Tips
- Choose non-overlapping channels as much as possible
- Multiple access points should operate on different channels
- Band Steering should generally be enabled,
with the same SSID for 2.4 and 5 GHz channels
Band Steering – access point waits 15secs before responding on 2.4GHz to give more time for client to connect to 5GHz instead.
802.11 Wi-Fi Standards:
- a = 5Ghz, up to 54 Mbps (Wifi 2)
- b = 2.4 GHz, up to 11 Mbps (Wifi 1)
- g = 2.4 GHz, up to 54 Mbps (Wifi 3)
- n = 2.4 GHz, up to 600 Mbps theoretical using MIMO (Wifi 4). Typically ~150 Mbps in real world.
- ac = 5 GHz (Wifi 5) (2014)
- Dual-band allows simultaneous 2.4 GHz.
- Uses beamforming.
- 1300 Mbps on 5 GHz and 450 Mbps on 2.4 GHz theoretically.
- ~300 Mbps in real world.
- ad = fast, short range
- ax = up to 10 Gbps (Wifi 6). Includes adding 6 GHz for Wifi 6E (2019)
- be = up to 46 Gbps (Wifi 7) (2024). Improvements in power use and crowded areas
Typical RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator) values:
- 100% == 0 dBm -> at the AP
- 80% == -60 dBm -> Very Good
- -66 dBm – a suggested minimum, switch if another AP is in range, provided you do not disconnect clients at the extents that do not have other APs
- -73 dBm – a possible strict minimum to maintain good communication
- 30% == -80 dBm -> Not Good, minimum for reliability
- 15% == -85 dBm -> Connects but unreliable
- 5% == -90 dBm -> Unusable
(*Technically vendors choose their own RSSI scale, reporting some value between 0 – 255.)