NetComm NF20MESH

Wireless Reception & Dropout
Troubleshooting Guide
NF20 / NF20MESH
Wireless Reception & Dropout Troubleshooting Guide – NF20 / NF20MESH
FA01369 v. 1.0 August 2021
Wireless problems – Improve Reception
If you are experiencing wireless reception dropouts or disconnections, there are two basic reasons:
 Interference from obstacles, location or other electromagnetic devices, or
 Poor channel separation
This guide describes the solution to these problems.
Avoid obstacles and interference
Avoid placing your WiFi Gateway near devices that may emit radio “noise,” such as microwave ovens or
“dense” objects that can inhibit wireless communication.
Such devices and objects include:
 Refrigerators
 Washers and/or dryers
 Metal cabinets
 Large aquariums
 Metallic-based, UV-tinted windows
 If your wireless signal seems weak in some spots, make sure that objects such as those listed above
are not blocking the signal’s path (between your devices and the WiFi Gateway).
 If you have a cordless phone and the performance of your wireless network continues to be impaired
after considering the above issues:
 Try moving cordless phones away from your WiFi Gateway and your wireless-enabled
computers.

NetComm NF20MESH Specifications

General

Model	NF20MESH
Category	Network Router
WiFi Standard	Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)
USB Ports	1 x USB 2.0
Antennas	4 x Internal Antennas
MU-MIMO	Yes
Beamforming	Yes
Mesh Networking	Yes
Wireless Standards	802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
Wireless Frequency Band	Dual-band (2.4GHz and 5GHz)
Ethernet Ports	4 x Gigabit Ethernet
WAN Port	1 x Gigabit Ethernet
Security	WPA2, WPA3
Security Features	Firewall

Summary

Wireless Interference and Obstacles

Avoid Obstacles and Interference

Avoid placing WiFi Gateway near devices emitting radio noise or dense objects.

Cordless Phone Interference

Address interference from 2.4GHz or 5GHz cordless phones impacting WiFi.

Optimizing Wireless Channel

Choose the Quietest Channel

Select the least congested channel for your wireless network to improve performance.

Manually Change Channel

Manually select and test WiFi channels to avoid interference and find best connection.

Gateway Configuration and Access

Log in to the Web Interface

Connect computer and use browser to access the Gateway's web interface for configuration.

Enable Wireless Interface

Navigate to the Wi-Fi 2.4GHz page and ensure the Wireless interface is enabled.

Advanced Channel Tuning

Select and Test Channels

Manually select WiFi channels (1-13) from Advanced settings, apply, and test for best reception.

Channel Interference Tools

Use external software like inSSIDer Home or Wi-Fi Analyzer to find least used channels.