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Bandwidth and Band Selection Guide

🎯 New Features

Monitor Mode: Channel + Bandwidth Selection

Control both the channel AND bandwidth when monitoring:

mode_monitor 6/20      # 2.4GHz channel 6, 20MHz
mode_monitor 36/80     # 5GHz channel 36, 80MHz

STA Mode: Band Preference

Force connection to specific band:

mode_sta 2.4           # Connect on 2.4GHz only
mode_sta 5             # Connect on 5GHz only
mode_sta auto          # Auto select (default)

📡 Monitor Mode Bandwidth Control

Syntax

mode_monitor <channel>/<bandwidth>

2.4GHz Band Bandwidth Options

20MHz (HT20) - Single channel

mode_monitor 1/20
mode_monitor 6/20
mode_monitor 11/20

✅ Maximum compatibility
✅ Less interference from adjacent channels
❌ Lower throughput (~72 Mbps max)

40MHz (HT40) - Channel bonding

mode_monitor 1/40
mode_monitor 6/40
mode_monitor 11/40

✅ Higher throughput (~150 Mbps max)
⚠️ Uses 2 adjacent channels (more interference)
⚠️ Not recommended in dense environments

Default: If bandwidth not specified, defaults to 20MHz

mode_monitor 6         # Same as 6/20

5GHz Band Bandwidth Options

20MHz (HT20) - Single channel

mode_monitor 36/20
mode_monitor 149/20

✅ Maximum compatibility
✅ Best for long range
❌ Lower throughput

40MHz (HT40) - Channel bonding

mode_monitor 36/40     # Channels 36+40
mode_monitor 149/40    # Channels 149+153

✅ Good balance of speed and compatibility
✅ WiFi 5 (802.11ac) standard
⚠️ Uses 2 channels

80MHz (HT80) - Wide channel bonding (WiFi 6)

mode_monitor 36/80     # Channels 36+40+44+48
mode_monitor 149/80    # Channels 149+153+157+161

✅ Maximum throughput (~866 Mbps+ with WiFi 6)
✅ WiFi 6 (802.11ax) optimized
⚠️ Uses 4 channels
⚠️ Shorter range than 20/40MHz

Default: If bandwidth not specified, defaults to 40MHz on 5GHz

mode_monitor 149       # Same as 149/40

🌐 STA Mode Band Selection

Syntax

mode_sta [band]

Band Options

Auto (Default) - Let ESP32 choose best band

mode_sta
mode_sta auto

✅ Connects to strongest signal
✅ Falls back if preferred band unavailable
Use when: AP supports both bands

2.4GHz Only

mode_sta 2.4
mode_sta 2

✅ Forces connection on 2.4GHz
✅ Better range, wall penetration
❌ Lower speed, more interference
Use when: Need maximum range

5GHz Only

mode_sta 5
mode_sta 5.0

✅ Forces connection on 5GHz
✅ Higher speed, less interference
❌ Shorter range
Use when: AP is close, need best performance

📊 Usage Examples

Example 1: 2.4GHz Narrow Band Monitoring

For maximum interference rejection in dense environment:

esp32> mode_monitor 6/20

I (+1733424645.234) MAIN: Switching to MONITOR MODE
I (+1733424645.235) MAIN:   Channel: 6 (2.4GHz)
I (+1733424645.236) MAIN:   Bandwidth: 20MHz
I (+1733424647.567) MAIN: ✓ Monitor mode active

Example 2: 2.4GHz Wide Band Monitoring

For maximum throughput testing:

esp32> mode_monitor 6/40

I (+1733424645.234) MAIN: Switching to MONITOR MODE
I (+1733424645.235) MAIN:   Channel: 6 (2.4GHz)
I (+1733424645.236) MAIN:   Bandwidth: 40MHz

Example 3: 5GHz WiFi 6 Monitoring

For WiFi 6 collapse detection with 80MHz:

esp32> mode_monitor 36/80

I (+1733424645.234) MAIN: Switching to MONITOR MODE
I (+1733424645.235) MAIN:   Channel: 36 (5GHz)
I (+1733424645.236) MAIN:   Bandwidth: 80MHz
I (+1733424647.567) MAIN: ✓ Monitor mode active

Example 4: Force 5GHz Connection

Connect to AP on 5GHz band only:

esp32> mode_sta 5

I (+1733424645.234) MAIN: Switching to STA MODE
I (+1733424645.235) MAIN:   Band preference: 5GHz only
I (+1733424647.234) MAIN: Got IP: 192.168.1.100
I (+1733424647.567) MAIN: ✓ STA mode active

Example 5: Check Current Configuration

esp32> mode_status

=== WiFi Mode Status ===
Current mode: MONITOR
LED state: Blue solid (Monitoring)
Monitor channel: 36 (5GHz)
Monitor bandwidth: 80MHz
Monitor enabled: Yes
Frames captured: 15234
GPS synced: Yes (+)

Example 6: Switch Between Bandwidths

Test different bandwidths on same channel:

# Start with 20MHz
esp32> mode_monitor 149/20
[collect data for 5 minutes...]

# Switch to 40MHz
esp32> mode_monitor 149/40
[collect data for 5 minutes...]

# Switch to 80MHz
esp32> mode_monitor 149/80
[collect data for 5 minutes...]

# Compare collapse rates vs bandwidth

🎯 Bandwidth Selection Strategy

When to Use 20MHz

Best for:

Dense environments with many APs
Long-range connections
Interference-prone areas
Maximum compatibility

Monitor mode:

mode_monitor 6/20      # 2.4GHz
mode_monitor 149/20    # 5GHz

When to Use 40MHz

Best for:

Medium-density environments
Balance of speed and range
Most common configuration
WiFi 5 (802.11ac)

Monitor mode:

mode_monitor 6/40      # 2.4GHz (not recommended in dense areas)
mode_monitor 149/40    # 5GHz (recommended)

When to Use 80MHz

Best for:

Low-density environments
Maximum throughput
WiFi 6 (802.11ax) testing
Short-range, high-speed links

Monitor mode (5GHz only):

mode_monitor 36/80
mode_monitor 149/80

🔍 Real-World Scenarios

Scenario 1: Office WiFi Collapse Detection

Goal: Monitor office WiFi on 5GHz with WiFi 6

# 1. Connect to AP and check its configuration
esp32> mode_sta
[wait for connection...]

esp32> mode_status
Connected band: 5GHz (channel 36)
Bandwidth: 80MHz

# 2. Switch to monitor mode with same config
esp32> mode_monitor 36/80

# 3. Monitor for collapse events
[Logs GPS-timestamped collapse events...]

Scenario 2: 2.4GHz Congestion Analysis

Goal: Compare 20MHz vs 40MHz collapse rates

# Test 20MHz (narrow band)
esp32> mode_monitor 6/20
[collect for 30 minutes...]
# Note collapse count

# Test 40MHz (wide band)
esp32> mode_monitor 6/40
[collect for 30 minutes...]
# Compare: 40MHz likely has MORE collapses in dense area

Scenario 3: Force 5GHz for Performance

Goal: Ensure device connects on 5GHz only

# Force 5GHz connection
esp32> mode_sta 5

# Verify connected on 5GHz
esp32> mode_status
Band preference: 5GHz only
Connected band: 5GHz (channel 149)
Bandwidth: 80MHz

# Now switch to monitor on same channel
esp32> mode_monitor 149/80

Scenario 4: Multi-Device Deployment

Goal: Monitor different bandwidths across 32 devices

# Devices 1-8: 2.4GHz 20MHz
Device 1-8: mode_monitor 6/20

# Devices 9-16: 2.4GHz 40MHz
Device 9-16: mode_monitor 6/40

# Devices 17-24: 5GHz 40MHz
Device 17-24: mode_monitor 149/40

# Devices 25-32: 5GHz 80MHz
Device 25-32: mode_monitor 149/80

# Compare collapse rates across all configurations!

📈 Performance Expectations

2.4GHz Performance

Bandwidth	Max PHY Rate	Typical Throughput	Range	Interference
20MHz	~72 Mbps	40-50 Mbps	Best	Least
40MHz	~150 Mbps	80-100 Mbps	Good	Most

5GHz Performance

Bandwidth	Max PHY Rate	Typical Throughput	Range	Best Use
20MHz	~87 Mbps	50-60 Mbps	Best	Long range
40MHz	~200 Mbps	120-150 Mbps	Good	Balanced
80MHz	~433 Mbps	300-400 Mbps	Short	Max speed

Note: WiFi 6 (802.11ax) can achieve higher rates with OFDMA and 1024-QAM

⚙️ Advanced Usage

Match Your AP's Configuration

Always match bandwidth to your AP for best results:

# 1. Check AP configuration (via router admin or WiFi analyzer)
# Example: AP is on channel 36 with 80MHz

# 2. Configure STA mode to connect
esp32> mode_sta 5

# 3. Verify connection
esp32> mode_status
Connected band: 5GHz (channel 36)
Bandwidth: 80MHz

# 4. Switch to monitor with SAME configuration
esp32> mode_monitor 36/80

Test Bandwidth Impact on Collapse

# After collecting data at different bandwidths:
import pandas as pd

df_20 = pd.read_csv('collapses_ch36_20mhz.csv')
df_40 = pd.read_csv('collapses_ch36_40mhz.csv')
df_80 = pd.read_csv('collapses_ch36_80mhz.csv')

print("Collapse rate (20MHz):", len(df_20) / 3600, "per hour")
print("Collapse rate (40MHz):", len(df_40) / 3600, "per hour")
print("Collapse rate (80MHz):", len(df_80) / 3600, "per hour")

# Hypothesis: Wider bandwidth = more collapses in dense environments

✅ Quick Reference

Monitor Mode Bandwidths

Band	Command	Bandwidth	Use Case
2.4GHz	`mode_monitor 6/20`	20MHz	Dense area, max compatibility
2.4GHz	`mode_monitor 6/40`	40MHz	Speed test (avoid in dense area)
5GHz	`mode_monitor 149/20`	20MHz	Long range
5GHz	`mode_monitor 149/40`	40MHz	Balanced (default)
5GHz	`mode_monitor 149/80`	80MHz	WiFi 6 max speed

STA Mode Bands

Command	Behavior	Use Case
`mode_sta`	Auto select	Default, best signal
`mode_sta 2.4`	Force 2.4GHz	Max range
`mode_sta 5`	Force 5GHz	Max performance

🎉 Summary

New capabilities:

✅ Monitor mode with bandwidth control (20/40/80MHz)
✅ STA mode with band preference (2.4/5/auto)
✅ Full control over WiFi 6 configurations
✅ Test different bandwidths for collapse analysis
✅ Force band for optimal performance

Syntax:

mode_monitor <channel>/<bandwidth>   # e.g., 36/80
mode_sta [band]                      # e.g., mode_sta 5

Now you can precisely control and test WiFi configurations across all supported bands and bandwidths!

9.6 KiB Raw Permalink Blame History

Bandwidth and Band Selection Guide

🎯 New Features

Monitor Mode: Channel + Bandwidth Selection

STA Mode: Band Preference

📡 Monitor Mode Bandwidth Control

Syntax

2.4GHz Band Bandwidth Options

5GHz Band Bandwidth Options

🌐 STA Mode Band Selection

Syntax

Band Options

📊 Usage Examples

Example 1: 2.4GHz Narrow Band Monitoring

Example 2: 2.4GHz Wide Band Monitoring

Example 3: 5GHz WiFi 6 Monitoring

Example 4: Force 5GHz Connection

Example 5: Check Current Configuration

Example 6: Switch Between Bandwidths

🎯 Bandwidth Selection Strategy

When to Use 20MHz

When to Use 40MHz

When to Use 80MHz

🔍 Real-World Scenarios

Scenario 1: Office WiFi Collapse Detection

Scenario 2: 2.4GHz Congestion Analysis

Scenario 3: Force 5GHz for Performance

Scenario 4: Multi-Device Deployment

📈 Performance Expectations

2.4GHz Performance

5GHz Performance

⚙️ Advanced Usage

Match Your AP's Configuration

Test Bandwidth Impact on Collapse

✅ Quick Reference

Monitor Mode Bandwidths

STA Mode Bands

🎉 Summary

9.6 KiB

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