How would you respond to a site survey report showing high co-channel interference in the 2.4 GHz band?

• A. Ignore it.
• B. Reassess AP placements; retune channels to non-overlapping ones; reduce power; enable band steering; consider adding or relocating APs; verify with a follow-up spectrum analysis.
• C. Turn off 5 GHz.
• D. Increase transmit power.

Answer: (B)

Co-channel interference in the 2.4 GHz Wi‑Fi band happens when multiple APs share the same or overlapping channels, causing clients to contend for airtime and slow down. The remedy is to reduce overlap and spread the load more cleanly across available spectrum.

You’d reassess AP placement to minimize overlapping coverage areas and rework the channel plan to use non-overlapping channels where possible. In the 2.4 GHz band, that typically means assigning channels so neighboring APs don’t overlap, such as using the distinct channels available in your region (often 1, 6, and 11). Reducing transmit power helps shrink each AP’s coverage area, which reduces overlap and interference between devices on neighboring cells. Enabling band steering can push clients to the 5 GHz band when they support it, helping relieve congestion in the crowded 2.4 GHz spectrum. If needed, adding or relocating APs to create better, non-overlapping coverage also helps. After making changes, run a follow-up spectrum analysis to verify that interference has dropped and performance has improved.

Turning off the 5 GHz band would waste available spectrum and likely worsen overall performance. Simply increasing transmit power tends to amplify the interference problem. Ignoring the issue misses an opportunity to restore performance.