2.4ghz might be defective.
But this is worth trying:
a) In your router, navigate to Advanced Settings-->Wireless-->General
1. I use separate SSID (Network) names for 2.4 Ghz and 5Ghz. Use separate names to avoid confusion when troubleshooting. If SSID names are the same for 2.4 and 5Ghz, you can't tell just by looking, which one you're connected to. Change SSID names so that 2.4 and 5Ghz are not using the same network name.
2. Turn "Enable Smart Connect" off. Disable Smart Connect.
3. I use inSSIDer to try to use a control channel (and extension channel) that isn't being used by others in my area:
https://www.metageek.com/products/inssider/.
a)Navigate to Advanced Settings-->Wireless-->General
b) Select 2.4 Ghz.
c) I do not use Auto for control channel. I try to find a channel that isn't overcrowded where I live. You should do the same.
d) 20Mhz channel bandwidth is more stable than 40Mhz. 20Mhz is slower, but it is more stable. If you have problems, select 20.
e) Click "apply"
4. In the Professional tab-->Band, select 2.4 Ghz
a) Bluetooth Coexistence-->Enable
b) Roaming Assistant-->Disable
c) Airtime Fairness-->Disable
d) Universal Beamforming-->Disable
e) I have Multi-User MIMO enabled, but if you have problems, try disabling it.
f) click "apply"
http://www.snbforums.com/threads/guide- ... ost-375354RMerlin wrote:
Quick addendum, as I lack the time to maintain the original post:
In newer routers, if you experience wireless stability issues then it's recommended that you disable the following options:
MU-MIMO (some hardware revisions have non-functional/unreliable implementations)
Airtime Fairness (causes connectivity issues for various devices, including wireless printers)
Universal Beamforming (non-standard, might cause compatibility issues with some clients)
http://www.snbforums.com/threads/guide- ... ues.12825/RMerlin wrote:
General tips (applies to both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz)
- Make sure your computer's wireless driver is up-to-date. Check with the manufacturer's website, as Windows Update does not always carry the latest version (in fact, it rarely does). I've personally seen old Atheros drivers that would refuse to connect to any modern router, but worked fine with some older routers.
- Use a tool such as InSSIDer (Windows) or Wifi Analyzer (Android) to determine which channel is the least busy, then set your router to that channel. Keep in mind that a 2.4 GHz wifi channel will interfere with both neighbouring channels. So if you set it to channel 3, it can be affected by anything also using channel 2 and 4. If your neighbour is on channel 1, then he will also interfere with channel 2. That's why it's usually best to stick with channel 1, 6 or 11, as anything between these will most likely interfere with two other used channels.
- Try deleting the wireless profile from your device, and reconnecting as if it was a new connection. The device tend to save more technical details than just the SSID and encryption, so sometimes that information can be out of sync with what the router is using.
- If you had just upgraded the router firmware, try resetting your router back to factory defaults, and reconfigure it manually. Do NOT load a backup of your saved settings, as this will make the whole procedure pointless - you will just end up reloading the exact same incorrect settings you want to get rid of.
- Router (and antennas) positioning can be important. Picture an imaginary direct line of sight between the router and the client device, and observe what obstacles it has to go through. Each obstacle can affect the radio signal.
Going through a wall at a 45 degrees angle will also be worse than at a 90 degrees angle, as it means more surface for the signal to travel through.
- Increasing the output power rarely helps, unless you were also able to increase the output power of your client devices. If you really need better coverage, upgrade your antennas. And actually cranking the output power too high can cause more issues than anything if you reach a point where the signal gets distorted by the emitter.
- A 300 Mbps link does not translate in 300 Mbps speed. That's the link speed itself. After that, you have to take into account the encryption, other devices sharing the same channel, retransmission of lost/corrupted packets, etc... Anything around half the link speed is considered good.
- The link speed can also vary based on power management. It's not unusual for the link speed to drop to a lower value, then rise back up as you are actively transferring data. If evaluating performance, do not look at the link speed alone - do an actual transfer and measure the throughput. Timed file copy or an online speed test with a known good test server are good ways to do so.
- Sometimes, some wireless adapters just won't like your router. That can happen with older laptop wireless interfaces, or some specific vendors. If it's practical, consider possibly using a different wireless adapter (USB-based, for example). A 300 Mbps adapter is fairly inexpensive these days - cheaper than switching to a different router (for example, switching to a Ralink-based router instead of a Broadcom-based one).
Issues specific to 2.4 GHz:
The 2.4 GHz band is VERY crowded. You can get interference from a wide variety of devices:
Microwave ovens
Baby monitors
Old cordless phones
Bluetooth devices
All your neighbour's routers
Due to this, you should set channel width to 20 MHz on that band. A 40 MHz connection would require you to overlap no less than 5 channels. Highly unlikely you will get a reliable 40 MHz connection in any urban area with so many channels overlapping. Yes, it will cut your maximum performance in half, but if you want a STABLE connection on the 2.4 GHz band, there is little you can do about this. Otherwise, the 5 GHz band is your only solution.
Posted: 10/11/2020
