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User profile for user: TRDKDKT
TRDKDKT Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

WiFi Channel Problem

Yesterday I switched to broadband that has both 2.4GHz and 5GHz service. My iPhone and iMac accessed the 5GHz network easily. However my MacBook Pro (Mojave 10.14.6) does not see the 5GHz channel, so there is no option to join it.


The only channel options the router gives for the 5GHz network are

Auto

36

40

44

48


My MacBook says it can access the following channels:

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 56, 60, 64, 100, 104, 108, 112, 116, 120, 124, 128, 132, 136, 140, 144, 149, 153, 157, 161, 165


What can someone do when the router and the MacBook do not list one or more common channels?


The router is not an Apple router (it is not an Airport Time Capsule, for example) but is one supplied by the broadband company, and that router does not appear able to have its channels added/changed/etc.


Thanks for any advice given.



MacBook Pro Retina

Posted on Sep 3, 2019 4:11 AM

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User profile for user: John Lockwood
John Lockwood
User level: Level 6
13,685 points

Posted on Sep 4, 2019 6:58 AM

Different countries have different rules over which channels i.e. frequencies are allowed in their country. Some WiFi equipment might be sold with the wrongly enabled channels for a country. Apple have historically been a lot more accurate over this than a lot of other companies.


The list supported by your MacBook would be shown in About this Mac -> System Report -> Wi-Fi


My UK model MacBook lists - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 36, 40, 44, 48, 52, 56, 60, 64, 100, 104, 108, 112, 116, 120, 124, 128, 132, 136, 140, 149, 153, 157, 161, 165


An Apple Time Capsule as an example would have had an option - within limits, to be reconfigured to a different country, for example a different European country if you bought a European model. In general laptops have no such option as they normally are expected to adapt themselves to whatever the Wi-Fi base station is offering.


If indeed there is no way to get a match between your MacBook and your router then the only option I see left are as follows -


  1. Use an external USB Wi-Fi adapter
  2. Get a different laptop
  3. Get a different router (it is usually possible to use your own router with an ISP and then you can also get a much better router e.g. with a built-in VPN server or other extra features)
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User profile for user: John Lockwood
John Lockwood
User level: Level 6
13,685 points

Sep 4, 2019 6:58 AM in response to TRDKDKT

Different countries have different rules over which channels i.e. frequencies are allowed in their country. Some WiFi equipment might be sold with the wrongly enabled channels for a country. Apple have historically been a lot more accurate over this than a lot of other companies.


The list supported by your MacBook would be shown in About this Mac -> System Report -> Wi-Fi


My UK model MacBook lists - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 36, 40, 44, 48, 52, 56, 60, 64, 100, 104, 108, 112, 116, 120, 124, 128, 132, 136, 140, 149, 153, 157, 161, 165


An Apple Time Capsule as an example would have had an option - within limits, to be reconfigured to a different country, for example a different European country if you bought a European model. In general laptops have no such option as they normally are expected to adapt themselves to whatever the Wi-Fi base station is offering.


If indeed there is no way to get a match between your MacBook and your router then the only option I see left are as follows -


  1. Use an external USB Wi-Fi adapter
  2. Get a different laptop
  3. Get a different router (it is usually possible to use your own router with an ISP and then you can also get a much better router e.g. with a built-in VPN server or other extra features)
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WiFi Channel Problem

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