007 7:36AM]

Well, all you need to do is put your 360 in a faraday cage and use wired controllers. Interference problems gone.

[Ryan @ Dec 16th 2007 7:44AM]

I'd like to state that I've never had a problem with my 360 interfering with any of my wireless devices....


This includes wireless controllers for Wii, GameCube, my wireless network (Linksys N Router, and iMac, and a Macbook Pro), Logitech wireless speakers...

This is a surprise to me, as once again, I've never had any issues.

[roberto @ Dec 16th 2007 9:11AM]

me too.
2 pc, wifi phone, x360, wireless router, several phones with bluetooth.. no problems at all.

[jonhoffm @ Dec 16th 2007 8:59AM]

Ditto. I have my 360 right next to a PS3, Wii and a Linksys WRT54G (not exactly a state-of-the-art wireless router).

I have never had a problem with my wifi or bluetooth connections even when using distributed network apps which require a very stable wifi connection.

Just lucky I guess, based on most of the other comments.

[GregA @ Dec 16th 2007 9:36AM]

See thats odd, because I have a wifi card for my xbox 360 and all is well. It seems like there would be a lot of reports of the wifi cards not working if the xbox was causing wifi interference...

[Eric @ Dec 16th 2007 6:53PM]

No problems here, WRT54G router 10 feet away from my 360 and my laptop within 15 feet of it, nothing. Then again, I'm running DD-WRT firmware on my router and have the transmit power increased.

[Nicholas Butler @ Dec 16th 2007 8:02AM]

Skeptical as I was I have been experiencing bad Wifi for some time now. So I unplugged the 360 and guess what! My Wifi is working flawlessly now. Im going to give it a few more hours of testing then switch on the 360.

Netstumbler reports gaps usually when the 360 is on but its been a consistent block of signal since the 360 has been off. More testing to be done but its pretty consistent response so far.

[BigD145 @ Dec 16th 2007 8:19AM]

Uh... Why is it that people seem to think their machines are really off when they turn the power switch to the off position? Guess what, people. Unless you terminate the connection AT THE WALL, your electronics are pulling power and doing who knows what. You're paying for your electronics whether you use it or not. Any company that thinks it can grow exponentially, forever, will bring that mentality into their products. They try not think about what happens after a product has left their hands. They hope you'll use it up in 6 months to a year and buy another. They'll engineer it to burn out in 6 months, if they can get away with it.

An always on, always seeking wireless, is bad engineering for the end user that has to pay the electricity bill.

[Shane @ Dec 16th 2007 4:56PM]

BigD--

You really need to put your tinfoil cap back on...

We all KNOW that devices continue to consume energy when turned off unless disconnected from the wall. That subject has already been covered to death on this blog and others. The UK was actually proposing legislation to change this. It has nothing to do with timed obsolescence of equipment, however. It has everything to do with the convenience of using a remote control to turn your equipment on when it is turned off. I don't have a problem with equipment "standby". All but the most poorly designed equipment uses only a very tiny fraction of its rated current draw when in standby mode. Not nearly enough to get your knickers in a bunch over.

[Reader @ Dec 16th 2007 5:11PM]

Yeah man calm down, standby on a TV takes under 5 watts. Other devices even less, so leaving every electronic device in my house on takes about as much power as you leaving your porch light on.

The times death of electronics part in 6 months was pretty funny though, especially since most electronic devices come with warranties upgradeable up to 5 years. When I purchase my 3 year warranty they must beam my TV with a ray gun or something to reprogram its shutdown timer...

[Robin @ Dec 16th 2007 8:22AM]

I actually had the opposite problem with my 360 when I first got it few months back. my wifi, mobile phone and home cordless phone all worked, but my wireless controller just kept dropping out

[Karlis Zigurs @ Dec 16th 2007 9:10AM]

Of course the original article reads like an ad for their super-capable-secret-agent-stuff network equipment provider - even their own PR people wouldn't be able to get the brand name in more than the original article contains.
Whatever that is - no news. FCC seemed to be okay with how this thing operates.

[Abscissa @ Dec 16th 2007 4:03PM]

What part of "2.4GHz is unregulated" is so difficult to understand?

[Chad @ Dec 16th 2007 9:25AM]

I remember a story like this when the 360 first came out, it was interfering with the network communication of the portable bar code scanners that Wal-Mart uses, so they turned off all their demo machines and people were mad that they couldn't play them.

[frozo @ Dec 16th 2007 9:42AM]

This makes no sense. I've been using the XBox wireless network adapter for over a year and I have zero problems with interference. The box goes online and stays online 100% of the time until I shut down.