100% agree with
@hancox & MOST of what
@Morris suggested above rings true (Excellent networking tips BTW).
Morris's description of 160 wide channels is how I thought 160MHz should work & fairly consistent with almost everything I had researched & read.
Except after reading these forums & now, through my own testing... I'm questioning the portion (in bold):
I say this because...
Currently my RT-AX86U router's: Control Channel=Auto
BUT
__ Auto select channel including DFS channels
Is NOT Selected
Soooo am I not using 160MHz but instructing the router NOT to use DFS ???
Many times Last Night & this morning I could see my (newly purchased Pixel-7) stay connected to the Main RT-AX86U router @ 160MHz
I could see this in the wireless log + I was also using the WiFi-App.
On the same phone & I could see the Bandwidth/Frequencies-Used being double the width...
AND
When I walked closer to my older RT-AC68U Node...
I could see the Bandwidth/Frequencies-Used revert back (To Half the width [AKA 80MHz])
Note: I've disabled DFS deliberately as some of us have suspected the DFS portion is actually what is causing the most trouble.
To be honest...
I'm rather shocked the router is still working this well.
But I do not have a SECOND RT-AX86U to connect as a Node.
Perhaps the node functionality is actually contributing to the problems.