Selecting the Right Wi-Fi Frequency for your Tablo
All Tablo DVRs support 2.4 Ghz and 5 Ghz Wi-Fi connections.
When configuring your Tablo's Wi-Fi connection, most modern routers will offer you two options: a 2.4 GHz band and a 5 GHz band. Depending on your router, you may also have a "guest" network available but, because these networks limit the ability of your devices to talk to each other, guest networks are a poor choice to select.
Which network to choose depends on several factors. Generally speaking, the 2.4 GHz band will be better at penetrating obstacles (like walls and ceilings), which means it will work better if you have a distance to cover.
The 5 GHz band will offer faster connection speeds in ideal circumstances but has a shorter range, which makes it the ideal choice if your Tablo is in the same room as your router.
Once you have determined which Wi-Fi band will be best for your Tablo, you can begin setup.
You'll also want to determine which band to choose if you're switching networks. For help doing so:
- How To Change or Edit Your 4th Generation Tablo's Wi-Fi Network
- How To Change or Edit Your Legacy Tablo's Wi-Fi Network
Fine Tuning Your Router's 2.4 GHz Channel
On the 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi band, there are 11 channels on which your router can broadcast. It helps to think of these like the digital OTA (over-the-air) TV subchannels you watch. While you may have channels 24.1, 24.2, 23.3, etc., they're all broadcasting under the same major channel number (24).
As such, your router broadcasts on 11 channels using its 2.4 GHz frequency. These channels are only slightly different from one another but they are chosen based on channel congestion (from neighbors' Wi-Fi networks, electronic devices in your home, etc.).
In the above image from DSLreports, each channel is represented by a semi-circle. Three channels in particular tend to provide the fastest, most reliable connections because they do not overlap: 1, 6 and 11. In that regard, it is wise to narrow your selection to one of these. This will eliminate co-channel interference as much as possible.
Beyond this point, unless you have software to scan your 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network (like inSSIDer Essential), selecting the least congested channel of the three will involve some trial and error.
For assistance with logging into your router or changing these settings, consult your router's support documentation.