Ps4 slim 5ghz wifi: Why Can’t I Connect to 5GHz WiFi On PS4? [How to Solve It!]

Why Can’t I Connect to 5GHz WiFi On PS4? [How to Solve It!]

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You just got your new PS4 and it has been stuck on the 2.4 GHz WiFi. Or maybe you’re trying to connect to a 5 GHz WiFi network and can’t figure it out.

This issue usually appears because of the wrong model of PS4, which doesn’t support 5GHz or maybe you need to add some changes in the network settings. First, you need to find out what causes the problem, so then you can use the right methods to solve it.

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Can The PS4 Connect To 5GHz?

The quick answer to this question is yes. You can connect certain models of PS4 to 5GHz. If you want to boost the internet speed for a better experience, definitely change your 2. 4GHz connection to 5GHz.

To connect to 5GHz, you need to have PS4 Slim or PS4 Pro models. These have the needed 5GHz features, so you will have more opportunities using them.

Unfortunately, the original or regular PS4 models can not be connected to 5GHz, because they don’t support this connection and don’t have the needed feature.

So as long as you have other models besides the original one, you should be able to easily connect to the 5GHz network. And you should not face any issues. That’s why you need to check the model of your PS4 before trying to connect to the network.

What Is The Difference 2.4GHz vs. 5GHz Speed?

2.4GHz and 5GHz have many differences. 5GHz WiFi is much faster than 2.4GHz at closer distances, meaning if you want to use 5GHz for long distances, it won’t work as well.

2.4GHz is considerably slower, however, its primary advantage is that it covers longer distances.

So one of the major downsides of 5GHz WiFi is the limited range of its coverage. Even though 5GHz is faster and seems better, the 2.4GHz WiFi is more popular among the users.

Another thing that differentiates 2.4GHz and 5GHz is that there are fewer people choosing to use 5GHz than there are using 2.4GHz. However, the number of people using 5GHz has been rapidly increasing these days.

As mentioned previously, the 2.4GHz WiFi allows you to gain access to the access point at further distances, meaning you can fill big areas with an uninterrupted WiFi connection. When using 5GHz you need to have more access points to achieve the same coverage.

Currently, many devices are compatible with 5GHz WiFi channels. The situation with the popularity of 5GHz is constantly changing. The reason people are using the 5GHz channels to connect is that they aren’t very crowded.

It means that users are able to use the WiFi connections with less interference. This affects the connection speed as well.

Another important thing to mention about 2.4GHz and 5GHz is that a 2. 4GHz connection can transmit through walls and other hard objects.

5GHz is not good at this. It doesn’t penetrate objects and that makes it not good for long distances. It influences the range of the 5GHz network.

WiFi Alliance certified 5GHz devices as “WiFi Certified” in 2016, which makes the 5GHz technology relatively new. If you’re using the devices, which were made before 2016, the chances are they will not support the 5GHz network.

So, the 5GHz is a great option if you need the speed for better experiences.

When it comes to gaming, the 5GHz will definitely bring you a better gaming experience due to the fast connection. It’s safe to say that 5GHz is vastly superior to 2.4GHz in gaming. You need to test your connection on the home networking setup, 5GHz offers less congestion and wider bandwidth.

The WiFi routers that support 5GHz offer more room for wireless devices to occupy by way of an increased number of channels and more bandwidth than 2.4GHz.

This leads to a greater potential for the connection reliability and speed, so the lags will be reduced as well as dropped connection.

It is important to note that if your PS4 is set up far away from the router, you will not have the same good connection, as if you had the console right next to the router. So you need to plan out the place where you want to set everything up close to the 5GHz WiFi router.

The 5GHz network doesn’t work well on long distances, that’s why if your console is far away from the router, then it’s recommended to use the 2.4GHz network.

Why Is Your 5GHz WiFi Not Showing Up On PS4?

The issue may be that you have the original PS4 model. As mentioned above it does not support 5GHz WiFi, so it will not show up on your PS4 accordingly.

Another reason may be that your WiFi router is not set up, so you need to check your settings and make sure the router is connected to the 5GHz network and not to 2.4GHz.

So basically, this issue is due to the router and PS4 support of 5GHz. In many cases, it is easy to solve and should not take a lot of time to resolve.

Is 5GHz WIFI Better For Gaming?

Your WiFi network needs additional and enhanced speed for gaming. You should always choose 5GHz for your gaming needs since it offers the best possible speed on your internet connection and from your router. 

You can use 2.4GHz WiFi for light gaming and browsing, but if you’re into online games that require extensive internet usage, you must choose 5GHz WiFi in your settings to get a seamless experience.

How Do You Enable 5GHz WiFi On PS4?

When you make sure your console offers 5GHz bandwidth will not solve the issue completely. As mentioned above you need to check if your WiFi router supports 5GHz as well. Some routers offer simultaneous dual-band WiFi. This means the router can output 2.4GHz and 5GHz at the same time.

You can easily check if your router supports 5GHz online or on the router’s package. Online you can find this information on some forums or on the official website of the manufacturer of the router.

It’s important to mention that you need to go into the network settings of your PS4 and select the 5GHz band SSID(service set identifier).

This you need to do after the pre-setup phase. The service set identifier is your router’s name. You need to look for the name to which you connected your devices and remember how the name was displayed during the setup.

You need to make sure that the name of the router is the right one, which supports 5GHz. If you don’t see the name of your router, then reference the router’s setup guide to check how it displays the band.

On PS4 press X when hovering over the needed 5GHz SSID, then enter your password and encryption key credentials, so you can test the connection. If you entered everything correctly, then now your PS4 is connected to the fast 5GHz network.

If the problem is with your WiFi router, you can force it to use the 5GHz band. To do that, you need to open your browser, and then enter the manufacturer’s default IP address. You can easily find it on your router.

Usually, it’s located underside of the router or in the user manual. Then use your username and password to log into the setting page of your WiFi router.

After that, you will see the wireless tab, where you can edit the wireless settings. Here you need to go to the “Basic” tab. Then сhange the 802.11 bands from 2.4GHz to 5GHz. Make sure you click on the apply button to save the changes.

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How To Connect Any PS4 to a 5 GHz Wi-fi Network For Increased Speed

If you are already enjoying the faster internet speed from a 5 GHz Wi-Fi router, you may be wondering if you can connect a device, like a PS4, to your network. Fortunately, this can be easy to do as long as you have the appropriate Playstation 4 model like the PS4 Slim or the PS4 Pro (on Amazon).

To connect a PS4 to a 5 Ghz Wi-Fi network, you need to have either the PS4 Slim or the PS4 Pro, otherwise, you can purchase additional equipment to access 5 GHz. Connecting to a 5 GHz network is just one way to speed up your Playstation’s internet connection.

Access to a 5 GHz Wi-Fi network is one of the best, newest tools that consumers have to increase the quality of their internet connection. Having your PS4 connected to a 5 GHz network means your data can be transmitted faster over the higher frequency network. If you are interested in connecting your PS4 to your 5 GHz Wi-Fi network or are looking for other tips to help improve your internet speed while gaming, read on. 

How To Connect to 5GHz Wi-Fi Networks on a PS4 Slim or Pro

Connecting a PS4 Slim or Pro to your 5 GHz network access point (the wireless network) is a relatively simple process that shouldn’t take much time if you have the right setup. Firstly, you need to make sure you have access to your network from wherever your PS4 is located.

Unlike lower frequency bands, 5 GHz has a hard time traveling through solid objects like a wall. Make sure that your router is close and unobstructed to get the most out of the connection.

Once you have established that you have access to your network, you will need to:

1. Go to Settings
2. Find Network and locate Setup Internet Connection
3. From here, select the Use Wifi option and then find the Easy setup.
4. Next, you will need to find the Options button and select Wi-Fi Frequency Bands .
5. Now select 5 GHz Only.
6. The setup should be finished, and you should now have access to the faster network.

Which PS4 Models Support 5 GHz Wi-Fi?

5 GHz Wi-Fi networks are becoming more popular because they have fewer problems with interference. Not as many Wi-Fi devices occupy the 5 GHz frequency range which means it can provide lower-traffic bandwidth that runs more smoothly with more reliable speeds.

Put simply, there is more space for systems to operate under because there are less devices on that frequency band.

A standard 2.4 GHz network will suffice for many devices (although it tends to be a bit slow), but if you are looking for a more stable and faster connection, you may opt for the higher frequency range.

For devices that require a more reliable and faster connection (like online gaming) having access to the 5 GHz band can improve the quality of use.

It’s common for people to not know whether 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz is the best choice when it comes to gaming. 5 GHz is typically the best option as it provides much faster speeds, but if the signal strength is low where your gaming console is located, then 2.4 GHz might be the better option.

This is the case for gaming consoles like the PS4 Slim (on Amazon). Unfortunately, 5 GHz access has only recently started becoming a standard feature for network-dependent devices like the PS4.

Because of this, and the long life of Sony’s gaming console, many PS4s don’t support this feature natively with the exception of the PS4 Slim and the PS4 Pro.

The Difference Between PS4 Slim and PS4 Pro

The noticeable difference between the two models is that the Slim does not support 4K video output, which can be a significant downside if you already own a 4K TV.

While both support 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi connections, there is a difference in each model’s quality of components. This is reflected in the price as the Slim sits at a more reasonable price point than the console’s Pro version. 

Using a 5 GHz Wifi Adapter

If you cannot connect to a 5 GHz network due to your PS4 not being the correct model to support this feature natively, don’t worry; there are still options for you to try. In most cases, you can purchase some extra equipment to get things working.

To gain access to a 5 GHz Wi-Fi network, you will need to purchase a WiFi extender that has an ethernet port. One like the TP-Link AC1200 WiFi Extender (on Amazon) will work perfectly for most people.

These devices work by allowing the adapter to connect to your network and give you an ethernet connection to bridge between the adapter and the PS4.

Your PS4 isn’t connecting to a 5GHz network directly but instead is hardwired to the adapter using an ethernet cable (aka a “lan cable”) and using the Wi-Fi connection on the adapter to transfer data.

This can be an excellent option if your wifi router supports 5 GHz (aka a “dual-band routers”), and you don’t want to run a connection all the way to the router.

Other Tips for Faster Internet on Your PS4

If low connection speeds still plague you, there is still a lot you can do to improve your PS4’s network connection. These tips can apply to both 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz connections. 

• Instead of using a wireless connection, you can opt for a wired ethernet connection. Not only will this be more reliable, but connecting directly to your router means you are getting the highest speeds it can handle.
• Make sure you aren’t running any streaming video services while trying to use your PS4’s connection. These can be a drain on bandwidth and can slow your connection considerably.
• If you’re running cloud backup or sync applications, you could be running into the same problem as using streaming services. These features use up a lot of the bandwidth that your router has available.
• Try gaming on off-peak hours, which can significantly reduce the amount of competition for bandwidth by only using the connection when others are not. Try avoiding times at night and on the weekend to avoid this issue.
• The closer you are to your access point–the router–the better your connection will be. This is especially the case for higher frequency connection like 5 GHz

Remember that the strength of your wireless connection has a lot to do with how clear from obstruction your router is to your PS4. If there are walls, ceilings, furniture, or windows in the way, this could be slowing down your connection.

Your best bet to improve your internet speed, though, is using a 5 GHz connection. Because this frequency range is less populated, you will have better luck getting access to a network without too much interference.

It’s worth noting that, while the tips above may be good quick-fixes, the nuclear option will be to use a network speed test app like Netflix’s fast.com to hold your provider accountable and make sure they’re delivering the speed they’re contracted to.

And remember that it’s possible to simply need a higher internet speed–maybe you’ve finally hit the ceiling of what your service can handle and need to consider upgrading.

Devices That Cause Interruptions in a Wi-Fi Connection

Another thing that’s worth considering is interference and interruptions, which are often caused by other household electronics and utilities, many of which the average person is completely unaware of.

Most consumers don’t know there are all sorts of devices out there that can cause interruptions in your WIfi connection including the following:

• Bluetooth Devices
• Other Wi-Fi Networks in the Area (crowded apartment buildings, for instance)
• Microwaves
• Baby Monitors
• CB Radios or Walkie Talkies

With that said, when using 5 GHz network, you are less likely to have interference issues. If your PS4 is an older model, make sure you either have a hard connection or are using an adapter like the Powerline, which is an excellent way to sidestep these issues. 

Overall, being aware of what interference is and why it happens can help alleviate many other problems you may have with your Wi-Fi or Bluetooth devices.  

Will a 5GHz Network Reliably Increase Your Speed?

5 GHz Wi-Fi is becoming the standard for a lot of devices. As more and more devices gain access to the internet, the radio spectrum bands that they use to communicate get overpopulated.

The one major downside to 5 GHz technology is that it is more susceptible to material interference because the system uses a higher frequency to communicate.

The higher frequency can’t travel through materials like brick, concrete, or drywall the same way the 2.4 GHz can. This is why you need to make sure you are near your router or at least have an unobstructed path to your device.

Connecting a PS4 to your 5 GHz network can be easier than you think. If you own a Slim or Pro model of the gaming console, you should be able to connect without too much hassle.

If you have an older model, you can still connect to your network, but you will need additional hardware. There are also plenty of other ways you can increase the speed of your gaming.

This can be done by changing your gaming habits and being aware of what devices are taking up bandwidth on your network. If all else fails, it may be time to consider upgrading your internet speed with your service provider.

Can You Connect a PS4 to a Wireless Hotspot?

Real quick, let’s talk about wireless hotspot as a potential solution. Why would you consider this? Maybe lots of solid concrete walls separate your console from the existing Wi-Fi router, but that doesn’t mean you can’t just pipe some Wi-Fi into the room yourself right?

So, you can get out your mobile device, create a wireless hotspot, and then make a Wi-Fi connection on your PS4 to the hotspot. It’s not going to be a very reliable connection (more on that below), but it is going to have a very high signal strength because the device broadcasting the Wi-Fi is in the same room.

The primary advantage here is you are bringing the wireless access point closer to the device itself. Hopefully this would yield a fast internet connection, with a stronger wi-fi signal.

On the spectrum of reliability, you’d think, then, that a mobile hotspot should even compete well with a wired connection which, after all, is coming from further away by definition.

However, this is basically just going to have similar but slightly different problems: you have no 2.5 or 5.0 GHz networks to manage in this case, so no matter what Ghz connection your making, you can’t control the traffic. So you will be limited on bandwidth and maybe even latency unexpectedly.

If you really want a wireless connection, but you aren’t getting good performance form your existing wireless router or wireless hotspot, then you should go ahead and consider buying a new router with more umph, or, better yet, consider a mesh network.

Can You Use Wireless Hotspots for Gaming in General?

Well, the wireless hotspot certainly sells itself as a solution for this type of problem. Maybe you can take your PS Pro and simply connect it to your phone’s wireless hotspot? By the way: forget about the original PS or any older gamin consoles without Wi-Fi being able to do this.

So, let’s say you get connected…just consider the speed. You’re using cellular data, by definition wireless, and so you’re going to have stability issues here and there.

Not to mention latency. You can experiment with a wireless hotspot for things that don’t require a good ping, like downloading a single-player game or console update. Otherwise, though, forget multiplayer or anything with real-time reflex requirements.

Will A 5GHz Wireless Connection Out-Perform an Ethernet Connection?

Let’s talk briefly about your other option: simply using an ethernet cable to make an ethernet connection to your modem or router. A wireless router may have a 2.4 Ghz network, or a 5.0 Ghz network, or both, but no matter the Wi-Fi Ghz capabilities of a router, it will likely have ethernet ports in the back where you can make an ethernet connection.

So, you have the option of bypassing the wireless connection. Should you? Well, there’s nothing wrong with Wi-Fi on a fundamental level, but if you’re having issues that 5GHz isn’t solving, you may need to expand the scope.

Running ethernet cable is hard work, but it may be your best option for faster speeds. And by faster speeds here we mean both reduced latency and faster download speeds. So we’re talking about a generally more stable and fast connection overall.

But, like it says just above, running ethernet cable across your house is hard work.

Consider what you really need: if there are solid objects between your Wi-Fi router and your gaming console, sure, ethernet may be the best solution for you to implement here. New routers have stronger signals and features built in that may get you better results much quicker.

PS4 Slim supports 5GHz Wi-Fi frequency band

According to various sources who have already obtained access to the PS4 Slim, the updated set-top box can also work in the 5 GHz Wi-Fi frequency band.

The original PlayStation 4 console, which will soon celebrate its third anniversary, operates in the 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi frequency band. nine0003

According to various sources who have already obtained access to the PS4 Slim, the updated set-top box can also work in the 5 GHz Wi-Fi frequency band.

As evidence, a page from the PS4 Slim user manual is cited.

It is worth adding that the majority of devices with Wi-Fi modules operate at a frequency of 2.4 GHz, so using the 5 GHz band ensures minimal loss and maximum signal quality.

nine0014 2016-08-29 08:46:00

Editorial

Titanic: Honor & Glory demo released

CD Projekt Group earned $82.6 million in six months

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Potential hit? What is known about Hogwarts Legacy

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The major Harry Potter games have faded into obscurity with the release of the latest J. K. Rowling movie. Despite the Hogwarts Legacy scandals, what’s the chance that a new Avalanche Studios game is the first sign of a great gaming year? Let’s figure it out!

How not ashamed? CRSED mobile battle royale review: Cuisine Royale

War Thunder is a popular project, its developers are loved in Russia and are interested in their projects. For the mobile version of the battle royale CRSED, Gaijin acted as the publisher. The game was released on smartphones and already in advance has collected positive ratings from loyal fans of the company. But Gaijin does not deserve such advances. On the contrary, the attitude of the company towards the players deserves only censure. nine0003

Games bit anime. What is isekai and what is worth seeing

Anime games have been around for a long time — Pokemon and Dragon Pink as an example. But at one point, this genre became popular in earnest, and the conveyor began massively riveting anime, where the main characters enter the game universes. Is there anything worthwhile among them? Let’s tell now!

Everyone watch! The first episode of The Last of Us [The Last of Us]

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Skepticism for The Last of Us was higher than for other video game adaptations. The original project is loved by millions of players, and they were ready to destroy HBO for any departure from the source material. Fortunately, the first episode dispelled the negativity and set fertile ground for watching the whole season.

Good games, we recommend! Ghost Song, Chained Echoes, Card Shark, Lootriver, Infernax

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nine0014 January 16 20:54

eighteen

Last year was poor for major releases, but the indie scene worked like clockwork. We decided to highlight solid products from small studios and publishers that we missed. A metroidvania about Taiwan and an abandoned planet, a sim of a card gamer set in medieval France, a turn-based role-playing game in the style of early Final Fantasy, a roguelike with Tetris elements — the choice is wide.

Select a channel for the Wi-Fi access point. Comprehensive guide / Habr

2.4GHz is bad. 5 GHz is good. 6 GHz is even better, but the day after tomorrow. Everyone knows who I’m teaching here, really. All this is good, only to do something when you are as smart as you open some Wi-Fi Explorer, and there is Satanism and whatnots, as in the screenshot?

Step one is to cry. Step two — dive under the cat. The question is simple, but the answer is no.

For starters, a warm-up test. Situation number one : one 2.4 GHz channel is busy, you need to set up your own access point. To which channel? nine0003

1. Any other than the same;
2. Plus or minus five channels from busy, that is, the sixth and beyond;
3. Better, of course, on the sixth or eleventh;
4. To the same channel.

Situation two : The 2.4 GHz band is occupied by two access points: one broadcasts on the first channel with a width of 40 MHz, the second on the ninth channel with the same width. Where should we stand with our access point?

1. To any channel except the first or ninth, obviously;
2. Preferably on the thirteenth, to be as far away from these two as possible;
3. On the first, fifth, ninth or twelfth;
4. On the first or ninth.

The situation is number three , there is a trickier problem: there are three access points on the air, 20 MHz each on the first, sixth and eleventh channel (“firstly, it’s beautiful”). Where to put your hotspot?

1. To any channel except the first, sixth and eleventh;
2. On the first, sixth or eleventh — probably better on the first, because the power is lower;
3. For the first, sixth or eleventh — maybe there is some other characteristic that you need to look at?
4. Third-fourth or eighth-ninth, something like that, because there are empty spaces there.

Situation 4 : Whatnot of Hopelessness. Where to put the access point? nine0003

1. On channels from ninth and beyond, the power is lower than all the others, so you need to put it there;
2. Least access points on channel 13, so go to it;
3. Everything is so bad that it doesn’t matter anymore. For any random.

I’m not talking about 5 GHz for the simple reason that everything is about the same there, but not quite, but, as always in Wi-Fi, it all depends on everything. The basic principles of choice there will be approximately the same, only something will be easier, and something else will be more difficult. But this, as Kanevsky said, is a completely different story. nine0003

If you answered this starter test quickly and without hesitation, then congratulations: either you learn a lot from this article, or you learn nothing. Correct answers —

These are:

Situation 1 — any of the answers is better than option 1, but option 3 is more decent and polite than all;
Situation 2 — option 4;
Situation 3 — options 2 or 3, with option 3 being better;
Situation 4 — option 3, also known as “against all”.

In order to understand the principle by which is more correct than in this way, and not in another way, we need to discuss with our fingers how Wi-Fi networks are friends with each other — if this coexistence was a serious problem, Wi-Fi would not stick out in every coffee maker. As we already found out in my previous note, the main goal of the 802.11 protocol is not to provide the maximum possible bandwidth per megahertz of busy air, but uncompromising protocol compatibility and operability even in the worst conditions (such as the title picture, yes). The protocol was thought up correctly, implemented, ahem, in different ways , but in general, it’s also not stupid, and yet, sooner or later, any margin of safety will know its limit.

So, let’s imagine that there are only two devices left in the world that can work with Wi-Fi, and this is an access point and a client. The first rule of wifi is do not tell anyone “While one is talking, the rest are silent. ” And not just silent, but attentively listening.

When it’s about to transmit data, the first thing any Wi-Fi device does is listen carefully to see if anyone is transmitting their data. It will get very awkward if we start talking at the same time as someone else, right? Unlike 802.3, it’s also Ethernet (too general, but let it be), in which the moment of a simultaneous conversation is determined when it happened (remember the Collision light on old hubs? I don’t either, but we’re talking about it), 802.11 tries to avoid and avoid. The main reason is that the difference between the transmitted and received signal in Wi-Fi can reach BILLION times (I’m not kidding!), and what the transmitter is transmitting can clog and burn the receiver if it tries to listen at the same time as the transmission. All this etiquette of mutual “After you — no, after you!” among 802.11 devices, it is called the complex abbreviation CSMA / CA , which is divided into three parts:

CS — Carrier Sense, carrier detection;
MA — Multiple Access;
CA Collision Avoidance nine0003

I have a spidery sense of the fact that you have read all this lyrics more than once, but be patient a little, now we get to the meat of our task of arranging a goat, a wolf and a cabbage. As part of this note, we are interested in the first two letters, namely CS . What is it all about?

So, carrier detection is, in fact, a mechanism for determining whether someone else is talking or not. It all comes down to the fact that the presence of two possible reasons for the air being busy is almost constantly checked — Wi-Fi devices and all other devices (yes, that’s xenophobic, “ours and everyone else” is more than twenty years old protocol, and relevance, as see, it does not lose!). Before just thinking about data transmission, the device needs to evaluate the occupancy of the air (naturally, it’s called Clear Channel Assesment, or CCA). “Ours” and “not ours”, according to each device, are not equal in importance, and there are two threshold values ​​- this is SD (Signal Detect), which means that we heard something in the 802.11 language, and ED (Energy Detect ), which means any power at the input of the receiver (any other language). nine0003

And now attention: to “our” Wi-Fi devices STO times more attentive than to “everyone else”. That is, the air is considered busy if we heard some 802.11 frame at a level only 4 dB better than the noise level — we are sooooo polite to other Wi-Fi devices! And all the rest (all sorts of Bluetooth, for example) will interfere with transmitting something only when the signal level from them is 24 dB higher than the noise!

Thanks to the wonderful David Coleman for this beautiful picture. nine0132

Is it a lot or a little? Let’s take the most textbook numbers as an example. So, in order for 802.11n devices to develop maximum speeds (with a channel width of 20 MHz and one transceiver, this is 72.2 Mb / s), they need a signal with a level of approximately -64 dBm with a signal-to-noise ratio of at least 25 dB (if anyone is wondering where I got these numbers from, then from here, use it if you have not yet looked at the skhomm article “All useful Wi-Fi materials in one place”). That is, ANY frame on the same channel with a reception level above -85 dBm will stop data transmission! In some apartment building, this is a good plus or minus two floors (I hate to estimate power by length, but in this case I am ready to sin for the sake of clarity), and in an open field — half a kilometer of distance! nine0003

But if our device ready for transmission hears some signal, but cannot decipher it, then it will ignore it up to -65 dBm, that is, until the level of this third-party interference is almost equal to with the signal level from the very ideal access point to which it wanted to transmit data. Blimey!

“But excuse me,” someone will quite rightly object with my own fingers, “we all know that bluetooth interferes with Wi-Fi, how microwaves interfere with it, there are all sorts of cameras!”. Quite right. At a level of “unreadable” interference of, say, -70 dBm (well, that is, it is not yet considered strong enough to stop all transmission and make the medium considered busy), it becomes the very noise from which we ratio “signal /noise” and count. We hear our access point at -65 dBm, we hear any unreadable signal at -70 dBm, so our signal-to-noise ratio suddenly drops to 5 dB, and at these parameters the channel speed is 72.2 Mbps. s can no longer be developed, but the maximum that can be developed is the unfortunate 27 Mb / s. Everyone within the range of this interference dropped their channel speeds sharply, as a result, much less traffic can be pumped through the access point per second — so the “brakes in Wi-Fi” began, ah-ah-ah, everything is bad, the wheel is spinning, YouTube is not loading. So that! nine0003

“What does it have to do with it,” a new logical question will follow from an attentive reader, idealized by me, “does some kind of bluetooth have to do with our question? After all, there is no bluetooth in the pictures in the test, there is only Wi-Fi!”. And here it is: any 802.11 device can only decode a frame when it is transmitted TOTALLY on the channel it is listening to ! Look at these two networks:

The access point operating on the first channel does not understand what the second access point says, because it hears only 75% of what it transmits (as well as the point on the second channel, which hears only 75% of what the first says). That is why she does not understand that these are “ours” — she does not believe that she should give up the medium for transmission! From here, the signal-to-noise ratio goes down, the channel speed (and with it the final bandwidth) goes down, and, mind you, it’s not even proportional to the channel overlap, but inversely proportional to the difference in power — the better the client who wants to transfer data the first point, hears the second, the more its channel speed will drop. nine0003

But this, unfortunately, is not all the reasons for the destructive effect of overlapping channels. We will now turn to the next two letters, namely MA, or Multiple Access. We will not delve into the details of media access in 802.11 protocols — I will note only one feature that is important in the context of the issue under discussion. So, after each frame, no matter if it is a service frame or contains data, any Wi-Fi device must wait a while before trying to access the medium again. Moreover, it doesn’t matter if it sent this frame itself or just heard it — you have to wait for a certain time, called InterFrame Space (IFS), and only then start the game “Who will stake Wednesday first”. There are several of these IFS, and here’s what’s interesting: if our device, after transmitting the frame, did not hear confirmation that the addressee received it, then it will wait longer than if it had received. Many times longer.

Let’s return to the picture from the paragraph before last. The access point receives the frame from the first channel. At this time, the access point also receives a frame from the second channel. Both of these frames are damaged, and both networks are forced to idle for more time, losing even more bandwidth (because, as we remember, time = money, and for Wi-Fi, time = bandwidth). Complete ambush.

So, from all this follows a simple rule: if you can’t avoid crossing channels — put access points on one channel! Yes, both networks will lose bandwidth, but in any case, they are designed for such work.

I will remind situation 4.

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There is not a single channel left on the air on which two or more intersecting and interfering networks do not work, everyone interferes with each other, everyone experiences problems, therefore, neither power, nor channel selection, nor magic algorithms, nor BSS Coloring, nor the fairy godmother won’t help in this situation. You can put your access point anywhere. nine0003

It’s clear that nothing can be fixed in such a wireless hell, but what should be done in order not to end up in such a situation? First of all, remember once and for all that there are only three channels in the 2.4 GHz band that do not interfere with each other — the first, sixth and eleventh . Of course, you can see that the third, eighth and thirteenth do not interfere with each other either, but, firstly, the thirteenth is not available everywhere (there are only 11 channels in the USA), and secondly, if you deviate from the mantra “1-6- 11″, and someone else does not deviate, then the whole effect will come to naught — all the channels will cross again and ruin each other’s life. It’s like crimping a twisted pair cable — in principle, if the sequence is the same on both sides, then it can work, but it will be oh so hard for someone to figure out the pinout of each outlet later. Once again: the first. Sixth. Eleventh. nine0003

OK, here is situation number 3.

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Well, well, here they are, the first, sixth or eleventh. Which one to choose? Yes, in principle, any of these three is suitable, but if you choose optimally to the end, then it is much more important for us how often data is transmitted on each of these channels; that is, the ideal answer is to look at another parameter, namely ether utilization . It’s simple: if 100 clients are connected to the access point on the first channel, and none to the points on 6 and 11, then it is much more profitable to stand on 6 or 11. There are two words in English terminology — airtime and utilization, and they mean strictly speaking, not the same thing, but you can focus on both one and the other, these indicators are interdependent. nine0003

Now situation 2.

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We have already understood that it is impossible to cross channels, so options with 13 and any channel disappear. Why can’t you put an access point on the fifth channel?

The reason is in history. No seriously. Channels wider than 20 MHz appeared only in the 802.11n standard, when it was first proposed to stick together two adjacent channels and speak twice over them — eeeeeeee … thicker? Twice as productive! But from the point of view of compatibility, all service information, that is, all frames that should be understandable to other networks, goes only in the main 20 MHz of the occupied band. Let me remind you of this cool picture with the anatomy of data transmission over Wi-Fi, it is always in place:

Please note: only the blue part in the diagram uses all 40 MHz of the air! All the «gears» of the protocol are spinning in the main twenty megahertz! This, by the way, is also true for 80 MHz available in 802.11ac: all service flies in the top twenty, and the remaining 60 are idle most of the time. Okay, almost everything, sooner or later we will return to the issue of wide channels — oooh, I promise, we will discuss them again!

And as a result, it turns out that the fifth channel, although it falls entirely inside one network, will still not see it — with all the consequences described (ahem, what an ambiguous phrase).