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Channel Suggestions
Channel suggestions (what channels are considered or ignored) are user-modifiable, by adjusting the config: ~/.config/wifi-channel-watcher/config.conf for the following variables:
- CHANNELS_5G
- IGNORE_5G
- CHANNELS_2G
- IGNORE_2G
- See Customizing wiki for details on these options.
As defaults, I opted to exclude DFS/Radar channels from the assessments and suggestions, because if radar is in use nearby - it will cause poor performance or disconnects and I personally, do not have these channel numbers memorized and found myself often putting my router on them, only to have garbage wifi shortly after.
Netbeez has a concise writeup about why DFS/Radar channels aren't ideal for use.
You may find this application to be rather noisy if you opt to have short-interval notifications.
If you opt for a systemd install, consider modifying the default interval from 10m notifications to something greater, or, use 5GHz if you have a dual-radio router - or no particular need for 2GHz.
Even if your router allows you to bond channels, it is not recommended (on 2GHz, especially) as neighboring routers tend to find their way onto overlap channels quite frequently and you could end up encountering greater interference. Bonding effectively allows you to occupy multiple channels at once. If you're in a remote area, you may be able to maximize allocated router speeds, though; in dense areas, it will have a detrimental effect, ten-fold.
This will be unique to everyone and can vary from region to region.
metis.fi has a nice writeup about channels.
Below, you can find my cheat sheet that I have attached to my terminal when I run wifi assessments. What channels are available will vary by your router/access point, as well.
N/AC Channels - 20 MHz (Least interference, shortest reach)
36, 40, 44, 48, 149, 153, 157, 161, 165
N/AC DFS/Radar Channels
These cannot be locked, or connections will be spotty with radar use nearby or the IAP will shut itself off completely!
52, 56, 60, 64, 100, 104, 108, 112, 116, 120, 124, 128, 132, 136, 140
N/AC Channels - 40 MHz (Lower interference, shorter reach)
38, 46, 54, 62, 102, 110, 118, 126, 134, 134, 142, 151, 159
AC Channels - 80 MHz (Wider, greater interference)
42, 58, 106, 122, 138, 155
Note that if you bond channels, you will effectively be occupying the greater/multiple channel space, despite only selecting a standard channel (via most router interfaces)
Some firmwares have a bug? (or purposeful exclusion?) and you may find you can't change your router to channel 161 or 165.
Some IOT devices also will not connect to channels on these frequencies, so be sure to adjust your channel options to suit your environment.
Check your TX / transmit power rate. Most routers & access points default to maximum power and in most cases, you never need that much strength unless you've got a lot of obstructions or area to cover.
Experiment and see what's best for your environment:
- Set your TX power to 0 dBm (1 mW)
- Go to the farthest part of your dwelling and see if you still have stable wifi; if not, increase it an option or two and repeat
Pro tip
Companies like Google, Apple and Mozilla collect wifi information (device MAC address) and use it to triangulate user geo-location and activity (who's nearby, who you've connected to -- your acquaintances, work, etc.).. you can learn a lot about a person's habits based on what access points their phone sees when they go about their daily business. With your router transmitting it's lowest needed strength, you're much less likely to have your router broadcast loudly enough to where passer-by's can pick up its signal and phone home to the mothership and assist in such invasiveness. (Mozilla collection is much less nefariously-collected, but most users that utilize it don't realize what or how it's collecting).
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