Your own APs interfere with each other on the same channel, especially in a hallway.
Co-channel interference (CCI) is when two of your APs share a channel and must wait for each other. Symptom: full signal, low throughput. Unlike adjacent-channel overlap from neighbours, this is your own design. Auto-channel sometimes parks them on the same channel because the rest look 'busier'.
Try this first
- 1Map which AP sits on which channel, UniFi via Insights, Aruba InstantOn via dashboard, Omada via RF overview.
- 2Disable auto-channel on a few APs and assign channels 36, 100 and 149 manually (5 GHz), or 1, 6 and 11 (2.4 GHz). No overlap.
- 3Lower transmit power one or two steps on APs that radiate too far, a full bar is not a good signal.
- 4Use 40 MHz or 20 MHz width on 5 GHz, not 80, otherwise CCI is unavoidable.
- 5Measure retransmit rate on each AP's switch port, if it stays above 5 percent your channel plan is not done yet.
When to bring us in
Plan is right on paper but it still misbehaves: an external source (neighbour, parking-garage IP camera) is on your channel, time to deploy a real spectrum meter (Wi-Spy, Ekahau Sidekick).
See also
- Wi-Fi drops randomly across the officeFirst rule out whether it is the access points or the internet connection itself. Different fix.
- One room or corner has no or bad Wi-FiNot always "add another AP"; often one is poorly positioned, or there is a metal wall in the way.
- Internet is suddenly slow for everyoneThree suspects: your provider, a colleague soaking the line, or a backup or update kicking in unexpectedly.
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