Use the best channel for your WIFI connection

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bigpup
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Use the best channel for your WIFI connection

Post by bigpup »

WIFI signals use channels to broadcast the signal.

Depending on the amount of other WIFI signals in your area.
There could be multiple signals on the same channel.
If the same channel you are using.
Interference is possible.

2.4Ghz, 5Ghz, 6Ghz signals, all have a different amount of channels, that could be used.

2.4Ghz has up to 14 different channels, but also some overlap, so not very good to use these.

5Ghz has up to 36 different channels and none overlap.

All routers come with a preset default channel setting.
A lot of them use channel 6 default setting for 2.4Ghz signal.
So everyone on 2.4Ghz most likely is set to use channel 6, if they do not go into router settings, and change to using a different channel.

This is how to change the channel of your WIFI router.

Use this command in a terminal to see all WIFI signals and their info:

Code: Select all

nmcli dev wifi

Note:
This command may not work in all Puppy versions.
May need to use, whatever network connection program you use, to let it show this information.
Info should be in the scan for WIFI signals.

Find your WIFI router signal info and compare channel used to others listed.

You can change your WIFI router channel by going into the router setup.

Usually typing into a web browser address the router address, which opens to the router settings.

Try changing to a channel not being used or one not used as much.

Close the router setup making sure to save the changes.

This should now be the channel being used.

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Re: Use the best channel for your WIFI connection

Post by fr-ke »

A note from my own experience

5Ghz and 6Ghz often no longer work in the next room.
2.4Ghz is therefore often unavoidable if a slightly larger area needs to be covered.
In a densely built-up area you have a lot of neighbors and lots of WiFi.
It is important to know that in the 2.4Ghz network most routers/access points give you the choice between 20Mhz and 40Mhz bandwidth. 20Mhz requires 4 channels of 5Mhz each and 40Mhz requires 8 channels.
Since the bandwidth of the individual channels in the 2.4 GHz band leads to overlaps, only three non-overlapping channels are available at 20 MHz.

In areas with many neighboring WLANs, it is therefore recommended to use 20Mhz bandwidth and only channels 1.6 and 11.
This is usually also the setting for automatic channel selection. All channels in between would not only affect a neighboring WiFi channel but two.
For example, for downloads, the larger bandwidth of 40 MHz can be an advantage despite the more frequent interruptions caused by neighboring WIFI. For time-critical applications where latencies play a role, such as: zoom or VOWIFI, 40Mhz bandwidth is definitely a disadvantage.

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