You must have noticed the option 20/40 coexistence on the net-gear router setting option. As you don’t have an IT background, you would have no idea about it. But you don’t have to worry as we got it all covered for you. This article shed light on 20/40 MHz coexistence net-gear router
The 20/40 MHz coexistence is the feature that is only present under the 2.4MHz band because this band has more interference. It automatically assigns 20 and 40MHz of speed to your device, depending upon the interference. The 20MHz frequency is allotted to the devices that consume less power. Conversely, 40MHz is for more power-consuming devices such as a laptop.
Before proceeding further, it is important to understand the concept of 2.4MHz and 5MHz bandwidths. The bandwidth is:
The frequency at which, radio waves are sent from your router to AP (access point).
2.4MHz band: 20/40 MHz coexistence net-gear router
20/40 coexistence feature is only present under this band because it has high congestion. However, it offers low-speed but large coverage making Wi-Fi signals available for devices that are far from the router. Signals are also better at penetrating solid blocks. But it has limited bandwidth and is easy to incorporate into the devices. As a result, it decreases the connection speed and quality due to interference.
5MHz band:
It provides high speed but less coverage but is not commonly in use as the device must be placed close to the router to enjoy the best network connection speed like an Ethernet connection. It faces less interference that’s why this feature is not available to it.
Enable the 20/40 coexistence: 20/40 MHz coexistence net-gear router
This feature is enabled in the net-gear router by default. You can also do it by yourself.
Follow the steps:
- Open the web browser on your device
- Type www. routerlogin. com to the address bar
- Enter the required information as the login credential are written on the back side of the router
- Select advance setup
- Click the wireless option
- Tap on the 20/40 coexistence option to enable it
The router will restart and the applied changes will be enabled shortly.
To disable the feature, follow the same guideline
Advantages:
Now you must have thought, should I enable this feature or not? Will it be of any use? Or should I leave it disabled? A lot of unending questions. You will hopefully find your answers here.
20/40 MHz coexistence is also known as Neighbors friendly Wi-Fi. The 2.4MHz band is cheap and easy to incorporate into the devices so it is more commonly used and leads to more congestion. It causes interference due to overlapping of channels and finally the signal drops. To prevent this, the net-gear is introducing this key feature to make sure your device has a stable connection and reduces interference. The main purpose is to offer a multi-purpose and safe connection.
40 MHz is the maximum channel width on the 2.4 MHz. Some old devices do not support it. Enabling this feature in your router will allow those devices to connect at 20 MHz
Disadvantages:
By disabling this feature, you are forcing the devices to work at a 40 MHz frequency. Only some devices support the channels at 40 MHz. As you are selfishly using all the available channels at this bandwidth, it decreases the free channels for your neighbors. They might face the worst connection problems. It also increases the interference between your own devices operating at 2.4 MHz bandwidth.
Whereas, if you disable this feature and force all your devices to operate at 20 MHz frequency, still it won’t enhance your connection especially the devices that work better at the 40 MHz frequency.
Alternative to 20/40 coexistence:
You can also go for a dual-band router as an alternative to solve the interference issue. This router works by receiving and transmitting the information using both frequencies. It provides large coverage and ultimate performance and flexibility. And also boost the internet speed.
However, 20/40 coexistence has an advantage to it because:
- It is costly
- Has compatibility issues
- Issues with 5 MHz band range
Conclusion: 20/40 MHz coexistence net-gear router
You should make the best use of this feature as enabling it is necessary for experiencing optimum wireless functioning. It provides you with multi-purpose and safe internet by operating on the frequency depending on their power usage rather than all devices working at the same frequency.
FAQs
20MHz or 40Mhz, which bandwidth is more reliable?
In congested areas, where more connections are available it is wise to use 20 MHz as it works well. Whereas, you can enjoy 40 MHz in less congested areas.
What is the implication of the 20/40 coexistence feature?
This feature makes sure that your device has a reliable connection and reduces interference. On the net-gear router, it is enabled, by default.
If I disable this feature will my Wi-Fi signal quality be bad?
It can cause signal issues if it is congested locally because signals from other routers can cause interference. Otherwise, it is safe to disable this option.
