OT: Avoiding wireless interference / ifconfig's S:N output

[Erik Norgaard]

Hi:

I'm not a radio engineer so I'm asking here: My network neighbourhood is 
getting crowded:

SSID            BSSID              CHAN RATE   S:N     INT CAPS
javinat         00:30:65:1f:96:34    1   11M -90:-95  100 EP
WLAN_F9         00:02:cf:74:9c:20    1   54M -86:-95  100 EPS
Livebox-E018    00:1e:4c:56:ae:c9    1   54M -94:-95  100 EP   WPA
MYNET		00:14:7c:41:fd:b6    6   54M -63:-94  100 ES
Jazztel Wir...  00:c0:a8:b4:9e:6a   11   54M -87:-95  100 EP
Lynch           00:18:84:80:70:3e    7   54M -94:-95  100 EPS  WPA RSN 
WME ATH
WLAN_03         00:16:38:ea:52:e9    3   54M -92:-94  100 EP
WLAN_D3         00:1a:2b:6b:cc:be    3   54M -92:-94  100 EP
WLAN_9B         00:02:cf:5d:3c:34    4   54M -91:-94  100 EPSB
WLAN_01         00:60:b3:f3:b8:ba   10   54M -153:-96  200 EPSB
Livebox-6A50    00:1d:d9:5d:c9:eb    1   54M -94:-95  100 EP   WPA
FON_Lynch       00:18:84:80:70:3d    7   54M -94:-95  100 ES   WME ATH
WLAN_C6         00:1a:2b:68:f5:31    3   54M -90:-90  100 EP
default         00:01:38:50:ce:b5    1   54M -93:-93  100 ES
MyPlace         00:18:84:81:d3:be    5   54M -95:-95  100 EPS  WPA WME ATH
Livebox-A780    00:1e:4c:39:03:9d    1   54M -35:-96  100 E
WLAN_09         00:60:b3:f7:13:2e    9   54M -95:-96  200 EPSB
WLAN_1F         00:01:38:65:25:c9    6   54M -93:-94  100 EPS  WME
WLAN_0D         00:02:cf:6c:08:59    9   54M -96:-95  100 EPS

My current AP is MYNET, the AP is located right next to my BSD box that 
did the scan. It appears that there are others that actually provide 
better signal ??

First - how do I interpret the S:N numbers? Less negative S is better? 
Are there any units to this number?

Second, should I move to a different channel or is it irrelevant as long 
as I use 6 or 11 since S ~ N in most cases?

Thanks, Erik
-- 
Erik Nørgaard
Ph: +34.666334818                           http://www.locolomo.org