A recent thread here discussed whether the Centrino chipset is perhaps
inferior to other Wi-Fi implementations on laptops. I've got pretty
solid evidence that that notion is false.
I've been doing Wi-Fi in my home for a couple of years now, with
generally good results. However, whenever my wife uses our Panasonic
2.4 gigahertz cordless phone, my laptop loses its Wi-Fi link. The
microwave oven also causes interference, though usually not enough to
kill the connection.
I've tried everything. I've used Linksys, Microsoft, Intel, and
D-Link Wi-Fi PC cards. I've changed channels. I've gone from 802.11b
to g and back. I've called Linksys, whose tech support guy laughed
out loud when I told him I was trying a Panasonic cordless phone with
Wi-Fi. (The implication was that Panasonic does not play fairly in
the 2.4G sandbox.)
Last night I tested an IBM Thinkpad X40 at home. It instantly
connected to the home network, and its connection survived a Panasonic
attack, whether the phone was close to the laptop or away.
The computer also detected a neighbor's network that previously only
showed up when I wandered into an upstairs bedroom close to their
house.
My conclusion is not that Centrino is superior, but rather that the
built-in antenna in the back of the LCD screen is far superior to what
you can cram onto a PC card. In any event, Centrino does not appear
to be a point of weakness.
/rich
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