Wireless network channel of the router. Wifi channel selection

Wi-Fi routers can be configured to suit your needs. Depending on the router model and its capabilities, you can slightly improve the quality and level of signal reception. Modern routers operate at frequencies of 2.4 and some 5.0 GHz. By selecting the desired channel and signal strength, you can significantly increase the speed and range of Wi-Fi.

Outdated models of wireless routers cover only the frequency range of 2.401-2.483 GHz, divided into 13 channels, each of which is available in Russia. In other countries, only 11 channels may be used. Therefore, when setting up a Wi-Fi router, you must select the correct country and channel.

Automatic and manual selection of Wi-Fi channel

All routers are configured to automatically search for a channel, which is most often the optimal solution. But it may be necessary to manually select the least loaded channel, which is faced by users living in apartment buildings. Their neighbors also use routers, the range of which is sufficient to influence other Wi-Fi devices.

You can get rid of this problem by purchasing a WiFi router operating at a freer frequency of 5 GHz. But since these models are expensive, users have to seek salvation in changing channels. How this is done will be described below.

How to find a free channel

There are special applications that help identify the channels to which routers located within reach are configured. Among them is inSSIDer, whose capabilities are sufficient to solve this problem.

After installing and launching the program, you need to pay attention to the “Channel” column of the main table and the graphs available under it. Each line shows one of the found wireless devices.

The “native” Wi-Fi router is marked with an asterisk on the plate. Having studied the available information, you can decide on less loaded channels, one of which should be selected on your router.

How to change wifi channel on router

Installation of the channel will be discussed using the example of a router from the Taiwanese company Zyxel Keenetic.

What should be done?

Open a browser (Opera, Chrome, Mozilla Firefox or another).
In the search bar and press Enter.
Enter your login and password (type “admin” and “1234”, respectively, if the factory settings have not been changed, then click “Login”). If the password doesn't work, try admin admin.
In the window that opens, select the “Wireless Mode” section.
Select the one you want from the list of channels and save the settings.

Depending on the router model, the procedure may be slightly different.

The Wi-Fi wireless network operates on several slightly different bands around 2.4 GHz and, on some routers, 5 GHz. These ranges are called channels and, by default, are selected automatically by the router.

Note: it should be taken into account that 13 channels are available for wireless networks in the Russian Federation versus 10 in most countries. Sometimes it happens that when selecting channels 11, 12, 13, some devices stop seeing the Wi-Fi network. If you encounter something like this (relatively rare, but it happens) - keep it in mind.

Changing the Wi-Fi channel on Asus, D-Link, TP-Link, Zyxel Keenetic routers

For all routers, the steps to change the channel will be almost the same:

Go to the router settings. Usually, to do this, just type in the browser (on a device connected to the router via Wi-Fi or cable) the address 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1, then enter the username and password (the standard ones are indicated on a sticker on the router itself, usually admin and admin ).
In the router settings, find the basic Wi-Fi parameters.
Set the desired channel number on the specified settings page and apply/save the settings.

If you have problems logging into the basic Wi-Fi settings page or router settings, you can open any of the instructions for setting up a specific brand of router on my website, all this is described in great detail.

Here are some examples of where exactly the channel changes on different brands of routers.

After changing the channel, be sure to apply the settings and, on some routers (for example, D-Link), in addition to applying them, be sure to also save them (otherwise they will be reset after disconnecting the router from power).

I hope you managed to figure it out and change the router channel to a free one.

If the router is not working correctly, many experts advise changing the channel on which data is transmitted on the wireless network. This process is quite simple, but you must first determine which channel should be used to obtain the optimal result. Of course, the answer to this question can be obtained if you take professional help in setting up Wi-Fi. But you can still significantly reduce your costs if you select and change Wi-Fi channels yourself.

First of all, it is necessary to give a little explanation regarding what a Wi-Fi channel is. Almost any modern router uses an antenna that emits radio signals at a frequency of 2.4 GHz, but developers provide for the possibility of changing it in a small range. It is conventionally divided into 14 channels, which represent subfrequencies - to give a clear analogue, you can recall old radio receivers with coarse and fine tuning scales.

Wi-Fi channels are designed to improve wireless network performance in extreme situations. Just imagine what will happen if several routers are installed in close proximity to each other, and the same frequency is installed in each router. The consequence of this will be the appearance of interference, as well as a significant reduction in the range of connection with mobile devices. In addition, many users complain about sudden disconnections of laptops and smartphones from the router, which causes a lot of inconvenience.

That is why each router should have its own Wi-Fi channel installed - this will help to significantly reduce the amount of interference and get rid of the problems mentioned. In this case, several routers can be located at a distance of a meter from each other, each continuing to communicate with its members of the wireless network. That is why any user should know how to change the Wi-Fi channel.

Change process

To change any settings on your router, you will need to connect to its web client. If the device is already configured and functioning correctly, this can be done directly through the wireless network. Otherwise, you will have to use a cable with RJ-45 connectors, which is included with the device. The base address for the connection is 192.168.0.1, and an alternative can be a similar combination of characters in which the zero is replaced by one. This address is relevant for 90% of devices - if entering it in the browser line does not produce results, you need to find the correct combination in the instructions.

The login and password can be configured by the router user, but by default, to access any device, you need to enter the word admin in both lines. Once you have accessed the web client, find the menu tab that allows you to change the Wi-Fi channel. In many Russified interfaces it is called “Wireless Network”, but the following options may also occur:

Wireless settings for TP-Link;
Wireless setup for D-Link;
Wireless network for Asus;
Networking for Zyxel.

Typically, such tabs contain many settings, so you will need to select two items from them that allow you to set the desired Wi-Fi channel. It is enough to focus on the words “channel” or “Channel” to find a drop-down list with numbers and one switch window in which you can put a check mark. The channel number is set in the list, but the switch is designed to select the automatic operating mode of the router. After selecting a channel, all that remains is to reboot the device using the system settings tab.

You need to select the appropriate channel from the drop-down list

Channel selection

It is logical to assume that randomly selecting a wireless network channel will not give a good result - therefore, you should approach setting up your router with preliminary preparation. Of course, you can always bypass your neighbors and agree with them to use strictly defined channels, but such an approach will be irrational. In a multi-story office or residential building, you may need to check 30-40 routers whose coverage areas overlap with your device's effective radio transmission range.

To understand which wireless communication channel to choose, you need to use special applications. Among the most effective and understandable programs it should be noted:

inSSIDer;
WIFIInfoview;
WiFi Analyzer for Android.

The interfaces of these applications are different, but all have a channel viewing function that will help you find the frequency that is least loaded compared to the others. Having found a free Wi-Fi channel, set the appropriate value in your router using the desired menu item in the web client.

Now we need to talk about automatic selection of Wi-Fi channels. Most builders use this option in the factory settings. It allows you not to waste time selecting channels using a special program - the router will independently scan frequencies and select the least loaded ones among them to ensure maximum performance of the wireless network. It is strongly recommended for novice users to enable this option.

However, professional users prefer to manually select optimally performing Wi-Fi channels, which provides an important advantage. In automatic mode, the router spends part of its antenna bandwidth scanning free frequencies and identifying the least loaded ones. In addition, practice shows that its choice is not always optimal, since there may be intermittently operating devices nearby, which also create a lot of interference. Therefore, manually setting the frequency will increase the throughput of the wireless network.

Check how busy Wi-Fi channels are about once a month - this will help maintain consistently high data transfer speeds and get rid of many problems. If there are channels used by other devices, try to negotiate with your neighbors or network administrator to set fixed subfrequencies. If there will be two or more routers in the room, be sure to select a different channel for each, no matter how close the subfrequencies are.

Quick setup

If you have any of the above applications, you can easily determine the optimal wireless network settings that will ensure high data transfer speeds and connection stability. Everything else remains purely a matter of technique - you need to access the router’s web client and select the necessary settings. If you cannot open the web client, it is better to contact a technician or perform a factory reset, returning to the parameters set by the linker. When using a router with firmware created by a specific provider, you should contact their technical support service to avoid serious errors. Having established a fixed communication frequency, do not forget to periodically check how busy it is so as not to encounter interference again.

More and more often I receive letters asking me to tell them: “how to change the WiFi channel on your home router?” First, you must understand why this is needed. Modern routers use a transmission frequency of 2.4 GHz. It may not be strange, but a lot of devices operate at this frequency, from mobile phones to microwave ovens.

And if earlier routers were a novelty, now they won’t surprise anyone. If you look at the models, the cheapest ones operate at a frequency of 2.4 GHz. And this does not mean that this frequency is very bad; on the contrary, it has a wider range than the same 5 GHz. Regarding 5 GHz, it is a newer standard with high throughput, but a smaller radius.

The 2.4 GHz frequency has 13 channels. On American models there are 11 of them, but this is specific to the legislation. In the USA it is prohibited to use frequencies 12 and 13. In this regard, we are a little more free. Residents of apartment buildings are faced with an urgent need to change the channel. When there are too many routers on the same frequency and everyone is actively using network resources, the waves intersect and the end client receives incorrect information packets with errors.

As a result, packet losses occur, videos on YouTube begin to freeze, and speed drops. Because of this, some neighbors also buy more powerful transmitters, which are essentially not needed. The more powerful your neighbor’s transmitter, the worse your Wi-Fi, provided that you use the same channel and frequency.

In general, by default, the router settings automatically search for a free zone. Honestly, I don’t even know how this thing works, because, as a rule, I see channels 1 and 3 completely clogged. According to the manufacturer, the router itself looks for a free channel and connects to it, but in reality, not all models do everything correctly.

How to find and select a free channel?

To begin with, try not to download anything, but simply restart your Internet center. In theory, he should select a free frequency and connect to it. But if you are interested in what channels your neighbors are on, then I would recommend two programs: inSSIDer and WiFiInfoView.

inSSIDer

Download the program from the official website - https://www.metageek.com/products/insider/
Install it on your computer or laptop;

Once launched, go to the second tab and you will see all your neighbors' networks.

We need a "CHANNEL" column that will show the occupied zones. As you can see in my case, my old router does not know how to choose and took the busiest channel. To the left you can see the signal strength, which depends on the standard and the amplification power of the antennas. By the way, on some models the gain level can be reduced - this is useful in small apartments.

After the frequency column is the type of encryption, then the MAC address of the router and the type of standard used. In my settings there is a combined “b, g, n”, but my router chose the g standard. Write in the comments which channels your neighbors have occupied - it would be interesting to conduct some statistics on this matter. If you see, for example, the value “1+5”, then this means the router has the dual range “20-40MHz” enabled. And if you just turn on 20, then there will be only one value like mine.

WiFiInfoView

You can download and install “WiFi Info View” from here. Next we launch.

And so, after analysis, you can see that mine is using channel 6, but according to the previous program it is still worth changing it to 8 or 9. In your case, there may be other free channels.

We go to the router

And so, in order for us to change the channel, we need to go inside the Web interface. There is no need to install any programs or utilities. The most important thing is to connect to the router’s network. This can be done either via Wi-Fi or by wire. Do this from the device from which you scanned the networks.

Open any browser and enter the address of your router. I’ll say right away that on all routers the standard address is located under the case on the label. Just look there. Also very often used as an IP address: 192.168.1.1 and 192.168.0.1. Next you will be asked to enter your username and password. If you haven’t changed it, then also look at the router’s paper - there should be default information there. Further instructions differ from the company that produced the device.

ATTENTION! I strongly do not recommend installing channels 12-13. As I said earlier, these channels are not used by most devices made in the United States. And who knows whether other devices will work with these frequencies after this.

D-Link

New models

Find it in the lower right corner "Advanced settings";

In chapter « Wi-Fi" go to "Basic Settings".

Now you can change the channel.

Classic firmware

« Wi-Fi" – "Basic settings". Some models will be able to immediately show which channel is the freest, but it’s still better to trust the software that we used before.

ZyXEL Keenetic

Click on the ladder at the very bottom and immediately get to the right place. Also, if possible, put "Country". This way the router will understand what frequencies are used in your region.

TP-Link

New models

Old models

We find "Wireless mode" on the left in the menu and then change the channel. At the end we save.

ASUS

Let's go to "Wireless mode" and make changes. At the end we press "Apply." On older firmware, everything is done in the same way.

Router Rostelecom

Find the tab at the top "Setup". Next we go to "WLAN" – "Basic". Find the line « ChannelNumber". By the way, some firmware immediately shows which channel is currently being used, even in offline selection mode. After making changes, click « Apply Changes".

What to do after replacing the channel

I rebooted the router, this can be done there in "admin". If you cannot find the reset button, then simply find the shutdown button and press it twice. You can, of course, unplug the cord from the outlet and plug it back in. If after this the Internet becomes even worse, interruptions begin, then I would advise putting the installation back into mode "auto" as it was before. Or you can search and install other channels.

If you live in a multi-story building, then when using Wi-Fi, the Internet begins to slow down. This occurs due to an overload of the Wi-Fi communication channel. Read this article on how to change the channel on your router.

Now about all this in more detail.
As a rule, most routers that support Wi-Fi technology have 12 standard communication channels. It is very rare to find routers that have 13 or 14 channels. Usually, routers with more than 12 channels arrive in our country by accident, since in most countries 12 channels are standard. In any case, 12 or 14 channels is still very little, especially when it comes to densely populated areas.

If you take an ordinary city block, then almost every apartment has a Wi-Fi router. In an hour, up to 100 or more subscribers can hang on one channel at the same time. Naturally, with such a load, signal overlaps and interference inevitably arise. This negatively affects the quality of communication and. In such a situation, it is recommended to switch to a less busy channel.
In order for you to know how to change the channel on the router, below I will give detailed instructions on how to use the inSSlDer program, which will help you cope with this task.

The program scans all available Wi-Fi channels and shows how busy they are at the moment. All that remains to be done is to select the least loaded communication channel and reconfigure the router for it.

Instructions on how to change the channel on the router

1. Download and install the inSSlDer program on your computer. The program does not require payment and works for free under all versions of Windows.

2. Enable InSSIDer. After the program does a preliminary scan of the air, you will be able to see something like this.

Here you need to pay attention to the channel numbers, as well as the channel overlap pattern. Because, as can be seen from the screenshot, the channels “overlap” each other. Ideally, you should choose the least loaded channel that intersects with others. As you can see in the screenshot, this is not quite easy.

3. Go to the router control panel. To log in, type the address 192.168.1.1 in your browser and press "Enter". If you have a different router address and you don’t know it, then you can find it using the Win + R key combination. And in the command line window that appears, enter the command: cmd A terminal window will appear, where we enter the command: ipconfig
In response, the system will provide information.

Where in the line “Main gateway” will be the router address.

4. Now in the router control panel you need to find the option responsible for managing channels. It is usually located in the network settings management section and is called Wireless Settings.

We set in the adjustments the number of the channel that we selected using the InSSIDer program.

5. Be sure to reboot the router so that it starts working with the new parameters.

Thus, within a few days, test several channels that are most suitable based on the results of testing with the InSSIDer program. Select from them and use them in the future for downloaded information.