Channel Optimization

If your Country Code is set to "United States," an additional configuration option, Channel Optimization, is shown. This feature allows you to choose whether additional Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS) channels in the 5 GHz band must be available for use by your APs.

Note: Note that these settings only affect RUCKUS APs that support the extended DFS channel list.

Channel Optimization settings are described in the following table.

Table 1. Channel Optimization Settings for US Country Code
Setting Description Usage
Optimize for Compatibility DFS-capable APs are limited to the same channels as all other APs (non-DFS channels only). You have a mixture of APs that support DFS channels and other APs that do not support DFS channels in a Mesh configuration.
Optimize for Interoperability APs are limited to non-DFS channels, plus four DFS channels supported by Centrino systems (may not be compatible with other wireless NICs). You have only DFS-capable APs in your network, or Mesh is not enabled, and you are confident that all wireless clients support DFS channels.
Optimize for Performance APs can use all available DFS and non-DFS channels, without regard for compatibility or interoperability. You have only DFS-capable APs in your deployment, you are not concerned with DFS compatibility of client devices, and you want to make the maximum use of all available channels.
Note: If you are located in the United States and have a DFS-capable AP that is expected to serve as an uplink AP with a non-DFS-capable Mesh AP as its downlink, you will need to set the Channel Optimization setting to "Optimize for Compatibility." This is due to the ability of the DFS-capable APs to use more channels than the non-DFS-capable APs, which could result in the uplink choosing a channel that is not available to the mesh AP. Alternatively, manually set the channel for the Root AP to one of the non-DFS channels. Specifically, choose one of the following channels: 36, 40, 44, 48, 149, 153, 157, 161, 165.
The channels available for AP use are the following:
  • Optimize for Compatibility: 36, 40, 44, 48, 149, 153, 157, 161, 165 (non-DFS channels).
  • Optimize for Interoperability: non-DFS channels plus channels 52, 56, 60, 64.
  • Optimize for Performance: all DFS/non-DFS channels, including 100, 104, 108, 112, 116, 120, 124, 128, 132, 136, 140, 144.
    Note: Beginning with ZoneDirector 10.5.1, channel 144 is supported.