WiFi channel selector
Choose the best WiFi channel based on your neighbors' networks, with explanation about 5 GHz and Zigbee.
If you see networks on channels 6, 6, and 11, enter 6, 6, 11. Find them with your router's wifi settings or a wifi scanner app.
5 GHz channels
Zigbee between wifi channels
Channels marked with ★ do not overlap with any of the wifi channels 1, 6, and 11.
In the 2.4 GHz band, each wifi channel is 20 MHz wide, but the channels are only 5 MHz apart. This causes neighboring channels to overlap significantly. Only 1, 6, and 11 are separate from each other. The best channel is usually 1, 6, or 11—the one that is least used by your neighbors. Many routers choose automatically; manual selection helps if you have many neighbors or if smart home devices are having issues.
The 5 GHz band has more space and less overlap. Channels 52 through 64 and 100 through 140 are DFS channels: the router must then yield to radar (for example, weather radar). This can cause a brief interruption, and startup takes longer.
This is an estimate based on the number of networks, not on the strength of their signals. A neighbor with a strong signal counts more than one far away. The channels that apply in the Netherlands and Europe may vary by country: channel 14 is not allowed in Europe. For Zigbee, see our guide for Zigbee in Home Assistant.