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Door staff@engadget.com (Calvin Wankhede) - 25 Oct 2026
Once you've properly configured your router and devices, you should also check if your network is affected by congestion. Each Wi-Fi band is divided into smaller frequency ranges called channels — think of them as separate lanes on a road. The 2.4 GHz band offers 14 distinct channels, although only 1 through 11 are available for use in North America.
If several Wi-Fi networks around you all use the same channel, you end up with devices competing for airtime. This can manifest as inconsistent performance and slow internet speeds, even if other conditions are ideal. You're most likely to notice this kind of congestion in dense urban environments like apartment buildings.
The easiest way to check for congestion is with an app like Wi-Fi Analyzer on Android. It can use your phone antennas to scan for nearby networks and show which channels they're occupying. If you see multiple overlapping signals in addition to your own, but empty channels elsewhere, consider switching to an unused one.
Apple's locked-down philosophy means that there's no direct equivalent to this app on iPhone, but you can use the company's own AirPort Utility app for a limited view. This is intended for managing Apple's legacy routers, and the company has mentioned that support is not guaranteed starting in iOS 27. However, it's the only real channel-scanning tool available for iPhone. Alternatively, you can use NetSpot on Windows and macOS.
To adjust after your findings, simply log into your router's administration page, navigate to the wireless settings section and change the channel to a less congested one. On the 2.4GHz frequency, channels 1, 6 and 11 are often recommended as they do not overlap with any others. You can also check for congestion on the 5GHz and 6GHz bands, although there is much more spectrum available on 6GHz. Not as many devices are using it yet, so congestion is far less likely to be a problem.
If you're experiencing frequent dropouts on the 5GHz band, try disabling the feature called Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS). Ordinarily, this feature allows you to take advantage of a less congested spectrum. However, it also uses channels that are sometimes used by weather or military radar, which take priority over your network. Some cheaper devices also behave erratically on DFS channels.
If several Wi-Fi networks around you all use the same channel, you end up with devices competing for airtime. This can manifest as inconsistent performance and slow internet speeds, even if other conditions are ideal. You're most likely to notice this kind of congestion in dense urban environments like apartment buildings.
The easiest way to check for congestion is with an app like Wi-Fi Analyzer on Android. It can use your phone antennas to scan for nearby networks and show which channels they're occupying. If you see multiple overlapping signals in addition to your own, but empty channels elsewhere, consider switching to an unused one.
Apple's locked-down philosophy means that there's no direct equivalent to this app on iPhone, but you can use the company's own AirPort Utility app for a limited view. This is intended for managing Apple's legacy routers, and the company has mentioned that support is not guaranteed starting in iOS 27. However, it's the only real channel-scanning tool available for iPhone. Alternatively, you can use NetSpot on Windows and macOS.
To adjust after your findings, simply log into your router's administration page, navigate to the wireless settings section and change the channel to a less congested one. On the 2.4GHz frequency, channels 1, 6 and 11 are often recommended as they do not overlap with any others. You can also check for congestion on the 5GHz and 6GHz bands, although there is much more spectrum available on 6GHz. Not as many devices are using it yet, so congestion is far less likely to be a problem.
If you're experiencing frequent dropouts on the 5GHz band, try disabling the feature called Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS). Ordinarily, this feature allows you to take advantage of a less congested spectrum. However, it also uses channels that are sometimes used by weather or military radar, which take priority over your network. Some cheaper devices also behave erratically on DFS channels.