# Setting Wlan Channel to 13 fails



## hruodr (Mar 24, 2014)

I stated the following question in freebsd-questions and comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc. I don't know where is the right place, hence I try also here:

Dear Sirs!

I stated the following question in  freebsd-questions mailing list, but it seems the list is not much visited. Perhaps someone here can help me:

I just installed FreeBSD 10.0 and couldn't set the channel of my WLAN interface to 13. It is a  Ralink Technology (run driver) that worked under OpenBSD in Channel 13. I tried to set the channel with `ifconfig wlan1 channel 13`. I get the message: "unknown/undefined channel number 13". Before trying to set the channel, I set the country. I tried it with `ifconfig wlan1 country DE` and `ifconfig country DEBUG`.

I thank you for any help.

Rodrigo.


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## Juanitou (Mar 24, 2014)

I guess you have already checked `ifconfig wlan1 list chan`, haven’t you?


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## hruodr (Mar 24, 2014)

Juanitou said:
			
		

> I guess you have already checked `ifconfig wlan1 list chan`, haven’t you?



This also fails. Did you try it? Have you ever configured an interface with channel 13?


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## SirDice (Mar 24, 2014)

To be honest I'm not sure if channel 13 is a possibility. Even in Europe. I think pretty much all wireless equipment I've had only went up to 11. The specifications say it should but I can't remember ever being able to set it. Which is a bit of bummer as the spectrum is quite full in my street.


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## Juanitou (Mar 24, 2014)

hruodr said:
			
		

> Juanitou said:
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What fails? You should at least have something as:

```
root ~ # ifconfig wlan0 list chan
Channel   1 : 2412  MHz 11g          Channel   8 : 2447  MHz 11g
Channel   2 : 2417  MHz 11g          Channel   9 : 2452  MHz 11g
Channel   3 : 2422  MHz 11g          Channel  10 : 2457  MHz 11g
Channel   4 : 2427  MHz 11g          Channel  11 : 2462  MHz 11g
Channel   5 : 2432  MHz 11g          Channel  12 : 2467* MHz 11g
Channel   6 : 2437* MHz 11g Turbo    Channel  13 : 2472* MHz 11g
Channel   7 : 2442  MHz 11g          Channel  14 : 2484* MHz 11b
```

And no, I’ve not tried using this channel (and I cannot test it now), that by the way is marked with an asterisk which the ifconfig(8) manual explains is related to a “regulatory constraint” that I do not understand. Unrelated to your case, maybe.


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## nakal (Mar 25, 2014)

You need to specify your country as `ifconfig` parameter.

I have got this in my /etc/rc.conf for my hostap setup:


```
wlans_ath0="wlan0"
create_args_wlan0="wlanmode hostap mode 11g media OFDM/54Mbps -bgscan ssid Yuni country DE -wme"
ifconfig_wlan0="inet 192.168.2.1 netmask 0xffffff00 channel 13 mtu 1500
```

Don't try to shuffle the parameters between create_args_wlan0 and ifconfig_wlan0 because FreeBSD fails to configure the channel properly if you do it.

Also please don't set a country that you are not actually residing in. You could see some fancy car with a large antenna tracking you and you will pay a fine for using illegal frequencies (perhaps also charged with terrorism or worse for disturbing flight communication).


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## hruodr (Mar 25, 2014)

Excuse me. I tried before with chanlist, not with "list chan", as you write.

I tried it jet and got a similar list than yours, but until 
channel 11. Not until 14 like you.

But the interface worked in channel 13, under OpenBSD and under Ubuntu.

Are you using FreeBSD 10.0? What interface?

Thanks
Rodrigo.




			
				Juanitou said:
			
		

> hruodr said:
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## Juanitou (Mar 25, 2014)

hruodr said:
			
		

> Are you using FreeBSD 10.0? What interface?



Yes, 10.0-RELEASE. The driver is ath(4) for this cheap PCI card.


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## hruodr (Mar 25, 2014)

I did specify my country, as wrote in my original posting.

I just want a station to connect to an AP sending in chan 13.

I tried with `ifconfig wlan1 -bgscan -wme`  (no idea for what). Without success.

Can you set your interface in channel 13? Are you using FreeBSD 10.0? 
What interface?

Thanks
Rodrigo.


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## Juanitou (Mar 25, 2014)

Yes, channel 13 works automatically, I had only to change it in my router configuration:

```
% ifconfig wlan0
wlan0: flags=8843<UP,BROADCAST,RUNNING,SIMPLEX,MULTICAST> metric 0 mtu 1500
        ether 00:13:f7:02:40:bc
        inet 192.168.1.103 netmask 0xffffff00 broadcast 192.168.1.255
        nd6 options=29<PERFORMNUD,IFDISABLED,AUTO_LINKLOCAL>
        media: IEEE 802.11 Wireless Ethernet OFDM/54Mbps mode 11g
        status: associated
        ssid linksys channel 13 (2472 MHz 11g) bssid 00:18:39:21:1f:ee
        regdomain 96 indoor ecm authmode OPEN privacy OFF txpower 20 bmiss 7
        scanvalid 60 protmode CTS wme burst
```


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## Juanitou (Mar 25, 2014)

By the way, I have discovered that LAN file transfer speed improves by 10% if I use this channel 13 instead of 11, which I’ve always used!


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## hruodr (Mar 25, 2014)

I just tried with an ath pci-device and it works in chan 13. I also tried with a rum usb-device and
it does not work.

Now, we know that the problem is dependent on the device. As I said, the run device did work
in chan 13 under OpenBSD.

Now I have other problems: new pkg and bsdinstal. It is not what I knew from BSD as I used it. 

Rodrigo.



			
				Juanitou said:
			
		

> hruodr said:
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## hruodr (Mar 25, 2014)

Do not say it too loud! 



			
				Juanitou said:
			
		

> By the way, I have discovered that LAN file transfer speed improves by 10% if I use this channel 13 instead of 11, which I’ve always used!


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## hruodr (Mar 25, 2014)

I have a new question.

Has someone a usb wlan-device that works in channel 13? What device?

Has someone a non-atheros device that works in channel 13? What device?

I tried with an older atheros  pci-device, it also works. I tried with a ralink
(DWL G510 C1 with RT2561B, RF unknown) and get only till channel 11,
but I didt try it under other Operating system.

Thanks
Rodrigo


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