With a wireless intercom system, you can be up and running minutes after you take them out of the box and power them up.

But with that ease of installation and convenience also comes some risk. There is risk of interference from other wireless and electrical devices. Other wireless devices near the intercom such as cordless telephones, wireless data networks, and remote audio speakers can interfere. Electrical devices such as motors can also cause noise.

There is also risk of other people hearing your conversations by picking up your conversation on a scanner, baby monitor, cordless phone, or a similar device on the same frequency. However, there are wireless intercoms that reduce or eliminate both of these risks.

The United States and Canada have several frequency ranges for wireless intercom systems and other wireless products. They are 49MHz, FM band (200KH - 270KHz), 900MHz, 2.4GHz, 5.8GHz, and MURS (150 MHz). There are also Power Line Carrier units that communicate over house wiring that are referred to as wireless intercoms.

49MHz

The 49MHz frequency was used by early cordless telephones and is still used by baby monitors and other low-end wireless products. Its range is short and conversations are not secure. It is also the most likely frequency to pick up noise from electrical devices. There are no known wireless intercom systems that use this band.

FM band (200KH - 270KHz)

You will find intercom systems that use the FM frequency. They may work well for you and they may not. It depends on what other transmitting and electrical devices are nearby. They are also more prone to electrical interference. They are also not secure so anyone can listen to your conversations. The largest percentage of people who purchase FM wireless intercoms are are not happy with them.

900MHz

900 MHz products were next to market. The 900 MHz radio frequency band is used only in North America, Australia, and Israel. When these products first came to market they communicated using analog technology. One problem with analog 900MHz products is that they allowed other people to hear your conversations if they had a device that is using the same frequency.  Now some 900MHz products use digital spread spectrum which divides digital transmission across a range of frequencies so other devices can’t eavesdrop on your conversations.

The IntercomsOnline.com WireFree intercom is a 900MHhz wireless intercom system. The WireFree wireless intercom system even creates a private network when you first set up your intercoms so other devices cannot listen to your conversations. Even other units of the same brand cannot listen to your conversations unless they are taught the same security code that your wireless intercoms use (that can only be done by having access to one of your units).

2.4GHz

After 900MHz came 2.4GHz frequency devices. 2.4GHz is used worldwide (Including in North America, Australia, and Israel). There aren't too many wireless intercoms available in this range except for video intercom systems.

But one of the problems with 2.4GHz wireless devices is that this is the frequency range used by WiFi wireless data networks (802.11B/G) in residential and business.

If you have a wireless connection to the Internet or other PCs in your house or business, this network could interfere with your wireless intercom system. However, the majority of people don’t experience any problems in mixing 2.4GHz systems.

As an example, one of the problems users have experienced is their WiFi network resets every time they use their wireless intercom, which then causes the intercom to reset. Or they simply hear clicking noise on their intercom system.

If you do experience interference, the setup for the wireless data routers allows you to select the wireless channels the router uses to communicate. So if you experience problems you could try changing the channels.

But the problem with this is that many 2.4GHz devices use spread spectrum technology. That means they are changing frequency every second or less. They often use the entire 2.4GHz spectrum allocated to these products so changing the frequency on your wireless network will do no good. If you use a wireless network in your house and you choose a video intercom that uses this frequency, make sure there is a return policy that lets you test the unit and return it if you experience interference.

5.8GHz

Now 5.8GHz products are starting to make their appearance. So far, about the only product available in this frequency range are cordless phones. There are no known wireless intercoms in this frequency. 5.8GHz devices are totally compatible with 2.4GHz and other frequencies so no problems should be experienced in mixing these.

MURS - 150MHz

The 150 MHz frequency is a Citizens Band radio spectrum that is called the MURS service. MURS stands for Multi-Use Radio Service. This is a newly created service for use in the United States and Canada. It is a low power, short range service in the VHF (Very High Frequency) 150 MHz Citizens Band radio spectrum.

The FCC does not require users of products for these bands to be licensed, but it does impose strict regulations on the types of products and services that may be supplied to consumers.

Previously the FCC came out with the Family Radio Service (FRS) in the 462 and 467 MHz spectrum in which you can find handheld units, but no intercom systems based on this service. MURS is similar to FRS but it has a power increase of four times that of FRS radio. And unlike FRS, you can add a larger or external antenna to improve range. If you want to put an antenna on top of your house, you can do it with MURS. Some antenna manufacturers claim an external antenna can increase the effective radiated power of a transmitter by a factor of 4. These MURS intercoms can transmit up to four miles, and perhaps more with an external antenna. These units are not secure, but there are fewer systems in use and few devices outside of a scanner to intercept this frequency.  The IntercomsOnline.com MURS 4 Mile Range Intercom uses the MURS frequency.

Power Line Carrier Systems

Power Line Carrier (PLC) intercom systems communicate using a very low FM frequency over your house’s existing 110 volt AC house wiring that supplies power to receptacles and light fixtures. You just plug them in anywhere you have an outlet and they’re ready to go. Technically they are not wireless, but they are sold that way.

While they sound like the ideal solution for basic applications, most users are typically not happy with these intercom systems.

These units are very susceptible to interference from both inside and outside the house or business. You may experience buzzing, poor audio, or they may work perfectly well for you. You also could experience problems with units not being able to communicate because of the way your house wiring is done. The signal may not be able to cross to the second "phase" of your house wiring (220 Volts is run to each house and then split into two phases to give you 110 Volts). These intercoms are usually very inexpensive. These systems are not recommended for most people, but they are cheap.

Choose a System For You

So finding the right wireless intercom system for you really depends on your application and the wireless products you already have in your home or business. It also depends on the wireless products those around you are using. When it comes to using wireless products, there is no guarantee that you won't experience some type of interference, so look for a vendor who has a guaranteed return policy if the system you choose doesn't work for you. Then you really can't lose by trying a wireless intercom system.

To see the high-quality wireless intercom systems offered by IntercomsOnline.com, click here: wireless intercom