WiFi channel at 5GHz keeps reverting to 100 after I change it to AUTO?

[GEG64]

I have a Sagecom Fast 5364 Router and I set the 5GHz channel of my WifI to AUTO so it selects on a separate channel from my next door neighbour who has a powerful router signal at channel 100.

However every time I do this it reverts overnight to channel 100 at this frequency!

I haven't rebooted my router so that cannot be the cause.

What is happening?

Do TalkTalk  automatically reset the router to some or other default settings  every day or so?

I understood from TalkTalk info the AUTO setting was the best one to avoid interfering channels. So if that is happening surely this should be the default setting rather than 100!!

[amahle-TT]

Thank you @KeithFrench.

[KeithFrench]

Hi @GEG64 

No problem.

[GEG64]

Thanks Keith

Got your PM and have downloaded the instructions.

My PC is Windows and my phone Android.

Will send the info via PM as requested when I have sorted it out.

[KeithFrench]

Hi @GEG64 

No problem. Do not worry about interpreting the results; I will do that for you. I will send a PM to you that contains a link to a guide of mine on Wi-Fi interference. It is quite lengthy (approximately 30 pages), but you will likely only need to review three or four pages in total. Initially, look at the section called "Are you suffering from interference – prove it first". This is the first link in the table of contents. This section includes full details of free Wi-Fi analysers that I recommend for Windows, Windows phone, Android and Apple operating systems. However, I have no way of testing the Apple product. Select the analyser of your choice & my guide explains how to use it.

If you are using Wi-Fi Scanner, please attach the zip file to this thread. As soon as I have downloaded it, I will remove the attachment from your post to preserve your privacy.

With all other analysers, please follow my instructions below.

Please collect the required screenshots and include them in your reply.

Please post the screenshots to me in a PM (to protect your privacy), which I have requested in my guide. No photos, please, as they can be difficult to read, because the text can get out of focus when zoomed in. Please ensure that the analyser window is maximised (if Windows) before taking the screenshots & uploading them via the "Insert Photos" button (in a mobile browser it's the picture icon) on the post editor's toolbar with the Size parameter set to Large.

[GEG64]

No problem Keith. I really value your knowledgeable input.

I was annoyed when I had to  set up a new Talk Talk Forum Account as I lost all my old posts.  I think what complicated things was at that time they also changed the way you logged on.. Before I had  a Talk Talk Forum Account separate from my Customer Account. Now I  have to logon with my Customer Account and the Forum Account is linked to it.

Please could you resend me  the details of what software to use and what screenshots you need.  I will sort them out and send them to you.

Shall I put them on the forum or message you them?

Many thanks

[KeithFrench]

Hi @GEG64 

Sorry, I deal with a lot of people & cannot remember them all. With the fact that WiF i interference can change by the minute, if you would like to get me another set of screenshots from whichever analyser you are using, I'll take another look for you.

[GEG64]

Hi Keith

we have been through that before! You will know me as GEG63. I had to change my username as there were problems with accessing my community account to reply. it was round the time TalkTalk community emails were going to spam and taking ages to be sent so they timed out.

We discussed the problem and didn't really come to an explanation as I remember

Here is a link to my thread

https://community.talktalk.co.uk/t5/Fibre/Could-my-new-smart-meters-be-interfering-with-my-router-Wi...

I was concerned it was due to my recently installed smart meters for my gas and electricity.

However I'm willing to have another go.

Channel 100 is certainly not the best channel though given my neighbour has a very strong signal on exactly that channel which is as strong as my TalkTalk router signal!

[KeithFrench]

Whatever channel you set in the router can be overridden by WiFi Optimisation, which is perfectly normal. Changing WiFi channels without first using a WiFi analyser is counterproductive; that new channel could be worse than the current one. It could be that 100 is the best channel.

Slow speed, intermittent dropouts, breaks in the signal or no signal on some or all devices or no internet access might be caused by Wi-Fi interference from other local networks, which can also lead to a permanent reduction in speed. No ISP can be responsible for your local environment; this is mainly a byproduct of the popularity of Wi-Fi.

Generally speaking, the 2.4GHz band suffers a lot more from interference than the much faster 5GHz band, but the 2.4GHz band can sometimes have a better range; however, this all depends on your local area.

In other words, I offer a free, impartial analysis of your Wi-Fi network and will try to help you optimise your Wi-Fi connection. The next stage involves sending out a guide to help you get me some important diagnostic results so that I can analyse them for you and recommend changes to your router configuration to solve them.

I only send this out to people who request it.

The information below is provided by TalkTalk. For confirmation, please contact @Lorrainef, the manager of the TalkTalk support staff on this forum.

KeithFrench is one of our valued Community Stars and can help with a range of issues related to wireless and networking. At times, he may ask you to send him test results via a Private Message to help analyse/diagnose an issue. Although Keith does not work for TalkTalk, he very kindly shares his time and knowledge to help others.

If you need further help or if we need to take any details such as personal information about your account, like phone numbers, account numbers, etc, one of the TalkTalk team will jump in and help out.

[GEG64]

As requested I have rebooted the router. I switched it off for 30 mins then restarted it.

The WifI at 5GHz is still stuck on 100. In fact on accessing the router Dashboard  the WifI setting has changed from the Auto I set it on to 100 again.

I have changed the the 5GHz channel to 136 and my app is showing the 5GHz signal is now on 136. I will check it again tomorrow and see if it stays on that . However I have done this before and usually overnight it resets to 100.

[mandisa1-TT]

Signal dominance: Your neighbor’s Virgin router is extremely close (4–5 feet), so its 5 GHz signal is much stronger than yours when you’re in the lounge. Phones often “stick” to the stronger signal even if it’s not your network, or they may struggle with interference if both routers use the same channel. 5 GHz limitations: 5 GHz doesn’t penetrate walls well and loses strength quickly over distance. At 36 ft plus walls, your router’s 5 GHz signal is weak in the lounge. Channel overlap: If both routers are on channel 100, interference is severe. Your app confirms this. Please try restarting your router and see if that fixes the problem.

[GEG64]

I find the problem is with using my phone in the lounge which is only four or five feet of my neighbour's Virgin router.  My router is about 36 feet away at the front of my house where my phone line comes in. If I carry my phone towards my router when I get within about 12 feet of it it it reconnects. I have no connection problems with my desktop PC but that is upstairs in a back bedroom at least 20 feet from his router.

I don't seem to get problems with the 2.5 Ghz channel at the moment but that is on a different channel to his router channel.

I have an app on my phone that tells me the channels nearby WifI signals are on.

[mandisa1-TT]

Hi there @GEG64 it is no longer possible to switch off Wi-Fi optimization on the current sagemcom routers, Channels around 100 fall into the DFS range, which is regulated to avoid interference with radar systems. If the router detects radar activity or interference, it may switch channels—but if it doesn’t, it tends to stick to DFS channels like 100. Are you experiencing any issues with your connection?