Optimizing placement of a wireless range extender

Abstract

Techniques and systems for selectively performing band-switching operations are provided. For example, a method, computing device, or computer-program product may be provided, and may include receiving a communication from a first device, wherein the communication is received on a channel of a first WiFi frequency band, wherein the communication is received using a first WiFi circuit of the computing device, and wherein the computing device is a node of a mesh network. The method, computing device, or computer-program product may further include determining whether the first device is a node of the mesh network, determining a second device to which to transmit the communication, and determining whether the second device is a node of the mesh network. The method, computing device, or computer-program product may further include determining whether to transmit the communication to the second device on a second WiFi frequency band, wherein the second WiFi frequency band is different from the first WiFi frequency band, and wherein determining whether to transmit the communication on the second WiFi frequency band depends on whether the first device is a node of the mesh network.

1 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A computer implemented method, comprising:
 receiving, on a computing device, a communication, wherein the communication is received on a first channel of a first WiFi frequency band, and wherein the communication is received using a first transceiver radio circuit tuned to the first WiFi frequency band;   determining that the first channel of the first WiFi frequency band is available for communication;   determining that a second channel is available for communication using a second transceiver radio circuit tuned to the first WiFi frequency band;   determining a throughput of the first channel of the first frequency WiFi band;   determining that the throughput of the first channel is above a throughput threshold level;   after the first channel and the second channel are determined to be available and the throughput of the first channel is determined to be above the throughput threshold level, automatically enabling a channel-switching operation, wherein the channel-switching operation enables the computing device to simultaneously receive communication on the first channel using the first transceiver radio circuit, and transmit communications on the second channel using the second transceiver radio circuit;   switching, by the computing device and after enabling the channel-switching operation, from the first channel to the second channel; and   transmitting, from the computing device, the communication, wherein the communication is transmitted using the second circuit of the first WiFi frequency band.   
     
     
         22 . The method of claim  1  wherein the channel switching operation is automatically disabled after the throughput of the channel of the first channel is determined to be below the throughput threshold level. 
     
     
         23 . The method of claim  1  wherein the computing device switches to a second channel on a second WiFi frequency band after determining that no channels are available on the first WiFi frequency band. 
     
     
         24 . The method of claim  1  wherein the computing device includes a wireless range extending device. 
     
     
         25 . The method of claim  1  further comprising:
 determining, by the computing device, that a plurality of channels are available for communication; and 
 establishing, by the computing device, two or more channels for simultaneous transmission of communications. 
 
     
     
         26 . The method of claim  1  wherein the computing device selects a second channel based on the quality of the channel. 
     
     
         27 . The method of claim  1  wherein the computing device monitors t channels, choosing a second channel based the traffic levels of different channels. 
     
     
         28 . A networked device, comprising:
 one or more data processors; and   a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions which, when executed on the one or more data processors, cause the one or more data processors to perform operations including:   receiving, on a computing device, a communication, wherein the communication is received on a first channel of a first WiFi frequency band, and wherein the communication is received using a first transceiver radio circuit tuned to the first WiFi frequency band;   determining that the first channel of the first WiFi frequency band is available for communication;   determining that a second channel is available for communication using a second transceiver radio circuit tuned to the first WiFi frequency band;   determining a throughput of the first channel of the first frequency WiFi band;   determining that the throughput of the first channel is above a throughput threshold level;   after the first channel and the second channel are determined to be available and the throughput of the first channel is determined to be above the throughput threshold level, automatically enabling a channel-switching operation, wherein the channel-switching operation enables the computing device to simultaneously receive communication on the first channel using the first transceiver radio circuit, and transmit communications on the second channel using the second transceiver radio circuit;   switching, by the computing device and after enabling the channel-switching operation, from the first channel to the second channel; and   transmitting, from the computing device, the communication, wherein the communication is transmitted using the second circuit of the first WiFi frequency band.   
     
     
         29 . The networked device of  claim 28  wherein the channel switching operation is automatically disabled after the throughput of the channel of the first channel is determined to be below the throughput threshold level. 
     
     
         30 . The networked device of  claim 28  wherein the computing device switches to a second channel on a second WiFi frequency band after determining that no channels are available on the first WiFi frequency band. 
     
     
         31 . The networked device of  claim 28  wherein the computing device includes a wireless range extending device. 
     
     
         32 . The networked device of  claim 28  wherein the operations further comprise:
 determining, by the computing device, that a plurality of channels are available for communication; and 
 establishing, by the computing device, two or more channels for simultaneous transmission of communications. 
 
     
     
         33 . The networked device of  claim 28  wherein the computing device selects a second channel based on the quality of the channel. 
     
     
         34 . The networked device of  claim 28  wherein the computing device monitors different channels, choosing a second channel based the traffic levels of different channels. 
     
     
         35 . A computer-program product tangibly embodied in a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of a network device, including instructions configured to cause one or more processors to perform operations including:
 receiving, on a computing device, a communication, wherein the communication is received on a first channel of a first WiFi frequency band, and wherein the communication is received using a first transceiver radio circuit tuned to the first WiFi frequency band;   determining that the first channel of the first WiFi frequency band is available for communication;   determining that a second channel is available for communication using a second transceiver radio circuit tuned to the first WiFi frequency band;   determining a throughput of the first channel of the first frequency WiFi band;   determining that the throughput of the first channel is above a throughput threshold level;   after the first channel and the second channel are determined to be available and the throughput of the first channel is determined to be above the throughput threshold level, automatically enabling a channel-switching operation, wherein the channel-switching operation enables the computing device to simultaneously receive communication on the first channel using the first transceiver radio circuit, and transmit communications on the second channel using the second transceiver radio circuit;   switching, by the computing device and after enabling the channel-switching operation, from the first channel to the second channel; and   transmitting, from the computing device, the communication, wherein the communication is transmitted using the second circuit of the first WiFi frequency band.   
     
     
         36 . The computer-program product of  claim 35  wherein the channel switching operation is automatically disabled after the throughput of the channel of the first channel is determined to be below the throughput threshold level. 
     
     
         37 . The computer-program product of  claim 35  wherein the computing device switches to a second channel on a second WiFi frequency band after determining that no channels are available on the first WiFi frequency band. 
     
     
         38 . The computer-program product of  claim 35  wherein the computing device includes a wireless range extending device. 
     
     
         39 . The computer-program product of  claim 35  wherein the operations further comprise:
 determining, by the computing device, that a plurality of channels are available for communication; and 
 establishing, by the computing device, two or more channels for simultaneous transmission of communications. 
 
     
     
         40 . The computer-program product of  claim 35  wherein the computing device selects a second channel based on the quality of the channel.