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Forum Discussion
Orbi 770 - Use MLO backhaul? Use 5Ghz DFS or leave at 40? And Wifi 7 connection issue questions.
I recently purchased the RBE773 (Orbi 770 3-pack system) - got a nice deal 1) 5 GHz - Use channel 40 (default) or one of the 5GHz DFS channels? Is there a benefit to changing the 5GHz channel fr...
njweb wrote:
1) 5 GHz - Use channel 40 (default) or one of the 5GHz DFS channels?
Is there a benefit to changing the 5GHz channel from '40' to one of the 5GHz DFS channels?
Short answer: maybe, but not much.
Long answer: The WiFi channel number is used for WiFi management frames which are used to coordinate WiFi activity. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/802.11_frame_types
Because they have to be read by every WiFi device, no matter how old, they use only the lowest possible speed setting (6MHz for the 5G frequency). There is a panel in the Orbi 'app' called WiFi Analytics which displays the number of WiFi systems broadcasting management frames on each frequency. (swipe right to reach this display).
Selecting a frequency with the fewest WiFi systems means less possibility of interference.
However, regular data frames, 99.9% of the activity, use the widest number of channels possible. No matter what channel has been set for control activity, when it comes to sending data, every WiFi system tries to use as wide a data band (number of channels) as are available at that instant.
CrimpOn wrote:2025-01-19 12:15 PM@njweb wrote:
1) 5 GHz - Use channel 40 (default) or one of the 5GHz DFS channels?
Is there a benefit to changing the 5GHz channel from '40' to one of the 5GHz DFS channels?
Short answer: maybe, but not much.
Long answer: The WiFi channel number is used for WiFi management frames which are used to coordinate WiFi activity. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/802.11_frame_types
Because they have to be read by every WiFi device, no matter how old, they use only the lowest possible speed setting (6MHz for the 5G frequency). There is a panel in the Orbi 'app' called WiFi Analytics which displays the number of WiFi systems broadcasting management frames on each frequency. (swipe right to reach this display).
Selecting a frequency with the fewest WiFi systems means less possibility of interference.
However, regular data frames, 99.9% of the activity, use the widest number of channels possible. No matter what channel has been set for control activity, when it comes to sending data, every WiFi system tries to use as wide a data band (number of channels) as are available at that instant.
Thanks a lot! I was considering s checking how much competing 5GHz activity is nearby and which channels they are using.But for now I may leave the channel alone given the benefit might be limited anyway as you noted.I can always play around with it during the week.