Legal & Illegal Frequencies & Channels In the United States

LEGAL & ILLEGAL Frequencies 4.9GHz to 5.825

(United States only)

Channel Frequency United States
(MHz) 40/20 MHz
183 4915 ILLEGAL
184 4920 ILLEGAL
185 4925 ILLEGAL
187 4935 ILLEGAL
188 4940 ILLEGAL
189 4945 ILLEGAL
192 4960 ILLEGAL
196 4980 ILLEGAL
7 5035 ILLEGAL
8 5040 ILLEGAL
9 5045 ILLEGAL
11 5055 ILLEGAL
12 5060 ILLEGAL
16 5080 ILLEGAL
34 5170 ILLEGAL
36 5180 LEGAL
38 5190 ILLEGAL
40 5200 LEGAL
42 5210 ILLEGAL
44 5220 LEGAL
46 5230 ILLEGAL
48 5240 LEGAL
52 5260 LEGAL
56 5280 LEGAL
60 5300 LEGAL
64 5320 LEGAL
100 5500 LEGAL
104 5520 LEGAL
108 5540 LEGAL
112 LEGAL
116 5580 LEGAL
120 5600 ILLEGAL
124 5620 ILLEGAL
128 5640 ILLEGAL
132 5660 ILLEGAL
136 5680 LEGAL
140 5700 LEGAL
149 5745 LEGAL
153 5765 LEGAL
157 5785 LEGAL
161 5805 LEGAL
165 5825 LEGAL

2.4GHz (802.11n/g/b) is legal in all countries, but note the following:

  • Channels 1-12 are legal in the United States
  • Channels 13-14 are illegal to use in the United States

3.65ghz works on a registration system

The application fee for a nationwide 3.65 GHz license is less than $300.

The 3.65 GHz band is non-exclusive and, therefore, interference is a concern, but it is not an unlicensed band in the true meaning of the word, since licensing and registration is required to use 3.65. Once a license is obtained, every base station operating under that license must be registered in a national database. This encourages coordination among operators to reduce interference.

4.9GHz is reserved for public safety applications

Legal and illegal wireless frequency bands in the United States

NOTICE FOR CUSTOMERS: purchasing equipment with 5GHz capabilities: IMPORTANT to read this:

Customer agrees to, and assumes responsibility for, use of only legal bandwidth frequencies. Please review this page of frequencies that are legal and illegal in the United States, in the range of 4.9 to 5.85GHz.

Ubiquiti 5GHz equipment (M5 / AirMax): Starting in May 2011, Ubiquiti is designating two versions, each with different firmware US and World. The part# ends with either "US" or "World." The US version firmware will have restrictions to use only in the legal frequency bands/channels.

Customers who purchase for use in the United States:

  • We strongly recommend and encourage you to buy only the US versions, which have firmware programmed to work only on the legal frequencies.
  • If you buy the World version for use in the United States: The act of your purchase is your acknowledgement of your agreement and intention to use only legal frequency bands.

Posted by George Hardesty on 11th Apr 2023


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