Many home wireless Internet users have probably thought about how to choose the best Wi-Fi channel that would guarantee the fastest signal. After all, the download time of sites or individual files depends on the speed of the signal.
Most modern routers are programmed to self-discover and connect to a suitable communication channel, but sometimes users have to do this manually. However, to perform such adjustments, people often lack the technical skills and knowledge. Therefore, for a complete immersion in the problem of choosing a Wi-Fi channel on the router, let's plunge into the theory.
Mostly, modern Wi-Fi routers operate at frequencies from 2.401 - to 2.483 GHz. Frequency bands form special channels. For the Russian Federation, there are 13 of them. You should pay attention to this so as not to make a mistake when setting up the router, since the user is given the choice of the country of operation of the router. If it is wrong to choose a country, for example, a country with only 11 channels, then, accordingly, the router, when setting numbers of a larger denomination, simply will not see the access point. It remains only to manually set the desired channel number, but only from the available range (1-11). Be careful when choosing the country of use, and no additional manual settings should arise.
The newest router models may also support 5 GHz. But in general, users use cheaper models, which, as explained above, operate at 2.4 GHz frequencies. Such routers operate on one (or a pair) of channels, and you can use a special program to find out the channels occupied by neighboring routers. For example, inSSIDer is one of the most popular and free Wi-Fi manipulation software. The program must be downloaded to a computer (or other device used), installed, opened, and you can immediately view the available data on nearby access points (routers and routers). Here is a screenshot of the running inSSIDer program:
You need to look in the "Channel" column. And below you can see the graph of channel usage, which shows which channel is less loaded. The graph shows that at the moment the least loaded channels are from 8 to 13.
On the right of our graph there is a field for displaying the signal of 5 GHz routers, but it is empty, since this diagnostic is available only in the paid version of the program used. This program is relevant for computers, tablets and laptops. If you set up Wi-Fi on your phone, for example, on Android, then you need to use special software applications.
What is the mode of operation of all routers? Routers are most often initially set to automatic channel selection settings. In most cases, the operation of the router in these conditions is perfectly acceptable. However, there are situations when it is necessary to change the channel manually and enter the necessary data.
This is how the TP-Link router setup (automatic) looks like:
In the highlighted line, you can change the automatic mode to manual. To do this, just change the value of the "Channel" section.
This channel selection is necessary when there are many networks in the house and access points are too close to each other.
- Wi-Fi speed drops significantly;
- the connection between the device and the access point is interrupted;
- the signal remains strong, but the connection at a distance from the router is not carried out.
If the above mentioned problems arise, then it is probably worth setting up manual channel selection. So it will be possible to find a free channel, and configure the operation of the router.
You also need to remember that problems with wireless networks happen for various reasons. Before touching the router settings, you must:
- reboot the router;
- completely reset the settings;
- change the location of the router;
- change encryption type.
Selecting a free wireless channel on the router
Whatever router is used, the algorithm for setting up the necessary and free channel on the router is the same for everyone. Tuning the selected channel will take a little time. For this you need to know:
- router IP address;
- web interface password.
You will find this data either in the instructions for the router, or on the label / box of the router itself. You can find instructions on how to enter the router settings on our website. Now consider the choice of a wireless channel using various routers as an example.
D-Link
Consider changing the wifi channel frequency using the DIR-300 NRU as an example.
1. We enter the section SETUP (Settings).
2. Select the subsection on the left - Wireless Setup.
3. Click on the Manual Wireless Connection Setup button, which will help you change the Wi-Fi setup method.
4. In the Wireless Network Settings section, look for the inscription Wireless Channel and make a choice in favor of the desired channel.
5. To save changes to the settings, click Save Settings.
6. We wait a few minutes, disconnect the device from the network and reconnect to Wi-Fi.
TP Link
Consider changing the wifi channel frequency using the TL-WR941N as an example. The first thing to do is go to the TP-Link router settings.
1. Go to the Wireless section. The Wireless Settings subsection will open automatically. Let's go to this section.
2. We are looking for the item Channel and select the number of the channel we need.
3. To save the change in the settings, click Save. Only after this change will take effect.
4. Disconnect from the network, and after a couple of minutes, connect to Wi-Fi again.
Asus
The first thing to do is this.
1. Go to the "Wireless Network" section. In the open interface, a series of tabs will open, we click on "General"
2. In the open tab, look for the “Channel” item, click on its setting.
3. In the list that appears, look for the number of the optimal Wi-Fi channel.
4. Click the Apply button to save the router settings.
5. Turn off Wi-Fi, wait a bit, and reconnect to the network.
ZyXEL
The first thing to do is this.
1. Click on the wireless indicator icon at the bottom of the screen. In the open interface, a Wi-Fi connection window will open, select the "Access Point" section.
2. In the tab that appears, find the sub-item "Channel", click on it.
3. A list will appear. In it we find the number of the desired free Wi-Fi channel.
4. Click the Apply button to finally change the router settings.
5. Turn off the wireless connection, wait a couple of minutes, and we can connect to Wi-Fi.
Or another version of the firmware:
Netgear
1. Click on the Network section.
2. In the open tab, look for the Wireless LAN item and click on its settings.
3. In the first tab General we find the Channel Selection field. Near it we see the marked item Auto Channel Selection. Remove the check mark from it.
3. In the Channel Selection drop-down list, look for the required frequency for correct operation.
4. Press the Apply button to finally change the router settings.
5. We interrupt the wireless connection, after a while we reconnect to Wi-Fi.
So, to select a Wi-Fi channel on the router, you need:
- understand the theory and how the router works;
- study the instructions for the router you are using;
- make sure you need to change the channel;
- according to the router model, change the router channel configuration mode (basically, this is one configuration algorithm).
Choosing the right Wi-Fi channel will optimize performance, improve speed, and extend the life of your router.
Found a typo? Select the text and press Ctrl + Enter
Users often ask how to change the channel on the router so that the Wi-Fi network works better. At first glance, everything looks simple: we find a free radio channel, set its number in the web interface, and save the settings. In this case, the wireless network may no longer be visible at all, and we will look at why. But in principle, no one guarantees that at least one radio channel must be free. We will consider situations that can be called non-standard, and we will indicate how to act in them.
ASUS web interface,
Most routers have 11 channels and auto-select. By default, of course, the "auto" option is used. When setting up, it is recommended to do this: at first everything remains by default, then you see which channel is actually used by the network, and this “real number” is then set instead of “auto”. But the interface of ASUS routers, for example, does not display the radio channel number if auto selection is used. Therefore, to determine the channel number, you need to have a subscriber device (at least one).
Wi-Fi setup, step by step instructions
If we are setting up a mobile router, the value “auto” should remain in it. If the Wi-Fi network is organized in an apartment or office, then it is better to set the radio channel number “explicitly” once and for all.
At the same time, there may be problems: when the web interface allows you to select from 13 channels, and not from 11, then in some cases this is a “plus”, but not in all. Many subscriber Wi-Fi adapters "do not know how", that is, they cannot work on the 12th or 13th channel. And this is another argument to choose the value of the number “explicitly”, and not rely on automation.
Setup sequence
So, having entered the web interface of the router, we select the “auto” parameter and save the settings:
"Wireless Network" -\u003e "General", ASUS
If this option is not provided, then they act differently, and below we will consider how. And now, to make sure there is a network, take any subscriber device and open the list of networks:
WiFi connection, Android
If what you just set up is on the list, then read this chapter further. If not, move on to the next one. Or, try using another device, including a PC with a Wi-Fi adapter.
We will try to determine which radio channel our router has chosen. If you are using an Android device, download and install the Wi-Fi Analyzer app (available on Google Play). By launching this application, you will immediately see a graph that displays all the networks, including ours:
Wi-Fi Analyzer application window
In this example, obviously, the automation did not work quite right: it was necessary to turn on the 10th channel, or even the 11th. So, we go to the web interface and fix the error (set the value to "11"). For Windows, there is also an application that allows you to find a “free” radio channel, and it is called “inSSIDer”. You need to use this program in the same way as the considered Android application.
If something didn't work out
We note right away: in order not to select the channel number “at random”, in any case, you will need a device on which an application is installed that analyzes the air.
These applications have been discussed above. But "Wi-Fi Analyzer", if you download it from "Google Play", does not work at all without a valid Internet connection. That is, the choice is simple: either you must use the "Wi-Fi Analyzer" not quite legally, or you will simply sort through the radio channels. For Windows applications, this problem does not exist.
So, we take a device that analyzes the air, that is, a PC or a smartphone with a suitable program. Let's see what range is free:
InSSIDer program window
Of course, you need to check the broadcast when the custom router is turned off. Then, turn it on to enter the interface and set the number from "1" to "13". And you need to choose this number according to the following rules:
- If a channel width of 40 MHz is used, then one Wi-Fi network occupies 8 bands, and not 4, as in the figure. Some routers are able to "split" a continuous strip into two, but you should not rely on this. In our example, you need to select the number "10" regardless of the value of "Width" (which is set to "20" or "20/40").
- If possible, do not select the main channel number 12, 13, 14. If there are no other options, then make sure that each of the devices can really be connected to such a network.
Those who do not have the "auto" setting in the web interface can use the same tips.
Once again, we will explain how exactly a Wi-Fi network is organized. From the figure it is clear that 4 lanes are always occupied, which, moreover, go in a row. The 5THCONFL network occupies the following gap: 4-5, 5-6… 7-8. This means that the main channel here is the sixth, and the bandwidth is 20 MHz. And the additional radio channel will be located next to the main one (close). Together they will occupy a band whose width is 40 MHz. That is, the "5THCONFL" network can take a period of 4-12, if, of course, the "40 MHz" mode is activated.
Non-standard situations and solutions
Using a program that allows you to analyze the air, you will usually see the following values: -40 dB ... -50 dB. Here we are talking about the signal level characteristic of a standard access point. Being at a distance of 5-6 m from the router, it is generally impossible to get a value better than “-45 dB”. Note that "-6 dB" corresponds to a power reduction of 4 times or a decrease in amplitude by a factor of two.
Analysis result, TD off
Everything that is "below -65 dB" should not worry us at all. But for the example shown in the figure, it is better to exclude the band 1-7 from use. Depending on the capabilities of the router and on the requirements for the network, the following main channel number is selected:
- 9 - if the router "does not know how" to work on channel "number 14", but you definitely need a network using the "40 MHz" mode.
- 10 - you need "40 MHz", and the router can use the 14th radio channel (it is officially prohibited in Russia).
- 11 - It is enough for you to use the "20 MHz" wide band.
It seems that we have completely figured out how to configure wireless networks. If something is not clear, ask a question in the comments. Happy routing!
Spectrum analyzer example
With the development of technology, the Internet has firmly entered the category of mandatory utilities along with the availability of water, electricity and heating in the house. However, massive led to the need to isolate your wifi from many third-party signals.
So, if earlier only administrators of serious closed networks were puzzled by the question of which wifi channel to choose, now, without frequency separation of the signal, errors appear even in simple home wifi access points.
Among the most common problems here are and instability of the wifi signal, the user may also experience "suppression" of his network by third-party signal sources.
The essence of this problem lies in the fact that the router, like any transmitter, emits a signal at a certain carrier frequency. As a rule, the main frequency in the region of 2.4 GHz is allocated here, as well as a small margin to it on both sides, which together forms a working wifi channel.
In the domestic range, the following wifi channels are most often used:
However, at factory settings, most routers only propagate the signal in the range of 1.6 or 11 radio channels. And in modern apartment buildings, dozens and even hundreds of such routers are sometimes grouped in a small area, each of which transmits its own unique signal. And here, as in the wild, the strongest wins: the most powerful and noise-resistant router will become a kind of “jammer” for all the others operating in the same range.
How to change wifi channel in router settings?
You can avoid the problem of “overflowing” the range with signals by changing the wifi channel directly in the router settings.
However, first of all, you need to decide which wifi channel to choose, for which you need a special wireless frequency range analyzer - the program inSSIDer.
By the way, you should install the software only on a PC that has a wifi adapter - for wireless connection to a local network.
After launching this program, a special window will open, in the upper part of which all the working access points found by the program are presented, as well as the channels on which these routers operate.
In the lower part of the window, select the operating frequency of your router (2.4 GHz or 5 GHz), after which a visual graphical picture will be presented for each of the available radio channels.
It remains only to choose which wifi channel is currently free (or the least busy), and in the “Wireless Settings”, “Wireless Network” or “Access Point” tab, depending on the model of your router) and select this channel in the “Channel” column.
You may have already heard about the frequency channels on which wi-fi works, and if you switch to another channel, the Internet speed increases noticeably. If not, then I'll tell you. It’s probably not a secret that everyone has a wi-fi router in the apartment, and everyone takes it more powerfully so that the Internet works stably in every corner of the apartment. And therefore, the radio signal from the rotator is visible even to neighbors, sometimes even after several floors. Thus, the wi-fi signal overlaps each other and can even drown out the signal from your neighbor's router. So what can be done about this. Now some theory. The usable frequency range varies from country to country. We in Russia are allowed to use 13 wireless channels in the frequency range of 2.412 - 2.472 GHz. The nominal speed of each channel is determined by the standard on which the IEEE802.11b/g/n network operates.
In Russia, 3 out of 13 non-intersecting channels are 1.6 and 11. What does this mean, it means that if your neighbor behind the wall has a router running on channel 1, and yours is on channel 3, then most likely they will conflict with each other, thereby reducing the speed of the Internet on gadgets. If the wireless device is made in the USA and was intended to work in the USA, you can use channels 1 to 11 on it, if you set the wi-fi in the router to channel 12 or 13, the device simply will not see the access point.
And how to choose the right channel.
1. Download the wi-fi Analyzer application to your smartphone or tablet
2. Run the application and find the freest channel. At different times of the day, the situation with the channels may change depending on the location in the apartment.
3. Please note that channels 1, 6 and 11 do not intersect.
4. Now go to your router. There are many articles on this site where you can find information on how to do this, we find the wi-fi or wireless tab or menu, there should be a Channel field and select the channel you need in the drop-down menu.
Here is a picture on the example of a D-Link 2640u router
For a reliable wireless network, you need to set a channel number that is different from other visible networks in your home or whose signal is very weak.
To check the speed of the Internet connection on your smartphone or tablet, I recommend downloading the speedtest.net application
To see what maximum speed your laptop supports via wi-fi, go to "network and sharing center" then "change adapter settings" then find the wireless network, right-click select the status and there should be written the maximum speed that the network supports map. The network card can be changed, you just need to take into account that the router itself supports the required speed.
Good day to all and all such other difference. Today we'll talk about what WiFi channels.
Channel for WiFi is set on the side of the "broadcaster", i.e., in our case, the router. How to get into the settings of this very router, we have already written several times, including in the material that is mentioned at the very beginning of this article.
Let's dive into the details
It is believed that there are "overlapping" channels WiFi and non-overlapping. The latter is usually understood as 1/6/11 "and they say, supposedly using them you will get the greatest increase in speed and the least amount of interference.
However, this is not always the case, because WiFi This is a broadband technology and it is impossible to completely contain the signal within the channel.
After downloading, in fact, unpack the archive and install the program. Installation is extremely simple and I will not dwell on it.
Given that you have enabled on your laptop WiFi, when you start the program, you will see a picture (the screenshot above is clickable) of all networks that you can reach, that is, you won’t need any extra gestures.
Next, you just have to observe which of the channels are busy, what signal strength they have, what protocol they use, and so on, and then, based on the collected statistics, switch the broadcast on the router to the desired position.
So it goes.
Afterword
In a nutshell, something like this. I hope that the article was useful and interesting to someone, since for some reason the topic is not taken into account by many, although it is extremely useful.
As always, if you have any questions, thoughts, additions, and so on, then welcome to comment on this post.
