How to find the best Wi-Fi channel on your Mac
Your Wi-Fi shares the air with every network nearby. If several of them sit on the same channel as yours, they take turns. This guide explains Wi-Fi channels in plain words and shows you how to spot a less crowded one with Rae.Noted, a free Wi-Fi analyzer for Mac.
macOS 26 or later · free · no account
Wi-Fi channels, in plain words
A Wi-Fi channel is a slice of radio space your router uses to talk to your devices. Networks on the same channel, or on channels that overlap, share that space and take turns to transmit. When many nearby networks crowd your channel, there's more waiting and more interference.
Routers use up to three bands, each with its own set of channels:
| Band | What to know |
|---|---|
| 2.4 GHz | Reaches furthest and gets through walls best, but has few channels. Neighboring channels overlap, so in most places only 1, 6 and 11 don't overlap each other. Often the most crowded band. |
| 5 GHz | Many more channels and room for wider ones. Shorter range than 2.4 GHz. |
| 6 GHz | Newest band, used by Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7. Both your router and your Mac need to support it. Shortest range of the three. |
Many routers pick a channel automatically. That often works, but it's worth checking, especially in apartments, offices and busy streets where many networks overlap.
Step by step with Rae.Noted
- Open Rae.Noted and click Grant Access. macOS requires Location access before any app can show Wi-Fi names. Rae.Noted never reads your actual location.
- Look at nearby networks. The Network Table lists every network your Mac can hear, with its signal, channel, band and width. Sort by channel or signal.
- Open Channels. Each network is drawn as a hump over the channels it uses: wider humps use wider channels, taller humps are stronger. Overlapping humps share airtime. Switch bands with Command 1 to Command 4.
- Note the least crowded channel. Look for the channel with the fewest, and weakest, humps over it, on the band your router uses.
- Change the channel on your router. Sign in to your router's settings page or app, find the Wi-Fi or wireless settings, and choose the channel you noted. If your router has separate settings for each band, change the band you checked.
- Check again. Wait a minute, then look at the Channels graph again to see how your network now sits among its neighbors.
Rae.Noted shows you which channel is quieter. It doesn't change your router's settings.
FAQ
Is Rae.Noted free?
Yes. It's free, with no account.
Does changing the channel guarantee better Wi-Fi?
No. A less crowded channel can help when nearby networks are crowding yours, but results vary. Distance, walls, your router and other interference all play a part.
Can Rae.Noted change my router's channel?
No. It shows you which channel is quieter. You change the channel in your router's settings.
Which Macs does it run on?
Macs running macOS 26 or later. To see 6 GHz networks, your Mac needs Wi-Fi 6E or newer and a 6 GHz network in range.
More answers are in Rae.Noted Help, or see everything Rae.Noted does.
Get Rae.Noted
See your Wi-Fi. Pick a better channel.
Or install with Homebrew:
brew install --cask notedsuiteapps/tap/rae-notedHomebrew may ask you to trust the notedsuiteapps tap. That's us.
Free, no account. Signed and notarized by Apple. macOS 26 or later.