Special 5GHz Channels

[herpyderp777]

All of the Wi-Fi channels in my area are full. 2.4GHz has dozens of routers and sometimes devices can't even connect. 5GHz is also popular. There are 802.11a access points on 36, 40, 44, 48, 149, 153, 157, 161, and 165. A number of N routers sit on two channels.

I found that my network is fastest if I set the channel to 48 and enable auto 20/40MHz. This results in usage of 48+52. There are no networks in the middle channels except for my use of 52 and one on 124+128 (isn't that illegal?). How do I get my access point to use only middle channels (such as 52+56?).

 

[thiggins]

What router/AP are you using and how do you know that it is using Ch 52?

 

[herpyderp777]

Netgear WNHDE111 and I checked with Inssider on a laptop.

 

[thiggins]

Channel 52 (and others) can be used if an AP supports DFS. Channels 120, 124 and 128 are illegal to use in the US, yes.

Channels that you are allowed to use are controlled by the AP and regulations. If it doesn't present the option, you can't use them (unless you somehow hack).
Check the advanced wireless settings and see if there is a DFS control.

 

[stevech]

All of the Wi-Fi channels in my area are full.

Not important that there are other WiFi systems on a channel; what is important is choosing a channel not near a channel on which a neighbor streams a lot of files or videos via WiFi and thus hogs a lot of air time. Usually, you can merely choose a different channel (among 1, 6 or 11 in 2.4GHz). In 5GHz, the problem is which of your user devices support that band.

 

[herpyderp777]

Channel 52 (and others) can be used if an AP supports DFS. Channels 120, 124 and 128 are illegal to use in the US, yes.

Channels that you are allowed to use are controlled by the AP and regulations. If it doesn't present the option, you can't use them (unless you somehow hack).
Check the advanced wireless settings and see if there is a DFS control.

Huh, it doesn't look like there are any DFS options. Do any consumer access points have DFS? Or is that only in $500+ enterprise ones?

Not important that there are other WiFi systems on a channel; what is important is choosing a channel not near a channel on which a neighbor streams a lot of files or videos via WiFi and thus hogs a lot of air time. Usually, you can merely choose a different channel (among 1, 6 or 11 in 2.4GHz). In 5GHz, the problem is which of your user devices support that band.

Every channel is fully loaded >< I think I implied that when I said that devices had a hard time connecting.

 

[stevech]

DFS must be used in certain regulatory domains, including the US, for certain frequencies in the 5.3-5.8GHz band.
Some consumer products just omit those frequencies as options.

 

[stevech]

Huh, it doesn't look like there are any DFS options. Do any consumer access points have DFS? Or is that only in $500+ enterprise ones?



Every channel is fully loaded >< I think I implied that when I said that devices had a hard time connecting.

Very unlikely that all channels have high concurrent use. I've never seen it, even in dense urban/condos where one can detect 25 SSIDs. So "Fully loaded" is a relative term - when you have the test equipment to know that few or none of those SSIDs use a lot of air time all the time.