🏠 Home Networking
5 min de lectura
Wi-Fi Optimization
Optimize Wi-Fi performance with proper channel selection, band usage, and access point placement.
Wi-Fi Bands: 2.4 GHz vs 5 GHz vs 6 GHz
2.4 GHz
- Range: Better wall penetration, longer range
- Speed: Slower (up to ~600 Mbps with Wi-Fi 6)
- Channels: 11 channels, only 3 non-overlapping (1, 6, 11)
- Interference: Crowded — microwaves, Bluetooth, neighbors' routers
- Best for: IoT devices, smart home, devices far from router
5 GHz
- Range: Shorter range, more affected by walls
- Speed: Faster (up to ~4.8 Gbps with Wi-Fi 6)
- Channels: 25 non-overlapping channels
- Interference: Less crowded, more available channels
- Best for: Streaming, gaming, video calls, close-range devices
6 GHz (Wi-Fi 6E / Wi-Fi 7)
- Range: Shortest range
- Speed: Fastest (up to ~9.6 Gbps)
- Channels: 59 channels, completely uncrowded
- Best for: High-bandwidth, low-latency applications
Channel Selection
2.4 GHz: Use Channels 1, 6, or 11
These are the only non-overlapping channels. Using any other channel causes interference with neighbors on channels 1, 6, or 11.
Channel 1 ████████
Channel 6 ████████
Channel 11 ████████
5 GHz: Use Auto or Scan for Least Congested
With 25 non-overlapping channels, interference is rarely a problem. Use your router's auto-channel selection or a Wi-Fi analyzer app to find the quietest channel.
Access Point Placement
- Central location — Place the router in the center of your living space
- Elevated position — Put it on a shelf or mount it high on a wall
- Away from interference — Keep away from microwaves, cordless phones, baby monitors
- Avoid obstructions — Metal objects, mirrors, and water (fish tanks, walls with plumbing) block Wi-Fi signals
- No closets — Don't hide your router in a closet or cabinet
Improving Performance
- Enable band steering — Lets the router push capable devices to 5 GHz
- Update firmware — Fixes bugs and improves performance
- Reduce interference — Move 2.4 GHz devices to 5 GHz when possible
- Use Ethernet — For stationary devices (desktop PCs, gaming consoles, streaming boxes)
- Mesh systems — For large homes, use a mesh Wi-Fi system instead of range extenders