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How to Find the Best Channel for WiFi

One of the perks of living in these modern times is the ability to set up a wireless network connection at home. You can enjoy a thrilling browsing experience as long as you are connected to the best WiFi channel. However, this may not be the case if you live in a densely populated area of town or apartment building. You will have disconnection issues, occasional network timeouts, which results in annoyingly slow internet speeds.

According to research, these issues arise when lots of individuals attempt to connect to the web. You may try to relocate the position of the router, but it may not restore or even enhance your browsing experience.

However, there are more than a few steps you can take that will enable you to find a good WiFi channel. And this brings up the question…

What is a WiFi Channel?

A WiFi channel refers to the small band that exists within a broader frequency band, which is a specific radio wave frequency range that your router employs to transmit a wireless signal. Your router can only use one of two WiFi frequencies at a time – i.e. 2.4GHz or 5GHz – or both if you own a dual-band or even a tri-band router. There is a catch, however: it is often best to make use of one of these wireless frequency bands over the other.

The 2.4GHz band comes with a total of 14 channels, though not all of them are permitted in all countries. For instance, only 11 channels can be used in North America. Every one of the channels within the 2.4GHz is precisely 22MHz wide. Only 5MHz gaps exist between the centers of adjacent channels, which imply that all channels overlap except for channels 1, 6, and 11.

But then, in the 5GHz band, there is more space, which makes this situation somewhat better. This band comes with 23 non-overlapping channels with 20MHz-wide channels and more than a few 40MHz, 80 MHz as well as 160 MHz channels.

What a WiFi Channel Analyzer Tool Does

If you are looking for a versatile, all-in-one tool that can be deployed as a WiFi channel analyzer, WiFi site survey as well as WiFi analysis, none other does it better than NetSpot. This is a powerful tool that works on both Windows and macOS.

A WiFi channel analyzer like NetSpot is utilized for WiFi analysis in order to discover wireless channels that are used the least along with other vital information required for extensive WiFi optimization.  You can use this tool to improve the reliability and speed of your wireless network. And it can be used for diagnosing network issues as well as optimizing your WiFi network.

Does Changing Channel Improve WiFi?

If you experience network interference or dropouts when browsing the internet via your router, your wireless channel could be crowded. This usually happens when a particular channel is overloaded, as many people try to use the internet within a specific period.

At such periods, changing the location of your router may not work. The best course of action you can take in order to improve your WiFi is to change the channel. And that is where the WiFi analysis comes in via the use of the NetSpot app discussed earlier.

How to Find the Best Channel for WiFi and How NetSpot Can Help

Now that you know changing the channel on your router can significantly improve WiFi, the next step is to find the best WiFi channel in your locality so that you can readily configure your router in order to enjoy a stable connection to the web.

Finding the perfect wireless channel on macOS and Windows is a walk in the park, thanks to NetSpot, as it supports both operating systems.

Download NetSpot, install, and then launch it. Check the toolbar at the top and click the ‘Discover’ button.

Next, select all the WiFi networks that are available by clicking on the small, square button that appears under the ‘Discover’ button. Highlight the WiFi network you want to analyze and then click ‘Details’ located on the toolbar at the bottom.

Switch over to the Channels 2.4GHz tab and tick the ‘Show average value for inactive networks’ option. Currently, inactive networks, as well as their average values, will appear. Check the channel graph that NetSpot displays, and you will be able to tell almost instantly whether or not you are on the best or most unproblematic channel for WiFi in your locality.

If, however, too many other wireless networks that broadcast on that particular channel or overlap with the channel you are currently on, it is high time you changed your WiFi channel.

You can also determine the non-overlapping channels – i.e. 1, 6, and 11 – that is least utilized. And then configure your router to use the least used non-overlapping WiFi channel.

Do you know that you can also use NetSpot to create a detailed WiFi coverage heatmap? This can happen when you activate the Survey mode. The heatmap is an outline of your real-time WiFi data on a map. This shows you areas where wireless signals are weak and where they are incredibly strong. You will be able to decide where to place your router smartly. Whatever information you need to obtain is made available and exported in CSV or PDF and even applied in other applications.

You can also use your Android version of NetSpot to find the best wireless channel via an Android tablet or smartphone. Go to Google Play Store, download, and install NetSpot. Launch the mobile app and switch over to the ‘Comparison’ tab. You will see which wireless channels within the 2.4GHz and 5GHz band that are presently used the most in your area.

You can even exclude a specific channel from the comparison tab when you tap the small checkbox right next to it.

Which WiFi Channel to Use?

Most WiFi routers make use of the 2.4GHz radio band when transmitting data. This band is generally divided into several channels, and the only ones that do not overlap are channels 1, 6, and 11.

The best wireless channel to use is the least occupied one; find it and switch to it with the help of NetSpot, the #1 user-friendly surveillance ,and WiFi analysis tool.

Conclusion

Having seamless access to the internet should not be something that you need to struggle for, especially if you have a router. If you have issues with the network, you can change your router’s location or better still, find the best channel you can utilize so that you can continue enjoying a smooth browsing experience.

NetSpot is the tool you should take advantage of in order to find the best wireless channel for you.

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