Wireless - Wi-Fi 5 GHz frequency bands and channels

The 5 GHz frequency band used by Wi-Fi technologies defines a specific range of frequencies that can be leveraged for wireless communications. This frequency range is separated into specific channels as illustrated in the following table:

ChannelFrequency Range (GHz)Center Frequency (GHz)
325.150 - 5.1705.160
365.170 - 5.1905.180
405.190 - 5.2105.200
445.210 - 5.2305.220
485.230 - 5.2505.240
525.250 - 5.2705.260
565.270 - 5.2905.280
605.290 - 5.3105.300
645.310 - 5.3305.320
685.330 - 5.3505.340
725.350 - 5.3705.360
765.370 - 5.3905.380
805.390 - 5.4105.400
845.410 - 5.4305.420
885.430 - 5.4505.440
925.450 - 5.4705.460
965.470 - 5.4905.480
1005.490 - 5.5105.500
1045.510 - 5.5305.520
1085.530 - 5.5505.540
1125.550 - 5.5705.560
1165.570 - 5.5905.580
1205.590 - 5.6105.600
1245.610 - 5.6305.620
1285.630 - 5.6505.640
1325.650 - 5.6705.660
1365.670 - 5.6905.680
1405.690 - 5.7105.700
1445.710 - 5.7305.720
-5.730 - 5.735-
1495.735 - 5.7555.745
1535.755 - 5.7755.765
1575.775 - 5.7955.785
1615.795 - 5.8155.805
1655.815 - 5.8355.825
1695.835 - 5.8555.845
1735.855 - 5.8755.865
1775.875 - 5.8955.885

There are a couple of things to keep in mind when looking at the above table:

  1. Each channel is defined by its center frequency. This is the frequency at the very center of the channel width.
  2. The channel width is the range of frequencies that each channel encompasses. From the Frequency Range column, you can see that each channel is 20 MHz in width.
  3. Unlike the channels that have been defined for the 2.4GHz frequency band, these channels are non overlapping.
  4. The range 5.730 to 5.735GHz is undefined as far as a specific channel is concerned. In some areas of the world this is defined as "unknown" while for others it is usable, but isn't actually defined. For all intents and purposes, this small slice of frequency remains unused.
  5. Notice also that the channel numbers are not sequential, but

Channel bonding can take place between channels in the 5GHz frequency range depending upon the Wi-Fi standard being used. Bonding of 2, 4, or 8 20 MHz channels can result in bonded channels of 40, 80, and 160 MHz in width respectively.

Links:

https://networklessons.com/cisco/ccna-200-301/introduction-to-wireless-networks

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Channels5GHzWLAN-da.svg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_WLAN_channels#5_GHz_(802.11a/h/n/ac/ax)