Wi-Fi Channel Optimization Script

This Bash script automates the process of optimizing Wi-Fi channels for better network performance. It performs several tasks including scanning available networks, testing speed on different channels, and selecting the optimal channel based on speed tests.

Prerequisites

• Root Access: The script must be run as root.
• Tools: speedtest-cli and bc must be installed. The script will attempt to install these if they are not already present.

Installation

To get started, you can clone the repository containing the script and then run it:

1. Clone the Repository:

   git clone https://github.com/Shuvam-Banerji-Seal/Wi-Fi-channel-optimizer.git

2. Navigate to the Repository Directory:

   cd Wi-Fi-channel-optimizer

3. Make the Script Executable:

   chmod +x wifi_optimization.sh

Usage

Run the script with root privileges to start optimizing your Wi-Fi connection:

sudo ./wifi_optimization.sh

Script Overview

1. Check for Root Privileges:

   • The script checks if it is being run with root privileges. If not, it exits with an error message.

2. Install Required Tools:

   • Installs speedtest-cli and bc if they are not found on the system.

3. Identify Wi-Fi Interface:

   • Uses nmcli to find the active Wi-Fi interface, excluding any peer-to-peer devices.

4. Retrieve Current SSID:

   • Fetches the SSID (network name) of the currently connected Wi-Fi network.

5. Scan Available Networks:

   • Performs a scan of available Wi-Fi networks and saves the results to a temporary file.

6. Extract and Display Network Information:

   • Parses the scan results to display useful information such as SSID, Channel, and Signal Strength.

7. Test Speed on Each Channel:

   • Disconnects and reconnects to the network on different channels to test the speed using speedtest-cli.

8. Determine the Best Channel:

   • Compares the speeds recorded on each channel and selects the best one.

9. Reconnect to the Optimal Channel:

   • Reconnects to the network on the best channel and performs a final set of tests to ensure stability and performance.

10. Final Tests:

    • Runs a final speed test and ping test to verify network stability and performance on the chosen channel.

Detailed Explanation

1. Ensure Script is Run as Root

if [ "$EUID" -ne 0 ]; then
    echo "Please run as root"
    exit
fi

• Purpose: Ensures the script is executed with root privileges. Many network-related commands require elevated permissions.

2. Install Required Tools

if ! command -v speedtest-cli &> /dev/null; then
    echo "speedtest-cli not found, installing..."
    pacman -S --noconfirm speedtest-cli
fi

if ! command -v bc &> /dev/null; then
    echo "bc not found, installing..."
    pacman -S --noconfirm bc
fi

• Purpose: Checks if speedtest-cli and bc are installed. Installs them using pacman if they are missing.

3. Get the Current Wi-Fi Interface

WIFI_INTERFACE=$(nmcli device | grep wifi | grep connected | grep -v 'p2p-dev' | awk '{print $1}')

• Purpose: Identifies the Wi-Fi interface currently in use by filtering out peer-to-peer devices.

4. Retrieve the Current SSID

SSID=$(nmcli -t -f active,ssid dev wifi | grep '^yes' | cut -d':' -f2)

• Purpose: Fetches the SSID of the currently connected network. The script ensures that the SSID is retrieved successfully.

5. Scan for Wi-Fi Networks

iwlist $WIFI_INTERFACE scanning > /tmp/wifi_scan.txt

• Purpose: Scans for available Wi-Fi networks and saves the output to a temporary file.

6. Extract Useful Information

grep -E 'ESSID|Channel|Quality|Signal level' /tmp/wifi_scan.txt | sed 's/^\s*//'

• Purpose: Extracts and displays information about each network's SSID, Channel, and Signal Strength.

7. Test Speed on Each Channel

declare -A CHANNELS
# ... loop to test speed on each channel

• Purpose: Tests the network speed on each available channel by disconnecting and reconnecting to the Wi-Fi network on each channel.

8. Determine the Best Channel

declare -A SPEEDS
# ... loop to find the best channel

• Purpose: Determines the channel with the highest speed based on the recorded results.

9. Reconnect to the Optimal Channel

nmcli device disconnect "$WIFI_INTERFACE"
nmcli device wifi rescan
nmcli device wifi connect "$SSID" ifname "$WIFI_INTERFACE"

• Purpose: Reconnects to the Wi-Fi network on the optimal channel identified in the previous step.

10. Final Tests

# Run final tests including ping and speed test

• Purpose: Verifies the stability and performance of the connection on the chosen channel with final tests.