Does making use of a narrower channel width such as 10MHz or 5MHz increase your wireless link speed?

Using a narrower channel width, such as 10MHz or 5MHz, does not increase wireless link speed. In fact, it often leads to a decrease in maximum throughput compared to broader channel widths like 20MHz or 40MHz. The primary reason for this is that narrower channels have less capacity to transmit data simultaneously.

Wider channels can carry more data because they allow for more frequency space, accommodating higher data rates as defined by communication standards like 802.11n or 802.11ac. This increased channel width leads to better performance particularly in environments with low interference and where higher data throughput is essential.

While narrower channels can have advantages in high-interference environments—such as better signal stability and reduced noise—they do not inherently increase the speed of the wireless link. Instead, they are utilized when there are challenges in the environment that might disrupt broader channels, but they tend to deliver lower throughput overall.

Ultimately, for delivering higher link speeds consistently, leveraging wider channels is the preferred approach.