For use with mobile, is 2.4 GHz (B+G+N) the right band setting for my wireless router?

Question

I've got a wireless router. Recently I found out that my mobile is having issues with the WiFi connection. I went through the settings and found out that there is an option in the router WiFi settings where I can select a band:

Now earlier it was set to 2.4 GHz (B+G+N). What is the best band that I should chose so that my mobile (Sony Xperia P) will get the best WiFi connection? And if any other settings you see are wrong please correct them! :)

Thank you.

Answer 1

2,4 is the frequency, b/g/n is the standard. The "best" connection is guaranteed with N because it is the newest standard. This is the IEEE standard 802.11n which supports up to 150Mbit/s!

Answer 2

Some additions to the other answers:

• Channel Number: Since you are using an Android phone (Sony Xperia P), I suggest you install the WiFi Analyzer app from the Play Store. This will show you which Wi-Fi channels in your neighborhood are more heavily used and which less. Go everywhere where you expect to have connectivity (some neighbor networks may only be visible in your kitchen, e.g.). Change the Channel Number setting to the channel with fewest other visible networks, including channels close by (those Wi-Fi channels have some overlap).

• Radio Power: Your setting is 60 mW. In most countries, 100 mW is the maximum allowed transmit power for 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi devices, as long as they do not use directed antennas. If you have problems with reception from the distance, you could try to increase this setting, if regulation allows it in your country. (Normally, the device should "know" and prevent you from setting an illegal value.)

• Band: Although 802.11n is the fastest Wi-Fi substandard, it might not necessarily be the best for your combination of router and mobile phone. You should try 2.4 GHz (B+G), if your problem is with broken or intermittent connections. There are reports of broken 802.11n connectivity with certain software releases of the Xperia P. Edit: If this setting does not resolve your issues, you should chose 2.4 GHz (N), as this is the fastest setting. However, older devices than your mobile might not be able to connect at all with this setting, so choosing 2.4 (G+N) or even 2.4 (B+G+N) would enable older and oldest Wi-Fi devices to connect to your router.

Good luck!

ps: What is your Mode setting and what options has it? It is not visible in the screenshot.