On Sat, 26 Dec 2015 09:19:18 -0500, Micky wrote:

If there is already one AP on channel 1, 6, or 11, then you already have
What's an AP?

Heh heh ... An access point (AP) is just, for your purposes, an SSID.
So, if your neighbor's SSID is "NEIGHBOR1" and on channel 1, then that's
his "AP".

If another neighbor's SSID is "NEIGHBOR6",and on channel 6 then that's
his "AP".

If there's nothing on channel 11, then you should put your router on
channel 6.

However, if you have 5GHz available, then almost any 5GHz channel will
be better because there will be no interference.

a problem because your router is wasting time throwing away packets that
are meant for someone else.

An AP means there are dropped packets?

Each device you have is listening for an access point based on the
channel first (because that's how radios work).

If your neighbor is on the same channel, your device first receives
both his and your packets, but soon figures out which are from him and
which are from you, and then drops those packets from him.

But that takes time. So, it slows you down.

In any apartment complex, you'll find *tons* of APs on 1, 3, and 11.
Most homeowners too.

I don't live in an apartment, but it still sounds like 6 is good
becaus it's not 1, 3, or 11. ??

oops. I meant 1, 6, or 11. That "3" was a typo.

I said Thanks to be polite, but I really don't want to bother with
cell phone apps. I might be short of memory already.

Without knowing what channels are used around you, you're flying blind.

You "can" get the signal strength from the basic operating system,
no matter which platform you have, but it takes knowing which
buttons to press.

I just didn't understand why it used to be 11, but after upgrading the
firmware, it's 6. The modem didn't survey for congestion, did it?

You mean router, not modem.
Some "do" run a survey to see which channel is least congested.
Many don't.

Here's my advice:

1. Run a survey on your computer or cellphone
2. Use an empty 5GHz channel (which will be easy to find).
3. If you don't have 5GHz, then use the least congested 2.4GHz channel.
If possible, use 1, 6, or 11 if they're not already being used.

On Sat, 26 Dec 2015 12:39:07 -0500, Paul M. Cook wrote:

If there's nothing on channel 11, then you should put your router on
channel 6.

Typos again.

If there's nothing on channel 11, then you should put your router on
channel *11*.

Thanks again.


On Sat, 26 Dec 2015 12:39:07 -0500, "Paul M. Cook"
wrote:

On Sat, 26 Dec 2015 09:19:18 -0500, Micky wrote:

If there is already one AP on channel 1, 6, or 11, then you already have
What's an AP?

Heh heh ... An access point (AP) is just, for your purposes, an SSID.
So, if your neighbor's SSID is "NEIGHBOR1" and on channel 1, then that's
his "AP".

If another neighbor's SSID is "NEIGHBOR6",and on channel 6 then that's
his "AP".

If there's nothing on channel 11, then you should put your router on
channel 6.

However, if you have 5GHz available, then almost any 5GHz channel will
be better because there will be no interference.

a problem because your router is wasting time throwing away packets that
are meant for someone else.

An AP means there are dropped packets?

Each device you have is listening for an access point based on the
channel first (because that's how radios work).

If your neighbor is on the same channel, your device first receives
both his and your packets, but soon figures out which are from him and
which are from you, and then drops those packets from him.

But that takes time. So, it slows you down.

In any apartment complex, you'll find *tons* of APs on 1, 3, and 11.
Most homeowners too.

I don't live in an apartment, but it still sounds like 6 is good
becaus it's not 1, 3, or 11. ??

oops. I meant 1, 6, or 11. That "3" was a typo.

I said Thanks to be polite, but I really don't want to bother with
cell phone apps. I might be short of memory already.

Without knowing what channels are used around you, you're flying blind.

You "can" get the signal strength from the basic operating system,
no matter which platform you have, but it takes knowing which
buttons to press.

I just didn't understand why it used to be 11, but after upgrading the
firmware, it's 6. The modem didn't survey for congestion, did it?

You mean router, not modem.
Some "do" run a survey to see which channel is least congested.
Many don't.

Here's my advice:

1. Run a survey on your computer or cellphone
2. Use an empty 5GHz channel (which will be easy to find).
3. If you don't have 5GHz, then use the least congested 2.4GHz channel.
If possible, use 1, 6, or 11 if they're not already being used.