IEEE 802.11 based Wireless networks are being used more commonly and are increasingly being deployed at close range. This is causing the wireless channels to become congested. In this situation it is wise to use the Wi-Fi analyzer app to find out the wireless channels that are least congested and should be used as preferred channel to host your own wireless network. It will help in minimizing the interference from other wireless networks to your wireless network.
WiFi analyzer app
Network terms
Wi-Fi band
The WiFi network uses three bands to host 802.11 wireless network that are 2.4 GHz , 5 GHz and 6 GHz band
Wi-Fi channel
Each of the three WiFi bands has been subdivided into multiple smaller frequency bands with the size of 20 MHz. This 20 MHz frequency band is called Wi-Fi channel and has been assigned a number in each WiFi bands.
How to find the good Wi-Fi channel for the wireless network
First you need to switch off the Wi-Fi router or access point that you use to host the wireless network. We only need to check the Channel health of the other wireless networks in the coverage area.
Use the WiFi analyser at the time of the day when the WiFi networks are most busy. This will ensure you find out the correct channel to host your own WiFi network.
To find out wireless channels that are preferred to host a wireless network, do the followings:
- Enable the Wi-Fi network card in the mobile phone.
- Open the WiFiman app in the phone and select the Scan tab.
- Select the Frequency band in which you want to know the channel health. In this case it is 2.4 GHz band.
- Select the Channel Health tab.
Now you need to take the screenshot of Channel Health in each room or the locations where your own wireless network will provide the coverage.
In this case, I use the the wireless network only in two rooms of my home. So i will take one sample of Channel health in each of the two rooms.
Next you need to tally the Channel health data .
- Most preferred Channels: The channels that are providing Excellent status in each of coverage area will be considered as most preferred channels to host the wireless network. In this case, the most preferred Channel numbers are 1,2,3,11,12 and 13.
- Second-most preferred Channels: The channels that are providing at least Good channel health status in the coverage area. In this case, the second-most preferred Channel numbers are 4,5,6,8,9 and 10.
- Third: The channels that have a channel health status of Fair is considered least preferred to host the wireless network. In this case, the third-most preferred Channel numbers is 7.
Note : You also need to adhere to the wireless network channels restriction of local government.
Example 2
Channel heath status of 5 Ghz band.
