Recommended Settings for 802.11ac Connectivity

Documentation

Maintenance & Performance

000024678

11/23/2020

Below are the default and recommended settings for Intel® Wireless Adapters supporting 802.11ac. Use this page as a reference to return your system settings to these defaults if they’ve been changed. See more detailed info and how to change these settings under the Advanced tab of the Windows* Device Manager properties.

Note Update your adapter and wireless router software. Use the Intel® Driver & Support Assistant to update your Intel® Drivers.


Default/recommended settings

Property Value
Channel Width for 5GHz Auto (Access Point determines width)
Roaming Aggressiveness Medium
Throughput Booster Disabled
Transmit Power Highest
802.11a/b/g Wireless Mode or Wireless Mode Dual-band 802.11a/b/g or 802.11a/b/g
802.11n/ac Wireless Mode or HT Mode 802.11ac or VHT Mode

 

Note The setting 802.11n/ac Wireless Mode or HT Mode determines the supported data rates, or Throughput mode, where:
  • HT=High=802.11n
  • VHT=Very High=802.11ac
  • Disabled=11a/g rates


Make sure your Access Point (AP) or Wi-Fi router supports the 5 GHz frequency band, and configured for 11ac mode.
If you aren't sure if the AP is configured for 11ac, contact your AP manufacturer.


Key settings related to 11ac

Note The actual name and feature of the setting may vary depending on the AP. Check the user manual or contact your AP manufacturer for details.
  • Channel

    This setting controls the channel your AP uses to communicate with client devices on your Wi-Fi network.

    Most APs should have this set to Auto by default. We don't recommend changing this setting unless you:

    • Have a good understanding of Wi-Fi channels
    • Know how to determine the least congested channel in your environment
  • Channel Width

    For optimal performance and compatibility, enable support for all channel widths. If configured for 40MHz only or 80MHz only, this setting prevents legacy devices that support only 20MHz from connecting to the AP.

  • (Wireless) Mode

    This setting controls the type of Wi-Fi devices (802.11a/b/g/n/ac) that can connect to the AP.
    For optimal performance and compatibility, enable support for all wireless modes.
    If configured for 11ac mode only, legacy devices that support only 11n or 11a/g aren't able to connect to the AP.

Related topics
Recommended Settings for 802.11ax Connectivity
Recommended Settings for 802.11n Connectivity
What are the Different Wi-Fi Protocols and Data Rates?
How Do I Improve my 802.11n Wireless Performance?
What are the Advanced Wi-Fi Adapter Settings?