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Question about wifi control channel

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Mokume1

Occasional Visitor
Newb throwing this question out...

What are the advantages of assigning a wifi control channel manually on 2.4 gHZ when surrounding routers are on the same channel insofar as to prevent interference?

My system is presently set automatically on channel 8, is this is setting dynamic as my router seeks (and others surrounding me) seek the best channel with reduced overlap?

I'm not experiencing networking issues, but just curious about this setting.

TIA!
 
My system is presently set automatically on channel 8

If your router is mostly selecting Ch8 on Auto - lock it on Ch8 and hold your ground. Otherwise the hunt for best channel will never end. Don't follow the common 1-6-11 advice. It's valid only if you control all the APs around. I believe you don't. Use the best available bandwidth channel instead.
 
Setting a channel is recommended because some wifi devices seem to "pause" or time-out when they have to reacquire the connection to the router, if the router changes the channel.

If you're not noticing any issues (video hiccups are most noticeable), then leave it at auto.

Keep in mind that channel 8 overlaps with channel 6 and possibly 11 (depending on channel width). If possible, you're better off choosing 1, 6 or 11 (whichever is least busy in your area) at 20 MHz width to reduce the potential for interference.
 
you're better off choosing 1, 6 or 11

Not valid for years. First - newer radios deal better with interference; second - it doesn't matter how many radios are tuned to one channel, but how many are active. A lot of people hurt themselves walking around with Wi-Fi Analyzer app and following Steve Gibson type advice from 802.11b/g era.

Why is @Mokume1 router selecting Ch8? Broadcom guys don't know what they are doing and the users are expected to fix their mistake?
 
Not valid for years. First - newer radios deal better with interference; second - it doesn't matter how many radios are tuned to one channel, but how many are active.

You keep claiming this, and I keep not believing you. There is no way that running on channel 8 doesn't conflict with neighbors using both channels 6 and 11. There is not some magically free spectrum in between, and neither the laws of physics nor the FCC regulations have changed. Sure, it matters how many of those neighbors are active, but the number active on either channel is not less than the number active on both.

Why is @Mokume1 router selecting Ch8? Broadcom guys don't know what they are doing and the users are expected to fix their mistake?

Can't say what Broadcom knows or doesn't know about this, but ASUS sure haven't covered themselves with glory, and I'd be more inclined to blame such choices on them. For starters, they're defaulting to 40MHz bandwidth on 2.4GHz, and that is flat-out folly unless you live somewhere with only cows for neighbors.
 
Gentlemen, gentlemen....

I didn't realize that my inquiry would stir up such vigorous debate, although such banter is worthwhile for voicing different opinions, I thank you both for your responses.

For what it's worth, I've decided to let the router choose the appropriate channel, much like placing my vehicle's transmission in "Drive" range...I simply let the onboard electronics select the appropriate gear for the particular driving conditions.

No, my vehicles are not equipped with CVT transmissions either, I absolutely abhor that POS and will never own a directly fossil fueled vehicle so equipped.
 
You keep claiming this, and I keep not believing you.

It's okay. You can test the throughput yourself on different channels.

Can't say what Broadcom knows or doesn't know about this, but ASUS sure haven't covered themselves with glory

Channel selection comes from the wireless driver, in this case Broadcom.
 
Just hit the block button. Don't feed the troll.

Gentlemen, gentlemen....

I didn't realize that my inquiry would stir up such vigorous debate, although such banter is worthwhile for voicing different opinions, I thank you both for your responses.

For what it's worth, I've decided to let the router choose the appropriate channel, much like placing my vehicle's transmission in "Drive" range...I simply let the onboard electronics select the appropriate gear for the particular driving conditions.

No, my vehicles are not equipped with CVT transmissions either, I absolutely abhor that POS and will never own a directly fossil fueled vehicle so equipped.

Sadly, even snb has members who just spew absolutely baseless verbiage, purporting to be fact.

My response stands and is generally accepted as true and appropriate, you do what works for you in your situation.
 
Garage companies like Qualcomm and Broadcom obviously know little about Wi-Fi. Good we have knowledgeable folks around.
 

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