This chapter's main objective is to discuss and to some extent dispel some common myths and misconceptions associated with interference mitigation solutions. Our goal is to shed some light on the lessons learned while researching and developing solutions.

A common path taken in the development of interference mitigation techniques often begins by identifying solutions developed for different purposes and applying to the problem at hand. In general, this path constitutes an extremely powerful approach, and examples given in Chapter 7, including time and spectral multiplexing, clearly demonstrate the effectiveness of the resulting solutions. However, applying solutions out of the original context for which they were developed is no simple task, since it requires a careful examination of all the parameters and the assumptions that come into play. It is often when this step is overlooked that myths are constructed.

Contrary to common belief, we show that some techniques often associated with interference mitigation do not constitute solutions. These techniques may in fact aggrevate the interference problem or have a negative impact on the overall system performance. They constitute what we call pitfalls that should be avoided if possible.

We find two recurring myths in most pitfalls studied, although this list is far from exhaustive.

1. Dealing with interference is similar to dealing with random noise and other wireless channel propagation properties and impairments.

2. A set of system parameters such as transmitted power, offered load, packet size, error correction scheme, and modulation techniques can be optimized in order to mitigate interference.