Channel Planner at Nile

Nile offers access network as a service with SLA backed guarantees, it was imperative for Nile to fundamentally simplify the design and architecture of the Nile Service Block that provides the access network, eliminate manual configurations, need for expertise on customer IT teams while ensuring the network gets deployed to a high level of design standard. 

At Nile, the process of building a foundational robust enterprise Wired and Wi-Fi network starts from day -1 of a customer’s journey. 

The channel planner is part of the AI Automation Center and customers, partners do not have to manually set, configure or tweak any of the channel planning related options. This document details out how the channel planner at Nile functions and the various optimizations it applies.

Nile and Nile’s partners conduct a thorough Site Survey that entails comprehensive data gathering on existing infrastructure, capacity needs, coverage requirements, and applications in use. A lot of data is collected on IDF and MDF locations, the length of cables required. In several cases, an on-site active RF site survey is conducted to build the proposed AP placement.

All the RF site survey data collected during the data gathering is extracted from the survey files and used in the channel planner service. Height of the access point, and transmit power used in the predictive survey to ensure -67dBm coverage at each access point is also stored in the site survey files. Using this data in the channel planning process takes guess the work out of the settings and manual intervention required in determining the right transmit power to use at each AP location.

With Nile’s simple to use Nile Nav application, installers get an easy to follow step-by-step install procedure which ensures the AP placement is marked clearly on the floormap. Installers simply have to ensure the APs are activated at the prescribed locations. Any deviations in AP placement, such as activating an AP away from the prescribed location beyond a certain threshold is marked for correction

The Channel Planner is designed to optimize Wi-Fi network capacity and performance by intelligently managing channel configurations. The planner aims to address various aspects of channel allocation to ensure maximum bandwidth, capacity, and reliability. It also checks for coverage holes or major changes in the physical environment that may affect the coverage thereby affecting end device experience, and applies remedial measures such as bumping up the power on nearby access points. If physical environmental changes are detected, RSSI measurement anomalies are detected, and alerted to the Nile team. Nile team in turn works with the customer through the customer support team to plan for a new site survey on-site, to assess the need for additional APs.

All the key features listed below work in conjunction and they are each a parameter from the channel planning perspective that needs to be optimized. It is a complex evaluation function that the algorithm in cloud solves for to come up with the best possible channel plan based on several metrics such as noise floor, AP neighbor density, external BSS interference, self channel utilization to name a few.





Partners and customers have a checklist of tests to be performed once the access points start to come online. In order to save time while the rest of the APs get deployed tests could be performed to verify the SSID settings, DHCP, DNS, RADIUS and more importantly throughput, data-rate, interference measurement tests. In order to ensure good results, it is important the APs that are already installed are operating on optimum channel and power. Hence during the installation phase the channel planner is run frequently to ensure good channel distribution. This enables the partners, customers to check off tests even if the entire floor is not deployed yet.

Once the installation is completed, the frequent channel planning switches to a nightly schedule. 

Maximizes channel separation between neighboring access points to reduce interference. Uses BSS (Basic Service Set) coloring to distinguish overlapping signals and minimize contention.

Importance: Spatial separation is crucial to minimizing co-channel and adjacent-channel interference, which can significantly degrade network performance. By ensuring that neighboring access points are using non-overlapping channels, the Channel Planner helps maintain a cleaner RF environment, leading to more stable connections and better overall performance.

Unique Optimization: BSS coloring allows overlapping signals on the same frequency to be differentiated by using unique identifiers. This reduces contention among access points, even in dense environments, ensuring that devices can more effectively communicate without excessive packet collisions.

Maximizes channel width for higher bandwidth and capacity, balancing the needs of client density and overall network efficiency.

Importance: Channel width directly impacts the amount of data that can be transmitted over the Wi-Fi network. Wider channels (e.g., 40MHz or 80MHz) allow for higher throughput, which is especially beneficial in environments with high bandwidth demands. However, in densely populated areas, narrower channels (e.g., 20MHz) may be preferable to reduce interference.

Unique Optimization: The Channel Planner dynamically adjusts channel width based on the density of clients and interference levels, ensuring the best balance between high throughput and minimal interference, thereby optimizing the overall network performance.

Prioritizes the use of UNII-2 channels to make full use of the available spectrum, as Wi-Fi devices evolve to support more channels.

Importance: The UNII-2 band provides additional channels that are less crowded compared to the commonly used UNII-1 band. This helps in reducing congestion and improving overall network performance by spreading out the devices across more available channels.

Optimization: By utilizing the UNII-2 band, the Channel Planner ensures that the network can accommodate a larger number of devices with minimal interference, particularly in environments where other Wi-Fi networks are present.

Takes into account the impact of external Wi-Fi signals (e.g., neighboring networks) to manage interference and load effectively.

Importance: External Wi-Fi networks can create interference, especially in dense urban environments. By considering these external BSS (Basic Service Set) signals, the Channel Planner can adjust channel assignments to minimize overlap and interference.

Optimization: The Channel Planner continuously scans the environment to identify external networks and adapt channel assignments in real-time, reducing the likelihood of performance degradation due to overlapping signals.

Prefers non-DFS (Dynamic Frequency Selection) channels in the 5GHz band to avoid disruptions due to radar detection requirements.

Importance: DFS channels are subject to radar detection requirements, which can lead to sudden channel changes and disruptions in connectivity. By biasing towards non-DFS channels, the Channel Planner ensures more stable connections without interruptions.

Optimization: The use of non-DFS channels allows for uninterrupted service, especially in environments where radar is present, such as near airports or weather stations. This improves the reliability of the Wi-Fi network for end-users.

Monitors and mitigates interference from non-Wi-Fi sources that affect channel utilization and noise levels.

Importance: Non-Wi-Fi devices, such as microwave ovens and Bluetooth devices, can contribute to the noise floor, affecting Wi-Fi performance. Effective noise floor management is essential for maintaining high-quality connections.

Optimization: The Channel Planner uses advanced algorithms to detect and mitigate the impact of non-Wi-Fi interference sources, ensuring that the network maintains a low noise floor, which is critical for achieving high data rates and stable connections.

Identifies coverage gaps using alerts for access points that go down, triggering mitigation measures to maintain consistent coverage.

Importance: Coverage holes can lead to dead zones where clients are unable to connect to the Wi-Fi network. Identifying and addressing these gaps is crucial for maintaining a seamless user experience.

Optimization: The Channel Planner uses real-time monitoring to detect when an access point goes offline or when coverage is insufficient. It then triggers alerts and recommends actions, such as adjusting power levels or repositioning access points, to fill the coverage gap.

Applies primarily in the 2.4GHz band to reduce interference by powering down redundant radios when overlap is detected, optimizing resource allocation.

Importance: The 2.4GHz band is often congested due to the limited number of channels available and the presence of many legacy devices. Reducing the number of active radios can help minimize interference and improve overall network performance.

Optimization: The Channel Planner intelligently identifies areas where multiple access points are causing unnecessary overlap and automatically shuts off redundant radios. This reduces co-channel interference and ensures that the remaining radios operate more efficiently, improving the user experience.

Allocates non-DFS channels intelligently based on end-device DFS support awareness.

Importance: Many Wi-Fi devices do not fully support DFS channels, which can lead to connection disruptions. By being aware of device capabilities, the Channel Planner can optimize channel allocation to avoid potential compatibility issues.

Optimization: The Channel Planner uses Smart DFS to ensure that channels are selected with consideration of device support, reducing the likelihood of connectivity issues and improving overall reliability.



Maintains a smarter backup channel list to ensure better local channel selection in case of radar detection or sudden interference.

Importance: In environments where radar detection can force an access point to vacate a channel, having an optimized backup channel list ensures minimal disruption to clients.

Optimization: The Channel Planner dynamically maintains a list of backup channels based on current network conditions, ensuring that any necessary channel switch is smooth and minimizes service interruption.



Monitors external Wi-Fi interference and generates alerts for customers to take action based on the Air Quality Index (AQI) of the wireless environment.

Importance: External interference can significantly impact network quality. By providing actionable insights regarding the RF environment, the Channel Planner allows network administrators to proactively manage interference.

Optimization: The AQI-based approach provides a comprehensive view of external Wi-Fi and non-Wi-Fi interference, enabling more informed decision-making to optimize performance.

Uses intelligent channel rollout plans and triggers CSA (Channel Switch Announcement) to minimize disruption when changing channels.

Importance: Sudden channel changes can cause disruptions to user connectivity. CSA helps to ensure that devices are informed in advance, allowing for a smooth transition.

Optimization: The Channel Planner utilizes intelligent scheduling for channel changes, minimizing user impact and maintaining stable connectivity during channel transitions.

The primary goal is to maximize Wi-Fi network performance through careful management of channel assignments, bandwidth, interference, and client density—essentially treating channel planning as a math problem that can be solved for optimal capacity and user experience.

Note: Disabling Lower Data Rates on Wi-Fi Access Points Does Not Enhance Roaming

A common misconception is that removing lower data rates on Wi-Fi access points improves device roaming. However, this is not accurate across different operating systems. The key factor influencing effective roaming is the transmit (Tx) power of access points, which is essential for maintaining stable connections as devices move between APs.

While disabling lower data rates may not aid in roaming, there are real benefits to this approach. For instance, it can help reduce co-channel interference and increase the overall throughput by encouraging devices to connect at higher data rates. This can lead to improved performance in scenarios where bandwidth-demanding applications are being used.

To truly optimize roaming and performance, network administrators should focus on configuring Tx power appropriately, analyzing network design, and understanding the specific needs of their environment, rather than solely adjusting data rate settings. This comprehensive understanding is crucial for delivering a seamless wireless experience for users.