Spectrum sensing with WLAN access points

With wireless communication becoming increasingly common in simple everyday devices, the available spectrum is quickly filling up and the risk of interference is increasing. This interference could be a slight nuisance or a disruption to critical services. To better understand the quantity and type of traffic in congested environments, a potential spectrum sensing solution in the ISM bands is discussed. By using a commercially available wireless access point we may be able to monitor the spectrum within range of the access point. If the electromagnetic environment is better understood, device manufacturers should be better able to test their products before deployment, ensuring they can still perform in a crowded electromagnetic environment.