DFS channels randomly kick all devices off 5GHz for 30-60 seconds

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In the US and Europe, most 5GHz WiFi channels (52-144) are designated DFS (Dynamic Frequency Selection) channels shared with weather radar. When a router detects radar (or a false positive), it must immediately vacate the channel, disconnecting all 5GHz clients for 30-60 seconds while it scans for a clear channel. So what? Users experience sudden, unexplained WiFi drops that last 30-60 seconds with no warning — long enough to kill a video call, interrupt a file transfer, or cause an online game disconnect. So what? These drops happen randomly and infrequently (maybe once a day or once a week near airports), making them nearly impossible to diagnose. So what? Users replace their router, change ISPs, or call expensive technicians — none of which fix the problem because DFS is mandated by the FCC and is unfixable in software. So what? The user never learns the real cause and lives with mysterious drops indefinitely. This persists because the FCC requires DFS to protect weather radar, router manufacturers don't explain DFS behavior to consumers, and most router admin pages don't log DFS events or let users restrict to non-DFS channels easily.

Evidence

FCC Part 15 Subpart E mandates DFS channel evacuation within 200ms of radar detection, with a 60-second Channel Availability Check before returning. Channels 52-144 (15 of 24 available 5GHz channels in the US) require DFS. A 2022 study by the NTIA found DFS false-positive rates of 5-15% depending on chipset vendor. Ubiquiti's community forums have thousands of posts about unexplained 5GHz drops traced to DFS radar events.

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