Can not connect to WIFI 5Ghz UNII - 1 channels

Hello community, this is my first post I'm having issues trying to connect to wifi UNII - 1 channels (36, 40, 44, and 48) all my apple devices only allows UNII - 3 channels (149 through 165). My country code is BO (Bolivia) and here most of the ISP routers and most of the routers you can buy, only have UNII - 1 channels. I would like to get some help to enable UNII - 1 channels or at least know why those channels are disabled on my country.

MacBook Pro 14″, macOS 15.5

Posted on Jul 26, 2025 11:22 AM

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Posted on Jul 29, 2025 2:54 PM

You’re going to want to discuss this with folks more familiar with the Bolivian canales de Wi-Fi, y con tu Wi-Fi router.


The Bolivian channel plan (and that for most other countries) is (cryptically) included in the Linux sources:

https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/sforshee/wireless-regdb.git/tree/db.txt

country BO: DFS-JP
	(2402 - 2482 @ 40), (20)
	(5250 - 5330 @ 80), (30), DFS
	(5735 - 5835 @ 80), (30)


Here is some possibly-helpful info (graphical) related to Ubiquiti gear channel availability:

https://www.unihosted.com/tools/channels-explorer


It appears your Wi-Fi gear is configured to support nine 20 MHz channels in 5 GHz.


Other Wi-Fi channels (those usually marked as DFS) can be subject to interference with other signals, and Wi-Fi stations won’t use those channels if, for instance, radar signals are detected.


Some background, as well as some useful diagrams showing how adjacent channels can and do overlap:

https://documentation.meraki.com/MR/Wi-Fi_Basics_and_Best_Practices/Channel_Planning_Best_Practices


I cannot find the Bolivian Wi-Fi channel plan whether searching in English or Spanish. Not past the output from macOS commands, and the Linux source code link above.


The UNII (U-NII) stuff is just the jargon different sorts of channels available in 5 GHz. Those you can use, and those you might be able to use.

11 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jul 29, 2025 2:54 PM in response to maurinaz

You’re going to want to discuss this with folks more familiar with the Bolivian canales de Wi-Fi, y con tu Wi-Fi router.


The Bolivian channel plan (and that for most other countries) is (cryptically) included in the Linux sources:

https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/sforshee/wireless-regdb.git/tree/db.txt

country BO: DFS-JP
	(2402 - 2482 @ 40), (20)
	(5250 - 5330 @ 80), (30), DFS
	(5735 - 5835 @ 80), (30)


Here is some possibly-helpful info (graphical) related to Ubiquiti gear channel availability:

https://www.unihosted.com/tools/channels-explorer


It appears your Wi-Fi gear is configured to support nine 20 MHz channels in 5 GHz.


Other Wi-Fi channels (those usually marked as DFS) can be subject to interference with other signals, and Wi-Fi stations won’t use those channels if, for instance, radar signals are detected.


Some background, as well as some useful diagrams showing how adjacent channels can and do overlap:

https://documentation.meraki.com/MR/Wi-Fi_Basics_and_Best_Practices/Channel_Planning_Best_Practices


I cannot find the Bolivian Wi-Fi channel plan whether searching in English or Spanish. Not past the output from macOS commands, and the Linux source code link above.


The UNII (U-NII) stuff is just the jargon different sorts of channels available in 5 GHz. Those you can use, and those you might be able to use.

Jul 29, 2025 2:06 PM in response to maurinaz

when your router sends data on a a particular channel, it typically uses the nominal channel plus MANY adjacent channels up and down the spectrum.


it appears that, using Bolivia standards, channel 32 through 48, which can support ONE device at 80 MHz width, are prohibited in your country.


Channel 52 through 64 are the next lower set, completely used up for ONE channel at 80 MHz width.

The next part of that band overlaps with radar, so it often can not be used reliably, and it looks like your country profits its use up through channel 148.


Next, channel 149 through 161 can provide an 80 MHz cable, and channels 165 through 177 can provide an 80 MHz channel.


If you are willing to settle for a 40 MHz channel, those bands can be broken into smaller bits and there are twice as many of them. if you can settle for a 20 Mhz channel, there are four times as many of them. How fast is your Internet connection?


Based on that report, it does not look like your Mac supports the 6 GHz band.


I live "in the woods" far from my neighbors, so I can choose what I want.


People who live in busy apartments have to use channels their neighbors are not already using.


Would you like help figuring out what is actually in use?

Jul 26, 2025 11:51 AM in response to maurinaz

You have posted on the English language forums, mostly based in the US, but frequented by readers around the world. Readers here are generally not familiar with regulations in every area, and the main US English Wikipedia article on the subject does not list Bolivia as a separate case.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_WLAN_channels


Your question sounds like it should be directed at Apple Support in your country.

Jul 27, 2025 4:39 AM in response to maurinaz

I am no expert in matters related to Networking so will I defer to the other 2 more expert Contributors on this matter 


Based upon MacBook Pro 14″, or one like it 


This computer can use Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax)


The 802.11ax Wi-Fi standard, also known as Wi-Fi 6, is the latest step in a journey of nonstop innovation. The standard builds on the strengths of 802.11ac, adding efficiency, flexibility, and scalability that allows new and existing networks increased speed and capacity with applications


So whether the computer connects  only allows UNII - 3 channels (149 through 165) versus UNII - 1 channels (36, 40, 44, and 48)


Where is the degradation in Wifi Secure and Wifi performances ?


Location Services


Make sure that your device has Location Services turned on for Wi-Fi networking, because regulations in each country or region define the Wi-Fi channels and wireless signal strength allowed there. Location Services helps to ensure that your device can reliably see and connect to nearby devices, and that it performs well when using Wi-Fi or features that rely on Wi-Fi, such as AirPlay or AirDrop.

Jul 29, 2025 6:09 PM in response to MrHoffman

Oh nice, so it looks that Mac OS and all apple devices are using this list, so that explains why I can not use the UNII 1 channels, the weird part is that a lot of stuff being sold in Bolivia uses the lower channels, I'll try to join linux communities to see why 36, 40, 44, 48 channels are not supported in Bolivia, we don't really have a clear standard about that.

Thanks so much for the help.

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Can not connect to WIFI 5Ghz UNII - 1 channels

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