What is actually... WLAN channel overlap?

When searching for WLAN in your office complex, do you receive the other company networks better than your own or are your company access points blocking each other? We'll show you how a channel change can help you avoid interferences.

Do you know what it's like when you're at work and need the Internet for your work? But your eagerness to work is quickly curbed because the WLAN is not working or there is interference. The reason for this could be that the channels of your WLAN radio overlap with those of neighbouring networks. It is also important to pay attention to WLAN Signal-Rausch-Abstandes. If you work in an office complex, it is not uncommon to have a whole network of WLAN-enabled devices in the immediate vicinity. Frustration arises especially when new devices that have just been purchased have poor reception or the connection gives up the ghost every few minutes. Instead of continuing to surf at a snail's pace and often despairing, you will find solutions in the following article to stabilise your wireless network connection.

Changing the WLAN channel: eliminating interference and improving reception

There are several ways to strengthen your WLAN signal and increase its range. One of them is to change the channel on which your access point transmits.

How do you change the WLAN channel?

The radio frequency of your access points is 2,4 und 5 GHz. Companies usually use the 5 GHz network for fast data transport. If this is fully occupied, the 2.4 GHz network is used to avoid interference. This type of use is also called dual-band.
Since the 5 GHz band uses Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS) to find a free channel, the channels do not overlap. However, if you select your channel independently, it is advisable to avoid channels 9 and 10 in office complexes, as microwave ovens are operated with the same frequency. As soon as the radio channels are close together, you should keep a distance of no less than four channels from other networks or access points within range to avoid channel overlaps.
In a large infrastructure, channels 1, 5, 9 and 13 on the 2.4 GHz band are therefore preferred for interference-free operation.

How do you align the antennas of your access point correctly?

The antennas of the access point should radiate equally well or equally strongly in all directions perpendicular to the antenna axis. Omnidirectional antennas or omnidirectional antennas make sense if a firewall with an integrated access point is in the centre and the clients are distributed in all directions. It is possible to change antennas easily with some WLAN devices with external antennas. The use of one or more directional antennas is particularly worthwhile if your access point cannot be placed centrally in the building or office, but rather in the peripheral area.

Where is the ideal location to place an access point?

The WiFi electric field is affected by doors, walls and even furniture. This interference can cause a poor signal under certain circumstances. The smallest changes to the orientation and placement of the access point can already have a big impact on the signal strength. Instead of placing your firewall with integrated access point or its AP in the cupboard, rather place it on a shelf or on the wall so that it is as "free" as possible and does not already encounter immediate barriers in the environment.