A slow or intermittent internet connection can be annoying, especially if you’re in the middle of something important. One common way to resolve this problem is by changing your router’s channel to a less crowded one. Different routers may have different ways of changing their Wi-Fi channels. Thus, you may be wondering how to go about it on a Belkin router.
It’s easy to change the Wi-Fi channel on a Belkin router. Indeed, it’s a matter of three simple steps, and the entire process will only take a few minutes. Start by logging in to your router’s internet-based settings page. Once you’ve logged in, select an available channel, create a new SSID and finish up by saving the changes.
We’ve got a detailed explanation of these steps below. So, if you’re experiencing a slow internet connection or it has stopped working altogether, keep reading and learn how to resolve the problem.
3 Steps To Change Channel on Belkin Router
A Belkin router has 11 channels. The most stable and recommended Wi-Fi channels are 1, 6, and 11. However, you’re likely to experience slow or poor internet connection even when connected to one of them if it’s a crowded channel.
In other words, if your neighbor is connected to the same channel as yours, then that channel is crowded, and you won’t be able to surf the internet smoothly. That means you need to change to a channel with less interference.
Below find 3 steps on how to go about it.
Step #1: Log In to Your Router’s Settings Pages
- Connect your computer to the Wi-Fi using an Ethernet cable.
- Open your preferred browser on the computer.
- Enter your router’s IP address into the browser’s search bar and hit the Enter key button on your keyboard.
- Enter your login credentials. The username is “admin”, and the password is left blank by default (unless you’ve changed them before).
- Click “Submit“.
Belkin routers use 192.168.2.1 as their default IP address. You can get this address by pressing the Windows + R button on your PC’s keyboard. Type cmd on the Run box and press enter to open the Command Prompt. Type ipconfig into the black window and then press the Enter key again. You should see the IP address on the screen assigned to the name Default Gateway.
Step #2: Choose the Channel
You should now be on your router’s internet-based settings (setup) page.
- Tap on the “Channel and SSID” tab under “Wireless” from the menu on the left to choose a new channel.
- Select a channel other than the one you were already connected to.
You’re free to choose 1, 6, 11, or any available channel if these three are already crowded and not working.
Sometimes, you may be unable to log in to your router’s internet-based setup page. If you experience this problem, try resetting your router using its reset button, which will return it to its default settings and allow you to log in without a problem.
Step #3: Select the SSID (Wi-Fi Network Name)
Your router’s SSID (Service Set Identifier) is also technically the network (Wi-Fi) name. Every device connected to the router needs to have the same SSID, which means someone can connect to your network without your consent if using the same SSID as yours.
So, type a new network name. Make sure you come up with a unique name that someone else is unlikely to use. Click on the “Apply Changes” button once you finish. Lastly, exit your Belkin router’s internet-based setup page and enjoy a seamless connection.
Conclusion
The above was our article on how to change a channel on a Belkin router. We’ve discussed three easy steps: log in to your router’s setup page on the web, choose the “Channel and SSID” option from the menu and choose an available channel. And the final step is to type a new, unique SSID name and hit the “Apply Changes” button.
We’ve learned that a Belkin router comes with 11 channels. If a channel you’re connected to currently is crowded, you can choose a new one to avoid a slow and unreliable internet connection. The most recommended channels are 1, 6, and 11, but you’re free to choose any other if these three aren’t available (already crowded).
We hope our article has helped you change channels, and you’re now enjoying a seamless, fast connection!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, Belkin routers can change channels automatically using their automatic channel selector. When this feature is enabled, the router will automatically scan the area and choose a less crowded channel each time you boot up the system.
We don’t recommend using auto as that interferes with other users’ connections. Moreover, the auto will only switch the channel when you’re not using Wi-Fi – it won’t switch when you’re using it.
