Are you paying for fast internet but not getting the expected speed? Did your Wi-Fi work well before, but now it feels slow?

Choosing the right Wi-Fi channel can help improve coverage and speed.

In the 2.4 GHz band, only channels 1, 6, and 11 do not overlap. Picking one of these channels is key to setting up a stable network. 

Many routers automatically choose a channel during setup, which can cause slow speeds and interference.

This guide explains the types of interference and shows how to pick the best channel, helping you understand why 1, 6, and 11 are the best choices.

The top three reasons for Wi-Fi signal issues

Co-Channel

Every client and access point on the same channel competes for talking time.

Adjacent-Channel

Every client and access point on overlapping channels talk over each other.

Non-Wi-Fi

Non-802.11 devices compete for medium access.

Co-channel interference does not cause issues unless many Wi-Fi devices use the same channel.

However, adjacent-channel interference creates problems, making channel selection important. Choosing the correct Wi-Fi channel can help reduce or remove these interferences.

A spectrum analyzer like inSSIDer helps visualize the wireless environment.

It lets you pick the best channel or reduce Wi-Fi interference, improving your 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network performance.

Non-Overlapping Channels

The 2.4 GHz band contains channels that are 20 MHz wide. The center of each channel is 5 MHz apart.

However, the total width of the spectrum is only 100 MHz. As a result, all 11 channels must fit within 100 MHz, leading to overlap.

Channels 1, 6, and 11 in the 2.4 GHz band have enough space to prevent overlap.

Picking one of them causes network sharing (co-channel interference), but it is better than interference from nearby channels.

With this knowledge, you can pick from three channels (1, 6, or 11) without extra software.

However, nearby networks may still use non-standard channels. MetaGeek helps in such cases.

Using inSSIDer with MetaGeek Plus, you can view all nearby networks and make a final choice. To learn more about channel interference, check out our Video Tutorials.

inSSIDer helps identify Wi-Fi problems and provides quick fixes. It automatically suggests the best channel, so no technical expertise is needed.

Simply open inSSIDer and check how many networks are on each channel. Click the “Channel” header to sort them by activity. The goal is to find the least crowded channel among 1, 6, and 11.

The image above shows a ” bba ” network running on channel 9, overlapping channels 6 and 11. Channel 1 has only one weak network.

If setting up a new access point, channel 1 is the best choice because it has the fewest networks and no overlapping signals.