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A software method and apparatus for installing and configuring network nodes in a wireless local area network by detecting noise levels on each of the available channels in the network. Each stationary access points listens on the available channels on the network. Each of the stationary access poi

A software method and apparatus for installing and configuring network nodes in a wireless local area network by detecting noise levels on each of the available channels in the network. Each stationary access points listens on the available channels on the network. Each of the stationary access points determines a prioritized list of preferred frequencies or channels of operation based on the noise levels from the surrounding channels in use by other stationary access points. The listening stationary access point chooses a frequency and sets itself to the associated channel based on the strength of the other signals on that channel in the network.

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What is claimed is: 1. A method using software on a computer readable medium for selecting a frequency channel for use by a network unit among a group of network units in a wireless local area network, comprising: detecting in each network unit the noise level on each of a plurality of available ch

What is claimed is: 1. A method using software on a computer readable medium for selecting a frequency channel for use by a network unit among a group of network units in a wireless local area network, comprising: detecting in each network unit the noise level on each of a plurality of available channels from surrounding stationary network nodes; prioritizing the selection of a channel from the available channels based upon the noise characteristics in each of the available channels measured over a period of time; executing an algorithm in each network unit to determine the sequence of activation of each network unit in the group of network units to select from the prioritized channels; and activating each network unit in turn to select a channel and to subsequently operate such network unit on such selected channel. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the set of available channels are non-overlapping channels in a spread spectrum system. 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the group of network units consists of three adjacent units in a hexagonal cell model. 4. The method of claim 3 further comprising repeating the detection of signals from surrounding nodes using a different group of network units. 5. The method of claim 1 further comprising excluding an available frequency channel during subsequent selections once if the available frequency has been selected by a network unit. 6. The method of claim 1 further comprising using power up to initiate the frequency channel selection process. 7. The method of claim 1 wherein the algorithm includes utilizing a random number generator to initially assign priorities each network unit. 8. The method of claim 1 wherein each network unit is a stationary base station. 9. The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless local area network is a IEEE 802.11b network. 10. The method of claim 1 further comprising periodically sampling the retry rate of a network unit and executing a channel re-allocation algorithm if the retry rate exceeds a threshold. 11. The method of claim 10 further comprising utilizing a configuration controller to suspend operations of a group of network units while a re-allocation algorithm is executed. 12. The method of claim 11 wherein said suspended network units are those units directly adjacent to the network unit initiating the re-allocation algorithm. 13. A method of initializing a set of stationary access points for a wireless local area network, the access points being connected to a wired communications network, wherein the access points include transceivers for communicating with mobile units within a predetermined operational range therefrom and are spatially distributed over a region in which the operational range of at least some of the access points overlap, each access point having associated with it a single fixed frequency band selected from a number N of non-overlapping prescribed frequency bands, comprising the steps of: installing the set of access points over the region to achieve a desired spatial coverage for the wireless communication network; simultaneously applying power to said set of access points to initiate an installation software program on each access point; in each access point, listening on each frequency channel in each of the frequency bands for a period of time T to determine the channels with the lowest average noise level, and selecting a preferred frequency band for operation; executing a random number generator in each installation software program in each set of N access point to select a prioritized sequence of access points in the set to activate; in the first access point in the prioritized sequence of the first set, selecting the frequency band with the lowest noise level, setting and specifying operation in said frequency band for operation by said access point, and activating such access point to operate in such band; and in the second and subsequent access points in the prioritized sequence of N access points in the first set, selecting the frequency band with the lowest noise level considering the emitted signals from each previously activated access point, and specifying operation in the frequency band with the lowest average noise level, and activating each such access point in turn to operate in each respective selected band. 14. A method of revising the frequency assignment for a set of stationary access points for a local area network, wherein the access points include transceivers for communicating with mobile units within a predetermined operational range therefrom and the access points are distributed over a region in which the operational range of at least some of the access points overlap, each access point having associated with it a single fixed frequency band or hopping pattern selected from a number N prescribed frequency bands, comprising the steps of: in each access point, listening on each frequency channel in each of the frequency bands for a period of time T to determine the channels with the lowest average noise level, and selecting a preferred frequency band for operation; executing a random number generator in each installation software program in each set of N access point to select a prioritized sequence of access points in the set to activate; in the first access point in the prioritized sequence of the first set, selecting the frequency band with the lowest noise level, setting and specifying operation in said frequency band for operation by said access point, and activating such access point to operate in such band; and in the second and subsequent access points in the prioritized sequence of N access points in the first set, selecting the frequency band with the lowest noise level considering the emitted signals from each previously activated access point, and specifying operation in the frequency band with the lowest average noise level, and activating each such access point in turn to operate in each respective selected band. 15. A computer-readable storage medium containing a set of computer-executable instructions for selecting a frequency channel for use by a network unit among a group of network units in a wireless local area network, the instructions comprising: detecting in each network unit the noise level on each of a plurality of available channels from surrounding stationary network nodes; prioritizing the selection of a channel from the available channels based upon the noise characteristics in each of the available channels measured over a period of time; executing an algorithm in each network unit to determine the sequence of activation of each network unit in the group of network units to select from the prioritized channels; and activating each network unit in turn to select a channel and to subsequently operate such network unit on such selected channel. 16. The computer readable medium of claim 15 wherein the set of available channels are non-overlapping channels in a spread spectrum system. 17. The computer readable medium of claim 15 wherein the group of network units consists of three adjacent units in a hexagonal cell model. 18. The computer readable medium of claim 17 the instructions further comprising repeating the detection of signals from surrounding nodes using a different group of network units. 19. The computer readable medium of claim 15 the instruction further comprising excluding an available frequency channel during subsequent selections once if the available frequency has been selected by a network unit. 20. The computer readable medium of claim 15 the instructions further comprising using power up to initiate the frequency channel selection process. 21. The computer readable medium of claim 15 wherein the algorithm includes utilizing a random number generator to initially assign priorities each network unit. 22. The computer readable medium of claim 15 wherein each network unit is a stationary base station. 23. The computer readable medium of claim 15 wherein the wireless local area network is a IEEE 802.11b network. 24. The computer readable medium of claim 15 the instructions further comprising periodically sampling the retry rate of a network unit and executing a channel re-allocation algorithm if the retry rate exceeds a threshold. 25. The computer readable medium of claim 24 the instructions further comprising utilizing a configuration controller to suspend operations of a group of network units while a re-allocation algorithm is executed. 26. The computer readable medium of claim 25 wherein said suspended network units are those units directly adjacent to the network unit initiating the re-allocation algorithm. 27. A computer-readable storage medium containing a set of computer-executable instructions for initializing a set of stationary access points for a wireless local area network, the access points being connected to a wired communications network, wherein the access points include transceivers for communicating with mobile units within a predetermined operational range therefrom and are spatially distributed over a region in which the operational range of at least some of the access points overlap, each access point having associated with it a single fixed frequency band selected from a number N of non-overlapping prescribed frequency bands, the instructions comprising: installing the set of access points over the region to achieve a desired spatial coverage for the wireless communication network; simultaneously applying power to said set of access points to initiate an installation software program on each access point; in each access point, listening on each frequency channel in each of the frequency bands for a period of time T to determine the channels with the lowest average noise level, and selecting a preferred frequency band for operation; executing a random number generator in each installation software program in each set of N access point to select a prioritized sequence of access points in the set to activate; in the first access point in the prioritized sequence of the first set, selecting the frequency band with the lowest noise level, setting and specifying operation in said frequency band for operation by said access point, and activating such access point to operate in such band; and in the second and subsequent access points in the prioritized sequence of N access points in the first set, selecting the frequency band with the lowest noise level considering the emitted signals from each previously activated access point, and specifying operation in the frequency band with the lowest average noise level, and activating each such access point in turn to operate in each respective selected band. 28. A computer-readable storage medium containing a set of computer-executable instructions for revising the frequency assignment for a set of stationary access points for a local area network, wherein the access points include transceivers for communicating with mobile units within a predetermined operational range therefrom and the access points are distributed over a region in which the operational range of at least some of the access points overlap, each access point having associated with it a single fixed frequency band or hopping pattern selected from a number N prescribed frequency bands, the instructions comprising: in each access point, listening on each frequency channel in each of the frequency bands for a period of time T to determine the channels with the lowest average noise level, and selecting a preferred frequency band for operation; executing a random number generator in each installation software program in each set of N access point to select a prioritized sequence of access points in the set to activate; in the first access point in the prioritized sequence of the first set, selecting the frequency band with the lowest noise level, setting and specifying operation in said frequency band for operation by said access point, and activating such access point to operate in such band; and in the second and subsequent access points in the prioritized sequence of N access points in the first set, selecting the frequency band with the lowest noise level considering the emitted signals from each previously activated access point, and specifying operation in the frequency band with the lowest average noise level, and activating each such access point in turn to operate in each respective selected band.