Feature Request: 5GHz DFS Channel Support
Can you guys release a product that supports all available 5GHz channels? Not supporting DFS channels forces your users to stack their 5GHz signals on top of our neighbors, causing serious interferen...
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While we're at it, why not support the latest protocols (Wi-Fi 6 and 6e)? I suspect the answer would be "cost-benefit ratio" and I can understand where you might be coming from -- the added cost of using a chipset that supports 6e isn't worth the benefits most users would see from it. That's OK--that's exactly what a flagship "ultra" model is for -- it's a device with all the bells and whistles that the buyer chooses because they want the best for one reason or another. And, really, how much extra WOULD it cost per device? I don't know the answer to that, but I'm guessing it would be under $10 (am I way off?). There are many users who would pay that because they fall into one of the following:
- They actually would benefit from upgrade
- They think they would benefit from the upgrade (whether or not they actually do doesn't matter here--if they think they would and are willing to pay extra for it, that's all that matters)
- They don't know what it means, but want the best everything
Roku already has a bunch of model options in its line up so leaving the budget models as-is and just adding the upgrade to high-end models shouldn't cause any new issues.
I don't think that Roku will ever support DFS. Roku is content with giving the bare minimum in link speed to let you stream. If you don't believe me, login to your router and see for yourself and take a look. I have 3 Roku TVs that connect to my Verizon g3100 router at 152mbps. I recently bought a Verizon Stream TV that actually is an android TV that is also is wireless AC and the box is a little far from my router, but the link speed on that device is 830mbps. I have also thought about getting an access point for my nonDFS devices and then reenabling DFS on my router for my DFS client.
It's not about the link speed - it's about using the SSID which works with every single device EXCEPT Roku.
For me it's the end. Good bye Roku, it was good 12 years with multiple of your products. After over a decade I'm done with a device unable to connect to a wifi supporting basic standards and staying silent. Sure, AppleTV may be $80 used but at least it does work...
I own 5 Roku devices all connected using wireless. DFS is not a basic standard in the US. The only ISP that sells DFS gear is Verizon to my knowledge. The largest ISP in the US is Xfinity and Xfinity offers zero DFS gear. I used to be a Verizon customer and a Verizon router set me back $300 bucks to purchase from Verizon. I have an Intel AX200 in a HP laptop that supports DFS channels. Please, list the networking manufactures for me that are making DFS equipment. You will struggle to come up with any companies besides Verizon and Intel. I just bought a Samsung s21 two weeks ago and no DFS support. I also have another HP laptop with a Realtek wireless AX 6 that does not support DFS channels. Apple TV steaming devices does not support DFS channels. Apple TV 4K - Technical Specifications - Apple
DFS is more important in US than pretty much anywhere in the world due to strict FCC ruling around U-NII-2A band. Take a look at a great table of channels summary on wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_WLAN_channels#5_GHz_(802.11a/h/j/n/ac/ax) it shows three big things:
- The majority of the spectrum requires DFS (channels 50-144)
- In order to run 160Mhz you must use DFS channels (or use 80+80 mode which is actually a unicorn)
- To use pretty standard 80Mhz you have very small amount of non-DFS which will be congested horribly in any condominium
DFS isn't exactly a new shiny thing which was just introduced and people need to adapt. It has been with us for over a decade:
In 2007, the FCC (United States) began requiring that devices operating in the bands of 5.250–5.350 GHz and 5.470–5.725 GHz must employ dynamic frequency selection (DFS) and transmit power control (TPC) capabilities.
It has been years since I used any ISP-provided hardware and I personally opt for solutions from Ruckus, MikroTik, or Cisco. However, as this isn't representative I simply did a spectral scan in my house. There are 67 networks on the 5Ghz band. Around half of them operate within the DFS range. We don't have Verizon FIOS here but looking at SSIDs XFinity/Comcast devices indeed avoid DFS channels while AT&T devices prefer them.
Pretty much every manufacturer supports DFS in their AP gear, especially in higher models. Listing companies doesn't make sense here really as I can reply "any besides those who cheaped-out on FCC certification" as any 5Ghz 802.11ac-supporting chip on the market supports DFS (and there pretty much four player here: Broadcom, Atheros, Intel, and Realtek). One of the OEMs making consumer and prosumer devices will be Netgear which even have a convenient table, listing pretty much every device they make in the last decade: https://kb.netgear.com/000060372/Which-NETGEAR-devices-support-Dynamic-Frequency-Selection
Samsung S21 does support DFS as a client and I see them connect to our corporate network on the daily basis, as some of the APs must run on DFS channels due to congestion. Every single Apple device I've seen since the draft-ac days also works with DFS channels. I have two ATVs (4K models) in my own house and I can assure you they do support connecting to a network running DFS channels, as this is the only 5Ghz network I run. To my knowledge there's no extra certification needed to support DFS & TPC channels from the client perspective, you just need to be certified to operate in that frequency range. There are only extra steps to support DFS as an AP, and here's where Roku cheaped-out.
