Use only 1, 6 and 11 on 2.4GHz — treat it as a fallback band
Prefer 36–48 and 149–165 on 5GHz; DFS channels can change channel
Keep two APs between co-channel units and align neighbour power
01 2.4GHz: use only 1, 6 and 11
2.4GHz has only three non-overlapping 20MHz channels (1, 6 and 11), and neighbours use the same three. Treat it as a fallback band for legacy clients, and keep its power and occupation as low as practical.
02 5GHz: prefer 36–48 and 149–165
| Range | Channels | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| U-NII-1 | 36 / 40 / 44 / 48 | Mainly indoor, relatively clean |
| U-NII-2 (DFS) | 52–64 / 100–140 | Radar coexistence: DFS events force a channel change and a brief drop |
| U-NII-3 | 149 / 153 / 157 / 161 / 165 | Common outdoors; check local power limits |
Available 5GHz channels and power limits vary by country — confirm against the destination market rules.
03 Implementation steps
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1 ① Survey before assigning channels
Scan existing APs on site and reserve the cleanest channels for your own.
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2 ② Draw a channel reuse map
Mark AP positions and channels on the floor plan, keeping at least two differently-channelled APs between co-channel units.
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3 ③ Align power between neighbours
Large power gaps make clients stick to distant APs. Keep cell radii similar and reduce power in dense areas.
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4 ④ Enable 802.11k/v/r
k/v help clients find better APs and r shortens reconnection — provided SSID, security and management are unified.
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5 ⑤ Re-test after go-live
During peak hours re-check channel utilisation and retries, then fine-tune power or channel.
Questions
Q1 Do I still plan channels if auto-selection is on?
Yes. Auto algorithms see limited neighbour and client context, and mixed-brand fleets tend to chase each other.
Q2 Are DFS channels usable?
Indoor yes, accepting a brief channel change on radar events. Avoid them where real-time traffic matters.
Related knowledge
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