How do I change the channel on my airport extreme?

If you are using the Lion operating system.....

Open Macintosh HD > Applications > Utilities > AirPort Utility 6.0

Click on the AirPort Extreme icon, then click Edit

Click the Wireless tab at the top of the window

Click the Wireless options button

Edit the 2.4 GHz Channel and 5 GHz Channel accordingly by clicking on the selection box to change the setting from Automatic to a channel that you choose

Click Save, then click Update and allow 25-30 seconds for the AirPort Extreme to restart

If you are using Leopard or Snow Leopard.....

Open Macintosh HD > Applications > Utilities > AirPort Utility

Select the AirPort Extreme and click Manual Setup

Click the Wireless tab below the row of icons

Edit the Radio Channel selection box by click Manual, then Edit

Change the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Channel accordingly

Click Done, then click Update and allow 25-30 seconds for the AirPort Exteme to restart

If this is the "round" AirPort Extreme, the version of AirPort Utility that you have is not compatible with the older AirPort.

Please download and install AirPort Utility 5.6 for Mac OS X Lion and then follow the instructions above for Leopard and Snow Leopard.

You can keep both AirPort Utility 5.6 and 6.0 on your Mac.

I'm guessing that you have a number of other Wi-Fi networks around you that may be interfering with your signal.

With the AirPort set to "Automatic", it will scan to try to find the best available channel to use. It's possible that manually changing the channel will help temporarily, but the other wireless routers around you are constantly changing channels as well.

So, things may work well for a time...but then you have to change the channel again to experiment and find a new channel.

Unfortunately, Wi-Fi overcrowding is a huge problem. There are far many more wireless networks than just a few years ago, and we've run out of channel space in most urban areas.

Cordless phones can cause problems as well. If you have any of them there, keep them as far away as possible from the AirPort Exteme and computers as possible.

Hi Bob,

nice to see your help.

But, how to select an channel for 5 GHz other than 36, 40, 44 or 48,

in general the channels 36 - 64 and the higher-numbered channels 100 - 140 are supported too, but I can't select one of this channels.

The channels 1 - 13, 36 - 64, and 100 - 140 approved for use in Europe and Japan.

With 2,4 GHz the Channels 1 - 13 are available.

But with 5 GHz the Channels 36 - 48 are available only.

Any idea (you select channel 157 in the second picture).

Thanks for any sugestion,

Lutz

Two possibilities that I can think of:

1) Apple does not support the use of the higher numbered channels on European versions of the AirPorts. Check with Apple in your country for more details on that possibility.

My U.S. version supports 5 GHz on the following channels: 36, 40, 44, 48, 149, 153, 157, 161.

2) Your AirPort is defective and should be exchanged

Hi Bob,

thanks for your fast answer.

2) Your AirPort is defective and should be exchanged

I think this is not the problem,

I can't select the higher-numbered channels with my Time Capsule and my Airport.

But it may an European version problem, the channels 36, 40, 44 or 48 are available but the channel range is 36 to 64. Some of the low-numbered channels are not available too.

For 2.4 GHz all channels are available, 1 to 13 (in the European version)

Thanks, Lutz

Then it sounds like possibility 1) is in play. Have you contacted Apple to verify what channels are supported? Please let us know if you get an answer, so other users will know as well.

Hi Bob,

If I only see channels 1-11, how can I make my Airport Extreme to see channel 12, and 13 too ?

I have a mac 10.9.2.

Thanks,

Apple markets different versions of the AirPort Extreme in different parts of the world.

If you cannot "see" channel 12 or 13, then you likely have a North American version of the AirPort......where channels 12 and 13 are not allowed.

Channels 1-11 is all that you can use. You will not be able to use 12 or 13, sorry.

Do you know where can I buy such Airport Extreme supporting channel 12 and 13 ?

In Europe

newperson2day wrote:

Do you know where can I buy such Airport Extreme supporting channel 12 and 13 ?

Australia.. or anywhere in the world where it is legal to use 12, 13. Apple simply follows the local regulations.

See the wiki for legal channels in different regions of the world.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_WLAN_channels

If you use 12 or 13 in places where that is not legal.. then you are actually breaking the law.

Japan as well.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_WLAN_channels