Should wireless access points use the same channel?
To optimize your Wi-Fi coverage, you need to properly select channels that you intend to use. This is crucial to determining whether users will be able to experience network efficiency and seamlessly access the internet. Let us take a look at whether wireless access points can use the same channel.
A wireless access point is a network device that acts as a centralized hub where other devices can use to connect to a local area network.Should wireless access points use the same channel? Yes. Many wireless access points can use the same channel to extend Wi-Fi coverage in a building. However, you need to follow a few crucial steps before you set them up in order to prevent overlapping and misconfiguration problems that could threaten the efficiency of your network.
Table of Contents
To begin with, how does a wireless access point work?
For a wireless access point to work, you need to have connected it to your router using an Ethernet cable so that it can receive the bandwidth and internet connection that would power its operation. Once this is done, the access point works using the 2.4 and 5 GHz frequency bands to transmit and receive wireless signals.
When the wireless signals are received by your access point, you can establish a wireless connection to your local area network then access the internet. It simply acts as a hotspot for your devices to connect to the internet. Rather, a wireless access point works in such a way that it is a go-between your router and electronic devices
You can use a wireless access point to help you extend the Wi-Fi coverage in your home or office.
Should wireless access points use the same channel?
Wireless access points can use the same channel. However, when you set multiple access points on the same channel, there may be a degradation in the capacity and you will notice some kind of interference with the performance of your network. This is because as the traffic increases on your network it comes into contact with overlapping and misconfigurations that cause connectivity issues. As a result, when you are setting up multiple access points on the same channel, you need to;
Study and analyze where you are planning to set up your access point
Problems that could arise from setting up multiple access points on the same channel are often to do with overlapping and misconfiguration. However, conducting a wireless site survey before you setup your multiple access point on the same channel should be able to manage and control connectivity issues. Generally, you should study and analyze where you intend to set up your access points so that you can be able to configure them correctly and to help you choose where to mount them.
Make use of a controller to manage your access points
Considering the fact that you are setting up multiple access points on one channel, you may need to use one controller to manage your network. You can do this by setting up your access points with one SSID and password for all the access points in your areas so that it can remain the same as you interchange the rooms around your home or office depending on where you have chosen to set up access points.
The importance of a controller is to ensure that you are able to automatically connect to your access points from any point of the building and it also allows you to monitor the use of your network. This significantly network interferences.
Ensure that your Ethernet cable is under 328feet when you are connecting to your access points
The two Ethernet cables that you run on your access points are cat5 and cat6. When you are connecting to your access points, you need to ensure that they run under 328 feet so that you can prevent dropping Wi-Fi signals and poor connections. Where you are unable to do this, you should find a substitute such as fiber optic cables or switches to control your access points.
Try picking the right power settings for your access points
The power setting of your access points are used to determine the range to be covered. For this reason you should use your controller to select the correct power settings. This way you are able to prevent a roaming problem that could happen when overlapping of channels occurs because your access points are to cover a large area. This should be determined at the time that you are conducting a site survey.
Select the correct channels for your access points
Majority of the time, your access points tend to pick the channels to use on your behalf. The problem with this is that the channels may overlap with the ones that are nearby and already established which may cause an interference in your network. Therefore, if you are looking for proper Wi-Fi coverage and seamless internet, you should choose the correct channels for your access points.
The 2.4 GHz band offers a limited selection of channels so you can preferably select from the 5GHz band that lets you comfortably set up multiple access points on the same network.
A short summary of 5 channels that you can support on 2.4 and 5G GHz and their frequency range
Channel |
Frequency range (MHz) |
1 |
2401 – 2423 |
2 |
2406 – 2428 |
3 |
2411 – 2433 |
4 |
2416 – 2438 |
5 |
2421 – 2433 |
5 GHz
Channel |
Frequency range (MHz) |
7 |
5030 – 5040 |
8 |
5030 – 5050 |
9 |
5040 – 5050 |
11 |
5050 – 5060 |
12 |
5050 – 5070 |
Make sure that you are using the correct access points for indoors and outdoors
When you properly mount your indoor access point, it can cover outdoor sections as well. However, in the event that you want to extend your Wi-Fi coverage outdoors, you should use access points that are condensation resistant and are not vulnerable to harsh weather conditions so that they are able to serve you longer.
Conclusion
You should conduct a site survey to prevent any Interferences and connectivity problems that would occur when you set multiple access points on the same channel.
FAQs
What is Channel Isolation on my access point?
A device that has channel management enabled automatically assigns wireless radio channels to the other WAP devices in the cluster. The automatic channel assignment reduces interference with other access points outside of its cluster and maximizes Wi-Fi bandwidth to help maintain the efficiency of communication over the wireless network.
Should access points be on different channels?
When access points are on the same SSID, it is better to put them on different channels so that you can maximize speed and avoid interference by other devices and networks. An exception to this however, would be when you are using Universal repeater mode where the two access points have to be on the same channel so that they are able to communicate.