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Forum Discussion
5GHz Channel Setting on Router
I've noticed in the Orbi app on my Android under WiFi Analytics, it almost always says my current channel is 40, which is only GOOD because it has 3 networks on it. Channel 36, however, always shows BEST because it only has 1 network on it, so I went into the router settings, and it was set to Channel 48 (not 40?). I changed it to 36. After saving, it still shows my current channel is 40 in Wifi Analytics. Why doesn't it try to use 36 if I set it to 36?
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One thing worth mentioning, in the wireless settings on the router I saw this:
5 GHz Channel 36 + 40(P) + 44 + 48 Does the (P) next to the 40 mean "Primary" or "Preferred"? Where is that setting and can I change it to 36?
There isn't much point in changing it unless you narrow your channel width.
Because of channel overlap, even if you set it at channel 36, it'll overlap to those other channels.
So its a bit pointless for most consumers unless you narrow the channel width (which slows speeds).
Good thing is, 5ghz doesn't broadcast as far, through as much materials, and is significantly faster so it greatly reduces the interference in comparison to 2.4ghz.
So not really much to worry about.
kskistad wrote:
One thing worth mentioning, in the wireless settings on the router I saw this:
5 GHz Channel 36 + 40(P) + 44 + 48 Does the (P) next to the 40 mean "Primary" or "Preferred"? Where is that setting and can I change it to 36?
The P indicates Primary. In 5G WiFi, all management frames (such as Beacon frames, Association Frames, Probes, etc. are sent at the lowest possible speed (6MB) so that every device will be able to read them (even the very oldest). The Primary channel is used for these frames. When actual data is transmitted, the WiFi system detects the maximum possible speed, which can involve all 80MB of bandwidth.
Thus, as plemans pointed out, when the 5G band is actually being used, as many of the channels that are available at that instant are used. It is only the management traffic that is kept to the one channel.
