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Connecting RAX50 router with Extender AC7500-- channel issue

KG101
Aspirant

Connecting RAX50 router with Extender AC7500-- channel issue

Extender wants the 5g channel on the router set to 149- 165. The router is set at 44 and only goes up to 128. The 5G connection with the extender doesn't work well.

 

Suggestions?

Thanks

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Razor512
Prodigy

Re: Connecting RAX50 router with Extender AC7500-- channel issue

If the router is set to 160MHz channel width (the "Up to 4800 Mbps" setting), then the highest channel will be 128. To use the upper channels, set the speed to "Up to 2400 Mbps" which will cause it to use 80MHz channel width.

 

This is due to some of the arbitrary RF restrictions on WiFi channels in the US. Channels 149-161, add up to only 80MHz.

 

The reason why the AC7500 recommends the upper band, is because the radio set for the 5.18GHz to 5.7GHz range, operates at a transmit power of 309mW on non-DFS channels, and 250mW on DFS channels (the 250mW is an arbitrary FCC imposed limit).

 

The Radio set for channels 149-161 (5.745GHz - 5.825GHz) operates at 568mW.

 

Depending on the distance, the lower transmit power will have no noticeable impact on performance, but if you are close to the edge of the coverage area, the higher transmit power radio will be able to sustain a higher transmit power.

The RAX50 will do 936mW transmit power on the lower part of the 5GHz band, and 998 mW on the upper part of the 5GHz band (but they still have to comply with the arbitrary FCC limit of 250mW on the DFS channels, so avoid them if possible.

When using 160MHz channel width, the router has no choice but to use part of the DFS range since the arbitrary restrictions have made it so that there is no contiguous 160MHz of non-DFS spectrum on the 5GHz band.

 

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Message 2 of 3

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Razor512
Prodigy

Re: Connecting RAX50 router with Extender AC7500-- channel issue

If the router is set to 160MHz channel width (the "Up to 4800 Mbps" setting), then the highest channel will be 128. To use the upper channels, set the speed to "Up to 2400 Mbps" which will cause it to use 80MHz channel width.

 

This is due to some of the arbitrary RF restrictions on WiFi channels in the US. Channels 149-161, add up to only 80MHz.

 

The reason why the AC7500 recommends the upper band, is because the radio set for the 5.18GHz to 5.7GHz range, operates at a transmit power of 309mW on non-DFS channels, and 250mW on DFS channels (the 250mW is an arbitrary FCC imposed limit).

 

The Radio set for channels 149-161 (5.745GHz - 5.825GHz) operates at 568mW.

 

Depending on the distance, the lower transmit power will have no noticeable impact on performance, but if you are close to the edge of the coverage area, the higher transmit power radio will be able to sustain a higher transmit power.

The RAX50 will do 936mW transmit power on the lower part of the 5GHz band, and 998 mW on the upper part of the 5GHz band (but they still have to comply with the arbitrary FCC limit of 250mW on the DFS channels, so avoid them if possible.

When using 160MHz channel width, the router has no choice but to use part of the DFS range since the arbitrary restrictions have made it so that there is no contiguous 160MHz of non-DFS spectrum on the 5GHz band.

 

Message 2 of 3
KG101
Aspirant

Re: Connecting RAX50 router with Extender AC7500-- channel issue

Thank you for the explanation. I've made the change-- so far, so good.

Message 3 of 3
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