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    How To Use Wifi Channel Utilization

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    stbskyworth
    The document discusses why channel utilization is not a reliable metric for determining the best Wi-Fi channel. While lower utilization may seem better, it does not account for good versus bad channel usage and can be misleading. The document recommends using protocol analyzers and other channel quality metrics instead to properly evaluate channel performance.

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    How To Use Wifi Channel Utilization

    Uploaded by

    stbskyworth
    10 views16 pages
    The document discusses why channel utilization is not a reliable metric for determining the best Wi-Fi channel. While lower utilization may seem better, it does not account for good versus bad channel usage and can be misleading. The document recommends using protocol analyzers and other channel quality metrics instead to properly evaluate channel performance.

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    Wifi channels utilization

    Original Title

    How to Use wifi Channel Utilization

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    The document discusses why channel utilization is not a reliable metric for determining the best Wi-Fi channel. While lower utilization may seem better, it does not account for good versus bad channel usage and can be misleading. The document recommends using protocol analyzers and other channel quality metrics instead to properly evaluate channel performance.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    10 views16 pages

    How To Use Wifi Channel Utilization

    Uploaded by

    stbskyworth
    The document discusses why channel utilization is not a reliable metric for determining the best Wi-Fi channel. While lower utilization may seem better, it does not account for good versus bad channel usage and can be misleading. The document recommends using protocol analyzers and other channel quality metrics instead to properly evaluate channel performance.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 16

    How to Use Channel Utilization in Wi-Fi

    (tl;dr Ignore It)

    By Ben Miller, CWNE #12, @Ben_SniffWiFi


    Which Channel Looks Better?
    Channel A: Channel B:
    • 7.7% Utilization • 20.2% Utilization
    • Clean spectrogram • Clean spectrogram
    Now Which Channel Looks Better?
    Channel A: Channel B:
    • 0.21 Mbps/1.3 Mbps speed test • 88 Mbps/96 Mbps speed test
    • 54 seconds to load LATimes.com • LATimes.com loads instantly
    Why Is This Happening to Me?

    Because Channel Utilization


    should be ignored.
    The Case for Channel Utilization
    Channel utilization is the percentage of time a channel is used*.

    In Wi-Fi, a channel is a collision domain. Therefore, when a channel is


    being used by one device, the channel cannot be used** by any other
    devices.

    Therefore therefore, a channel with lower utilization is a better


    channel, because more channel time is unused, and therefore available…
    or so the theory goes.

    *Usually a signal threshold (say, -95 dBm) is set to determine what qualifies as channel “use”
    **Wi-Fi devices may ATTEMPT to use a channel that’s in use, but that usually causes collisions
    Except…

    Some channel usage is good, and some usage is bad.


    Good Utilization vs. Bad Utilization

    Good Utilization Bad Utilization


    High rate frames Low rate frames
    -Less channel time used for data -More channel time used for data
    Successful frames Unsuccessful frames
    -The channel is used for data -Channel time is wasted

    Channel Utilization readings can not tell the difference.


    Other Problems With Channel Utilization

    Channel Utilization does NOT show channel availability


    • 802.11 CSMA/CA makes it so new devices/data can always use the channel

    Channel Utilization is especially deceptive when width is 40/80/160 MHz


    • 802.11 management & control traffic uses the primary channel, only
    Primary vs. Secondary Channel(s)
    Channel 153 must be QUIET while Mgmt or Ctrl frames are on Channel 149

    Channel 149 has


    “more utilization”

    149 153
    So, What Should I Use Instead?

    Protocol Analyzers!
    Channel Quality Metrics
    Amount of Frames/Bytes

    Number of associated clients


    • More clients = more potential contention for channel access

    Retransmissions (retries)
    • Low Retry% means less wasted channel time

    Data rates
    • High rates means less channel time used, per byte of data

    Management frames (especially Beacons & Probes)


    • Beacon & Probe activity can be reduced via configuration & design

    NOTE: If 6 Mbps is not the minimum basic rate, then you can’t analyze anything, due to GHOST FRAMES
    And, Are Spectrum Analyzers Good For Anything?

    Yes! Two things:

    1) Identifying interference sources, either by spectral mask or proximity.

    2) Locating interference sources, by watching the “Max” level rise.


    Thank you!

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