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Level 1

10 points

Time capsule and 5GHZ Channels

Hi,

I have a Time Capsule (latest 802.11ac european model). I would like to avoid to use a channel between those available with manual selection ( 36,40,44,48) because with these channels the connection is really so slow. If I leave the selection to Automatic the unit switch to channel 52 but still very slow, then sometimes all of a sudden and only for a limited time it switches to ch100 and the connection become really good and so fast.

Is there a way to force the unit to stay on Ch100? Or maybe a trick to cause the autosearch of a new channeI. I know there is no way with manual selection. I have too many 2.4GHz AP in the area and I bought this unit mainly for 5GHz use. I would like to avoid a booster......any suggestion will be welcome

Thank you

Airport Time Capsule 802.11ac

Posted on May 12, 2014 12:48 PM

32 replies

Johniy

Level 1

3 points

Sep 16, 2014 12:59 PM in response to LaPastenague

What do you mean by "fine"? Not recommended? or technically not possible?

I cannot understand how my friend's US Time Capsule has the options of channels 140-161 while I only have up to 48. (mine is european), there must be some way to reveal those options and i'm willing to find out, even if it's not recommended in my country, as long as it's technically possible.

Sep 16, 2014 2:10 PM in response to Johniy

Johniy wrote:

What do you mean by "fine"? Not recommended? or technically not possible?

The advice was to remove unsuitable channels in the exported file.. that is fine.. meaning you can remove what already exists.

You cannot add what doesn't exist.

I cannot understand how my friend's US Time Capsule has the options of channels 140-161 while I only have up to 48. (mine is european), there must be some way to reveal those options and i'm willing to find out, even if it's not recommended in my country, as long as it's technically possible.

Each country has bands that they allow unlicensed wireless devices to use.. these are not universal.. USA regulations and European regulations (and even between European countries) are not uniform.. particularly 5ghz.

See the chart here.

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

You can see clearly US allows 149-165 Euro does not.. or at very low power 25mw.

You cannot make a European set TC change to US channels. Apple have locked out that possibility even if you manipulate the configuration file.. because it is illegal to do so.

Jan 3, 2015 4:19 PM in response to kingmorgan

dear all,

i try to delete from file configuration the anothers wifi channel (<48 for italy). Import the configuration file, than a few days the time capsule returned to <48 channel.

Can i know how you have edited this file exactely?

Thanks for your help,

Jan 4, 2015 6:35 AM in response to davidefrommonza

🙂could you help me?! Thanks again

Jan 4, 2015 1:30 PM in response to davidefrommonza

what country setting does your TC have?

What model and what firmware is it running?

Jan 4, 2015 1:35 PM in response to LaPastenague

i have last time capsule, june 2013 versione ac with 2 tb for storage ME177LL/A.

I have setting italy, because i'm living in italy 🙂

Airport fw 7.7.3

Utility airport for mac 6.3.4.

Thanks for your help.

Jan 4, 2015 2:52 PM in response to davidefrommonza

i try to delete the channel that i don't wont as :

<key>5GHz_channels</key>

<array>

</array>

<key>5GHz_n_only_channels</key>

<key>5GHz_wide_channels</key>

<array>

</array>

But than a few days the time capsule retur to 36 channel.

Thanks

Jan 4, 2015 3:15 PM in response to davidefrommonza

Have you tried to fix the channel from the main setup in airport utility?

You will need to set different names for the two bands.. eg TC24ghz and TC5ghz. Names must all be short no spaces and pure alphanumeric.

Then set fixed channels in the wireless options.

If that fails there is something else going wrong. It should remain fixed once you set it.

But I will give it a check

Jan 4, 2015 3:44 PM in response to LaPastenague

thanks for your help, but my interest is to force time capsule to stay 100 channel for 5ghz.

This channel for italy is only dfs, and i can't fix this channel from wireless list channel on time capsule.

As the reply of user gusmcewan, i try to delete all channel from file config of time capsule amd than imported it.

How i can edit correctly this file config?

Thanks again.

Jan 4, 2015 4:19 PM in response to davidefrommonza

but my interest is to force time capsule to stay 100 channel for 5ghz.

Yes, I understand that..

Channel 100 . .is it allowed in Italy?? When I test I find it is not allowed.

If you want to use it illegally set your TC to another European country that allows channel 100.. eg UK.

Do not use Italy.. it has highly restrictive 5ghz. But I am not sure what will happen because Apple will try to prevent illegal channels being used.

Jan 4, 2015 4:35 PM in response to LaPastenague

I tested editing the file and reimporting it into the Time Capsule and it will not work.. says the file is corrupted.

Apple may have changed the setup so it identifies illegal setups.

Jan 4, 2015 11:50 PM in response to LaPastenague

i fix the country as UK, but the list of channels wifi 5ghz is the same 36-48 😟

I try all country of list, but don't find any difference with channels allowed for italy 😟

giulioa

Level 1

0 points

Mar 11, 2015 4:47 AM in response to davidefrommonza

Hi Davide,

i have the same issue Airport extreme bought in Switzerland, where channel 100 e.g. is permitted (the official router from swisscom support changing 5ghz channel to 100), when in airport utility i can only select channels from 36 to 48.

Did you find any solutions?

Thanks.

Mar 12, 2015 12:24 AM in response to giulioa

hi giulioa, i try to force 100 ch but apple has locked the possibility of load any file that have any changement in file config.

Tho only solutio is buy an extender wifi ac.

kingmorgan Author

Level 1

10 points

Apr 29, 2015 3:12 PM in response to davidefrommonza

After almost one year a new router has appeared in neighbourhood working on ch 100 ( I think before it was there but working on ch 108) and since then my time capsule has now automatically switched and stuck on ch 52. No way to change its settings and bring it back to ch 100 even selecting one of all the selectable countries, and now it is slow as a 20 year old modem.... Anyway it seems it can be able to switch only to ch 52 DFS apart from the four user selectable. It is a shame we can't do nothing to force it on a different DFS channel, there are several more available and allowed in Europe apart form 52 and 100. Now it is useless.

Time capsule and 5GHZ Channels