Increasing Throughput in Dense Environments

On the 5GHz spectrum, there are three possible channel widths: 20MHz, 40MHz, and 80MHz.  In dense environments such as schools, we often see clients immediately jump to the 80MHz bandwidth, assuming the wider channels will provide better speeds and service.  While this can be the case in less crowded environments, schools will actually see better performance by using smaller, non-overlapping channels.

The 80 MHz bandwidth provides only 6 channels, compared to 12 with 40 MHz and 25 with 20 MHz.  If those 6 channels are supposed to support every Access Point (AP) in a school, there quickly arises a problem with interference due to channel-overlap.  Any benefit gained from the increased throughput of a wider bandwidth is lost as multiple devices and APs compete for airtime on only a few channels.

When Wyebot reviews a network, crowded channels and channel overlap are two of the first things that can be identified.  All interference issues are displayed clearly on The Wireless Intelligence Platform’s™ dashboard, along with actionable steps for resolution.  Wyebot makes it easy to see how many devices are on the network, and how they are each competing for airtime.