Channels for iProducts on 5ghz

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Brend

89 posts

Master Geek

#317852 21-Nov-2024 10:07

Hi. Is there a list of channels within 5ghz frequency band that are used (preferred) by iPhones. My Android seem to connect easily to the 5ghz band, but wifey's iPhone doesn't. It would be nice to have a complete list for all makes and manufacturers, but for now I am only interested in the devices that are proving stubborn.

And for the people with sensible comments like - just get an Android and solve most of your issues - Nope - wifey doesn't agree with us 🤣

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Uber Geek

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#3311298 21-Nov-2024 10:18

I always use channel 100 (40 MHz wide, 102 centre) at work and home. Never had any issue with iPhone and 5 GHz.

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Asteros

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Master Geek

#3311301 21-Nov-2024 10:29

Can you tell us what number the 5ghz channel is, the channel width, what country the access point/router is set to?

Brend

89 posts

Master Geek

#3311302 21-Nov-2024 10:55

Asteros:

Can you tell us what number the 5ghz channel is, the channel width, what country the access point/router is set to?

Welllll ... I can make it anything. I bought a Grandstream 7665 and it is very flexible. So I can pick almost any channel and let it select the best channel automatically/dynamically. I can also set the channel width to 20/40/80/160 MHz

Currently I have channels 36, 40, 44, 48, 149, 153, 157 and 161 chosen (custom out of the box) and channel width 80MHz (also out of the box).

I am not sure what you mean by what country it is set to, but I guess it would be the NZ/Auckland Timezone setting

Spyware

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#3311353 21-Nov-2024 11:05

What model iPhone does your wife use.

Jase2985

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#3311354 21-Nov-2024 11:10

its probably sensing and bouncing round channels based on RF noise in your area. i would pick a fixed channel and test and then keep trying to see where the issue lies.

Below is a list of the RSM frequencies, their numbers are the centre channel of that channel width, other devices might call the channel by the lowest frequency in that channel width

https://www.rsm.govt.nz/assets/Uploads/documents/5-ghz-info-leaflet-2021-update.pdf

Brend

89 posts

Master Geek

#3311358 21-Nov-2024 11:12

Spyware:

What model iPhone does your wife use.

6s - but we obviously want to cater for other people on the network too (will be a guest network)

Behodar

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#3311359 21-Nov-2024 11:15

Brend:

I am not sure what you mean by what country it is set to, but I guess it would be the NZ/Auckland Timezone setting

If you have a Mac, the "Wireless Diagnostics" app (do a Spotlight search for it) will show the country of your and your neighbours' access points (do a "Scan" from the menu). There is likely to be a similar app available for Windows.

Asteros

188 posts

Master Geek

#3311364 21-Nov-2024 11:20

Brend:

Spyware:

What model iPhone does your wife use.

6s - but we obviously want to cater for other people on the network too (will be a guest network)

I have run into a wifi problem before with an iphone 6s. The issue was that the 6s does not support WPA3, it only supports WPA2 or earlier. The iPhone 7 or newer does. Solved by setting up another SSID (network) with WPA2 that only the 6s connected to.

This came about because the defaults on my access points were to setup a WPA3 network. I suggest you try this before changing wifi channels.

Brend

89 posts

Master Geek

#3311370 21-Nov-2024 11:32

Jase2985:

Below is a list of the RSM frequencies, their numbers are the centre channel of that channel width, other devices might call the channel by the lowest frequency in that channel width

https://www.rsm.govt.nz/assets/Uploads/documents/5-ghz-info-leaflet-2021-update.pdf

Thanks - this might be what I was looking for.

Should I ignore that some of the channels are DFS channels? Or should I try avoid those?

Brend

89 posts

Master Geek

#3311373 21-Nov-2024 11:40

Asteros:

I have run into a wifi problem before with an iphone 6s. The issue was that the 6s does not support WPA3, it only supports WPA2 or earlier. The iPhone 7 or newer does. Solved by setting up another SSID (network) with WPA2 that only the 6s connected to.

This came about because the defaults on my access points were to setup a WPA3 network. I suggest you try this before changing wifi channels.

Very good point - I saw the switch between WPA2/WPA3 for dual band, but the moment you include/use the 6GHz band it uses WPA3 exclusively. So this would cause me to set up an SSID for the old phones only on the same VLAN

cyril7

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#3311374 21-Nov-2024 11:40

Hi for your requirement there is no need to use DFS channels, as others have mentioned wpa3 is likely the issue, either disable it on your current ssid, or stand up another ssid that is wpa2 only, personally for a home system, just drop the wpa3.

Cyril

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Master Geek

#3311375 21-Nov-2024 11:42

cyril7: Hi for your requirement there is no need to use DFS channels, as others have mentioned wpa3 is likely the issue, either disable it on your current ssid, or stand up another ssid that is wpa2 only, personally for a home system, just drop the wpa3.

Cyril

Thanks, but that means dropping 6GHz. Not an issue right now, but in future it might be. Or I should just create another SSID for the old stuff

Asteros

188 posts

Master Geek

#3311376 21-Nov-2024 11:45

Brend:

Asteros:

I have run into a wifi problem before with an iphone 6s. The issue was that the 6s does not support WPA3, it only supports WPA2 or earlier. The iPhone 7 or newer does. Solved by setting up another SSID (network) with WPA2 that only the 6s connected to.

This came about because the defaults on my access points were to setup a WPA3 network. I suggest you try this before changing wifi channels.

Very good point - I saw the switch between WPA2/WPA3 for dual band, but the moment you include/use the 6GHz band it uses WPA3 exclusively. So this would cause me to set up an SSID for the old phones only on the same VLAN

The Iphone 6s is very old (a family member was using one until recently) and 100% will not support 6GHZ. I'd set up a separate SSID with WPA2 only for it. Setup another SSID with WPA2/WPA3 mixed or WPA3 only for everything else. Most of your mentioned guests will have newer phones, as will your personal phone at a guess.

cddt

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Uber Geek

#3311377 21-Nov-2024 11:46

Brend:

Thanks, but that means dropping 6GHz. Not an issue right now, but in future it might be. Or I should just create another SSID for the old stuff

Drop the 6 GHz until you can get your wife a phone upgrade. :)

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cyril7

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#3311380 21-Nov-2024 11:49

Hi well that's up to you, but in reality in a home system do you actually have a need for 6GHz currently, as a side note I build and manage lots of commercial wireless systems, as a rough count probably involves over 1k APs of various brands, using 6GHz band for me is rare as it causes compatibility issues when at scale client wise.

Cyril

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