Change router channel to 7 for better wifi strength

[Wally World]

I always wondered why my X at my home did not have the best bandwidth on wifi. I just assumed my router was not the greatest and the emf from near by power lines screwed things up. I couldn't get more than 3mbps on my X.

So I was bored, updated the routers(Linksys WRG54GS) and changed the channel to 7. Wow. Instantly I was hitting 12-15mbps! I had lived for 2 years with that 3mbps bandwidth just assuming that was as good as it was going to get. I felt like an idiot for not checking it sooner, yet happy at the same time. Now I know what having 4G must feel like, at my house at least.

 

[Steven58]

huh... that's good info. Thanks, Wally.

 

[quickaudi]

fwiw, there's an app to check local wifi strength

there's probably another router near you, and since all routers default to channel 6, I actually changed mine to channel 12. HTH.

 

[VoidedSaint]

wally your awesome

 

[NOVAdroid2151]

Will this help keep a connection to wifi? It always seems I lose connection to wifi while at my house even if I never leave a room? I will turn off my phone and have to wait for recconnection before proceeding? is there a tip for this as well?

Thanks in advance everyone!

 

[Wally World]

Not sure. But if your hard wired internet connection is much much faster than your wireless, might check this out. I was about to go buy a new router. I am set now.

Like I said, I have huge powerlines nearby, the most EMF anyone will probably have and even with 1 bar on my wifi meter-when I am at the furthest point away from the router in my home-I still can pull 9-10mbps.

 

[TomXP411]

Will this help keep a connection to wifi? It always seems I lose connection to wifi while at my house even if I never leave a room? I will turn off my phone and have to wait for recconnection before proceeding? is there a tip for this as well?

Thanks in advance everyone!

By default, the Droid shuts off WiFi when the screen goes off. You can change this in the advanced settings menu on the WiFi page. (Menu->Settings->Wireless->Wifi Settings->Menu->Advanced)

I just told my DX to keep WiFi on all the time. It doesn't seem to make a significant difference in runtime.

 

[eraursls1984]

So I was bored, updated the routers(Linksys WRG54GS) and changed the channel to 7. Wow. Instantly I was hitting 12-15mbps!

How do you changeable channel of the router?

 

[Martimus]

How do you changeable channel of the router?

It depends on the brand/model of router... typically you'll find the setting for the channel number in the radio configuration.

Sorry bout that! Hit the wrong button...

 

[rudybow]

I'm getting 54Mbps from my u-verse WiFi.

 

[alprazolam]

Great find Wally...I did the same and I jumped from around 2-3 down to 9-10. Never would have thought to change the channel.

 

[JediZombie]

I did that and dropped from a 18 meg to .2. maybe i r tupid?

 

[Wally World]

Great find Wally...I did the same and I jumped from around 2-3 down to 9-10. Never would have thought to change the channel.

Glad I could help.

To change your channel, for a Linksys router at least, log into it-point your browser to 192.168.1.1 and enter the password/login info. Then goto Wireless settings and you will see an option for the channel-defualt is 6. Try a few different channels-make sure you hit apply-some require a restart of the router and test your bandwidth on speedtest app each time from the same location.

Also, check to see if your routers firmware is the latest.

 

[Wally World]

I did that and dropped from a 18 meg to .2. maybe i r tupid?

Try all channels starting at 1 going through to 12. Chart the results. Set it at the highest mbps.

 

[alprazolam]

I did that and dropped from a 18 meg to .2. maybe i r tupid?

You may have already been on the best channel for you. Basically, your router competes with your neighbor's routers if you are all on the same channel/frequency. Each channel represents a step in frequency change. By changing channels, you are trying to find a channel/frequency that isn't being used by folks around you. If you live far away from others, then this may be a non-issue for you although other electronics around you such as your microwave may be hitting the same frequency.

 

[NOVAdroid2151]

Try all channels starting at 1 going through to 12. Chart the results. Set it at the highest mbps.

If I set my router to Channel 11, should I set my phone to Channel 11 as well? would that yield the best results?

 

[scary alien]

Wow...just saw this thread and wanted to make the OP feel a little better since I was in a different, but very similar boat last year.

Early last summer, I noticed more than the occasional drop / disconnect on my (Comcast) cable modem connection to the internet. Very frustrating. Well, it finally got bad enough that I called Comcast and tried to figure-out if it was their network or what.

The tech support guy that I talked to was awesome. He analyzed my connection (and showed me how to too) and saw that I was getting errors left and right, pointing directly to my cable modem (it was a 10-year old RCA brand box I got free from my father-in-law). He also told me that it was a "DOCSIS 1.0" and that its rated speed was far (far!) less than what I was capable of receiving (and had been paying for). I was stunned since I had never, ever heard of "DOCSIS" before and the cable modem speed ratings, etc.

Well, a few hours and a $70 DOCSIS 2.0 cable modem later, I was surfing the 'net at twice the speed as before, with no dropped connections!

Simple. Easy. Awesome.

I really felt a little stupid for having run/used this 10 year-old cable modem for so long (and having endured its connection and speed issues for the last several years).

Lesson learned.

Cheers!

edit: there are also DOCSIS 3.0 cable modems out there, but Comcast will charge for the higher speeds if you elect to (they are a little more expensive, but are backwards-compatible).

 

[Wally World]

Wow...just saw this thread and wanted to make the OP feel a little better since I was in a different, but very similar boat last year.

Early last summer, I noticed more than the occasional drop / disconnect on my (Comcast) cable modem connection to the internet. Very frustrating. Well, it finally got bad enough that I called Comcast and tried to figure-out if it was their network or what.

The tech support guy that I talked to was awesome. He analyzed my connection (and showed me how to too) and saw that I was getting errors left and right, pointing directly to my cable modem (it was a 10-year old RCA brand box I got free from my father-in-law). He also told me that it was a "DOCSIS 1.0" and that its rated speed was far (far!) less than what I was capable of receiving (and had been paying for). I was stunned since I had never, ever heard of "DOCSIS" before and the cable modem speed ratings, etc.

Well, a few hours and a $70 DOCSIS 2.0 cable modem later, I was surfing the 'net at twice the speed as before, with no dropped connections!

Simple. Easy. Awesome.

I really felt a little stupid for having run/used this 10 year-old cable modem for so long (and having endured its connection and speed issues for the last several years).

Lesson learned.

Cheers!

edit: there are also DOCSIS 3.0 cable modems out there, but Comcast will charge for the higher speeds if you elect to (they are a little more expensive, but are backwards-compatible).

More great info! Thanks for sharing the story.

 

[beerhound]

If I set my router to Channel 11, should I set my phone to Channel 11 as well? would that yield the best results?

If you are just connecting via wifi instead of 3g, you don't need to set a channel with your phone, it will detect whatever channel your wireless router is on and connect automatically. The only time you should have to set a channel on your phone is if you have it rooted and are using it for wireless tethering. Then you would set the channel on it just like on your router and any clients would detect the channel and connect.

As for what channel you should use, keep this in mind: In the US only channels 1, 6 and 11 can be active at the same time without interference. If you are in an area like an apartment building with lots of active wifi networks, you are going to get some interference. The way to cut down on that is find which channel has the weakest signal and set your router to that channel.

The reason for the interference is because the channels overlap in frequency. The closer in number, the more interference. Channels 1 & 2 interfere with each other more than 1 & 4. To get a better idea of the channels, check the wiki link.

All of the above applies to wifi in the 2.4 Ghz band, there are different non-overlapping channels in the 5.0 Ghz band.

IEEE 802.11 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[bigbadwulff]

14.9 down 4.64 up. Not changing a thing

 

[jxker]

As for what channel you should use, keep this in mind: In the US only channels 1, 6 and 11 can be active at the same time without interference.

geez i was just reading and going to post this, so changing to channel 7 may not have done it but restarting the router when you did so is what MAY have picked up the increase

routers should be rebooted once in awhile as should modems.....I wouldnt advise anybody to use channel 7 though

 

[xSithxSaviorx]

Get wifi analyzer off the market, it will show you which channels r crowded, n which one will give you the best signal strength, usually 1 6 n 11 r the best as stated above

 

[Buckeye Boy]

I'm getting 54Mbps from my u-verse WiFi.

on your computer or phone?
i also have uverse, in cleveland ohio. i ran speedtest.net on my phone and my speeds are: download 5.44 mbps...upload 1.09 mbps.

i use wifi analyzer app on phone and it says i am on the channel 11 with the highest signal. what gives? what can i do?

 

[xSithxSaviorx]

Well honestly.. what he is probably seeing is a 54mbps connection, but I doubt that is his speed, I think that is just a wireless g connection.. but his upload n download are probably not near that, id give u more information but in conclusion his speed isn't 54mbps.. most likely

 

[SoDroid]

I changed the channel on my router from 1 to 11. My laptop connected fine but my X and OG Droid will no longer connect to the network. I've since changed the channel back to 1 but both devices still will not connect. I've reset the router a number of times and tried changing to several different channels with no joy. I've tried forgetting the network within the devices, rebooting, and re-adding the network, still will not work. I have not changed any other settings.

Anyone have any advice for how I can get these reconnected to the network? Any help is much appreciated!