NETGEAR is aware of a growing number of phone and online scams. To learn how to stay safe click here.
Forum Discussion
Can't change Orbi RBR50 channel to one recommended by the Orbi app
When I run the Wifi Analytics on my Adnroid Orbi app, it recommeds channels like 2 and 4, which show "Best Clarity"; however, my Orbi settings will not let me use any other channel than 36, 40, 44, a...
p.s. There is some controversy over the wisdom of "fixing" the 2.4G WiFi channel. Most WiFi routers (i.e. all your neighbors) are designed to scan the 2.4G spectrum periodically and select what the router thinks is the least congested channel. (The "auto" setting.) If you decide "2 is what I want. I will STAY THERE FOREVER" and many of your neighbor routers also switch to channel 2, then it may no longer be so great. There are plenty of opinions on the subject.
In corporate environments, where the IT department administers all of the WiFi access points, the common practice is to use only channels 1, 6, and 11 (in North America) and create a "grid" of access points that have the least interference with each other. This has turned into sort of a "mantra" ("Use ONLY 1, 6, or 11") Which would be great if you owned all the WiFi routers on the block. Set one house to 1, the next house to 6, the next house to 11, the next house to 1, then 6, 11, 1, 6, 11 etc. But, you do not control every WiFi router on the block.
Thanks for the reply, but why would the Orbi app recommend channels I cannot change the Orbi to in the browser wireless settings?
KurtOrbiUser wrote:Thanks for the reply, but why would the Orbi app recommend channels I cannot change the Orbi to in the browser wireless settings?
Don't use the app too many problems
leave the WiFi channel selection to auto
if you do change the channel I guarantee that within a few days that channel will be crowded
Your neighbors may be doing the same.
KurtOrbiUser wrote:Thanks for the reply, but why would the Orbi app recommend channels I cannot change the Orbi to in the browser wireless settings?
WiFi 2.4G channel selection is a "drop down" menu with the default being "auto" (see image attached).
Click the "down arrow" to open the menu of channels from 1 to 11 (North America). 1-13 (reset of world) 1-14 (Japan)
KurtOrbiUser wrote:Thanks for the reply, but why would the Orbi app recommend channels I cannot change the Orbi to in the browser wireless settings?
a better question..."why are you using the app...?"
FWIW, the app told me channel 48 was "poor" because there were 8 other networks on the channel. I then changed my 5G channel to 36 using the browser interface. When I ran the analytics in the app again, it told me channel 36 was "average" - 4 other networks, but it also reported that channel 48 was now "best" with only 1 other network.
Conclusion: whatever the heck it is that the app is reporting about channel interference, it changes dramatically over very little time and might as well be ignored.
