stats could include most common channel

[famre888]

Just wondering, stats on the most common channel(s) would be cool. In my own observations I see that channel 6 is the most common. Followed by 11.

Great site

[i_do_dew]

I would say that 6 is the most common channel, though the antennas are probably optimized for that which is why manufacturers use it as their default. The funny thing is that the number of APs in a given area on chan 6 probably negates this slight benefit.

Also you shouldn't think of the channels as hard and fast. By that I mean that a set channel is not exclusive. Wifi uses limited spread spectrum and the data actually passes around on the adjacent channels with the control data passing over the set channel. When the control channel experiences interference, that is when you get the worst connections.

The 2.4G phones also work this way but they take up a larger section of the available band usually. this is why if you have 2.4G phones you can sometimes force them to the high side of the band and the wifi to the low end, or vice versa.

Excluding antenna performance, there is a slightly better power factor to the low end of the band. I base that comment on the fact that for a given pair of frequencies the lower one will exibit better propgation (at a (slightly) lesser bandwidth) for a an equal power, and asuming there is optimal conditions (no antenna losses or other interference).

I had one install where it actually made sense to force the AP to 5.5mb mode and put it on chan 2 and was seeing better overall data through put than leaving the thing in Auto mode on any channel due to surrounding interference.