Re: A question about 5GHz wireless channel setting

gr8sho · ‎2019-03-10

Admitedly I haven't paid much attention to the wireless settings in the management console, but I am aware my RBR50 is using channel 48. When troubleshooting a different issue, I used wifi analyzer to see what was going on and found my neighbors wifi was stepping on my channel 48. The channel setting in the Orbi came up this way after a cold start factory reset. By comparison, the 2.4GHz radio channel is set to automatic, but the 5GHz only offers 4 choices strangely, but assume this is intentional and by design. Any rationale for this, just curious?

gr8sho · ‎2019-03-10

I moved the 5GHz channel from 48 to 44 and noticed a warning about wifi alliance and 20/40 MHz Coexistence.

Everything seems connected AFAIK but want to know if I need to switch it back.

JammasterC · ‎2019-03-10

How far away is your neighbor?

5GHz channel doesn't travel well through walls and further.distances.

gr8sho · ‎2019-03-10

Next door. The homes are on 1/3 acre lots so can’t give precise measurement as I don’t know where in his house the router is . But it’s enough to register on the scanner tool.
You’re probably right that it’s not enough to be an interference issue but I’d just as well keep my side clean as possible.

FURRYe38 · ‎2019-03-11

Before MESH and Tri band routers, the signel 5Ghz radio supported channels 36-48 and 149-165. Since the advent of triband, chipset mfrs split the 5Ghz radios into two, one channelization set for 36-48 and the 2nd 5Ghz radio set for 149-165. Now with the advent of MESH, Chipset mfrs use this "wireless backhaul" set on the 2nd 5Ghz radio, hidden and just used between the remote satellie(s) and the base router. Thus only the 1st 5Ghz radio is made user available and configurable on channels 36 - 48 only. Mostly by design and govt communication rules mfr have to follow. DFS is slowly coming to routers. This add more channel availability to wifi routers. Not sure if current gen Orbi will see DFS. Probably next gen.

gr8sho · ‎2019-03-11

Interesting. This may explain the phantom signal I’m seeing on channel 157. Anyway to know for sure the exact channel backhaul is using?

FURRYe38 · ‎2019-03-11

Power OFF the Orbi while you watch the scanner app. If it disappears, then re-appears after you turn ON the Orbi, you'll know.

gr8sho · ‎2019-03-11

Good idea, but that wasn't it. Unfortunately the Amazon tablet isn't able to see the newer intermediiate channels and it would have made more sense for NG to choose one of those less used channels for backhauling traffic I'll see if I can get my hands on a better tool to check.

At least moving the primary traffic to channel 44 is good enough to have a clean signal there. As for what else is pushing a signal, I suspect the Arris router is still transmitting even though the radios are supposedly turned off and the power output lowered.

ekhalil · ‎2019-03-11

Please check this post: https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/5Ghz-channels/m-p/1538610#M26710
And this one: https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/Understanding-Orbi-Radio-Fronthaul-Backhaul/m-p/1671092#M46569

FURRYe38 · ‎2019-03-11

Well you can turn OFF the Arris modem/router and see if the scan app shows any differences. Then turn it back on.

There are to places I think for Arris, there is a enable or disable SSID then I think there is a disable WiFi broadcast somewhere in the advanced settings. Ensure that the Advanced WiFi broadcast settings are disabled.

Some channels can't be used by chipset Mfrs so NG and others have to abide by what is regulated by the FCC.

@gr8sho wrote:

Good idea, but that wasn't it. Unfortunately the Amazon tablet isn't able to see the newer intermediiate channels and it would have made more sense for NG to choose one of those less used channels for backhauling traffic I'll see if I can get my hands on a better tool to check.

At least moving the primary traffic to channel 44 is good enough to have a clean signal there. As for what else is pushing a signal, I suspect the Arris router is still transmitting even though the radios are supposedly turned off and the power output lowered.

gr8sho · ‎2019-03-12

Yes, I did three things I did on the Arris. One was to manually set the channel to one of the non standard ones, then I lowered the transmit power to 1%, and finally turned the radios off.
I’ll search if there’s a further way to determine the origin of the signals I see.

Thanks!

gr8sho · ‎2019-03-12

Thank you. The backhaul channels must be the ones I see in the 149+ range. No SSID.

The provided links are awesome.