This topic

Wifi channels

11WHITES — Sat, 04 Oct 2025 15:21:08 GMT

Wifi keeps cutting out every few minutes. Tried changing channels but when I do my BT WiFi and an EE WiFi (not mine??) change channels at the same time like I'm controlling both

I don't understand it

Cheers

Re: Wifi channels

shakey1981 — Sat, 04 Oct 2025 15:27:38 GMT

auto changing to aviod interfrence

https://www.bt.com/help/broadband/how-do-i-change-the-wi-fi-channel-on-my-bt-hub

"we don't recommend manually changing wireless channels on the BT Hubs as this turns off Smart Wireless. When Smart Wireless is on, the Hub will automatically select the wireless channel with the least interference, changing to a different one if it gets too congested."

Re: Wifi channels

gg30340 — Sat, 04 Oct 2025 19:42:03 GMT

The BTWifi and the EE Wifi are being transmitted from your Smarthub hence they are on the same channel as your "main" wifi. They will not be affecting the signal unless they are being used.

You can Opt out of BT/EE Wif if you wish which "may " help.

Most problems with wifi are caused by radio interference from other devices or a faulty hub. If possible try moving your hub away from other electrical devices.

If the problem has just started check if you are using any new electrical devices that coincided with the problem starting. As chack to see if it happens whethe heating starts or the fridge/freezer click on etc etc.

As regard the post about recommending that you do not change the channel. I would ignore that. Unfortunately the Smarthub only allows you to select 3 out of the 11 wifi channels available in the UK.

What you should do is get a wifi analyser app on your mobile phone then scan the wifi signals. Look for the one with the least users and select that channel. This will fix your Smarthub to always use that channel rather than jumping between channels.

Re: Wifi channels

shakey1981 — Sat, 04 Oct 2025 19:32:33 GMT

something is on the same channel change to 6 or 11

Re: Wifi channels

WSH — Sat, 04 Oct 2025 20:12:19 GMT

The reason for it being locked to just 1, 6 and 11 is because these are the only channels at 2.4GHz that are truly separate. The channels in between are close enough to interfere and break the cooperation provided by CSMA/CA.

Re: Wifi channels

gg30340 — Sat, 04 Oct 2025 21:05:53 GMT

@WSHwrote:
The reason for it being locked to just 1, 6 and 11 is because these are the only channels at 2.4GHz that are truly separate. The channels in between are close enough to interfere and break the cooperation provided by CSMA/CA.

That is of course correct but practically it is also not necessarily the best not to allow the other channels to be used as it was often the case by selecting one of them you would be clear of the least congested channels even allowing for the overlap on one of the "allowed" channels.

Plus you could use channel 13 which is not allowed in USA but is allowed in Europe and is never available with "smart" wireless selections or set as a default channel on most routers and it is further away from 1 and 6 which are usually the most congested channels.

Re: Wifi channels

WSH — Sat, 04 Oct 2025 21:45:31 GMT

True. The whole thing's a dogs breakfast anyway. Technically, since the channels changed from 22MHz to 20MHz it's been possible to use 1, 5, 9 ands 13 but it never caught on, of course.

Re: Wifi channels

11WHITES — Sun, 05 Oct 2025 06:57:14 GMT

Thanks you for all your replies people

I'll be checking if anything electrical is coming on and interfering. We've had this problem before and then it went away after a long while

Cheers