One band, two neighbors

  • Bluetooth LE uses the 2.4 GHz band from 2400 to 2483.5 MHz, with 40 channels spaced 2 MHz apart, centered from 2402 to 2480 MHz (Bluetooth Core Specification).
  • Wi-Fi at 2.4 GHz uses channels that Cisco describes as "20 MHz wide". Of the 14 channels in the 2.4 GHz plan, "only 3 of these are nonoverlapping channels, 1, 6, and 11."

So each busy Wi-Fi channel sits on top of about ten Bluetooth LE channels (20 MHz divided by 2 MHz spacing). With Wi-Fi on 1, 6 and 11, most of the band is shared.

Interference works both ways

Auri's installation guide puts it plainly: "While designed to coexist, strong Wi-Fi signals may impact Auri, and vice versa." It asks installers to check that the transmitter "is not impacted by Wi-Fi or other signals, and vice versa."

Why strong, nearby signals matter: in the Bluetooth Core Specification's receiver test, a Bluetooth LE receiver only has to cope with an interferer on the same channel that is 21 dB weaker than the wanted signal (co-channel C/I of 21 dB). That test uses another Bluetooth LE signal as the interferer, not Wi-Fi, so treat it as a rough guide. Still, a busy access point a few meters from a listener can be much stronger than a distant Auracast transmitter on the same frequencies.

What else shares the band

  • Microwave ovens, baby monitors, gaming consoles, Bluetooth devices and cordless phones are all listed by Cisco as non-Wi-Fi users of 2.4 GHz.
  • Some digital wireless microphones use it. The Shure GLX-D, for example, works in the 2.4 GHz band. They transmit whenever they are in use, which is exactly when listeners need the broadcast.
  • Wireless DMX lighting control. Auri: "Wireless DMX, particularly in the 2.4GHz band, may interfere with Auracast signals."
  • Other broadcasts. The SIG designed Auracast for personal devices such as phones and TVs as well as venues, and every broadcast uses some airtime.

Checking a site

  1. Survey at the busiest hour, not on an empty weekday. Note access point locations, channels and channel widths.
  2. List the 2.4 GHz wireless microphones and their receivers' locations.
  3. Ask about lighting control and smart-building radios.
  4. During commissioning, run everything as normal. Auri's quality-of-service test is done with "all systems and services (e.g., Wi-Fi)" running. Our commissioning guide covers the full sign-off.

A signal-strength reading can look fine when interference is the problem. It shows your transmitter's level, not how crowded the channel is. Use a Wi-Fi or spectrum analyzer, and listen.

Practical fixes

  • Distance. Do not mount a transmitter next to an access point or in the same rack (more in transmitter placement). Bettear rule of thumb: keep at least 2 m from Wi-Fi access points.
  • Move what can move. Ask the IT team whether guest Wi-Fi and streaming devices can use 5 or 6 GHz, leaving less traffic at 2.4 GHz.
  • Keep 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi tidy. 20 MHz channels on 1, 6 and 11. Cisco does not recommend bonding channels at 2.4 GHz in enterprise networks "because of the limited spectrum", and recommends disabling slower 802.11b data rates to reduce interference.
  • Separate microphones and transmitters. Keep microphone receivers away from Auracast transmitters and access points, or consider microphones in other bands.
  • Use the lowest Auracast power that covers the area. The SIG's advice is to set power "to the lowest level that meets the intended coverage area", which also limits the interference Auracast causes.

Joint work by the Wi-Fi Alliance and the Bluetooth SIG

On 19 June 2026 the Wi-Fi Alliance and the Bluetooth SIG announced joint work "aimed at achieving fair coexistence between Bluetooth and Wi-Fi technologies". Its initial focus is the 6 GHz band, not the 2.4 GHz band Auracast uses, and the announcement gave no timeline. For now, coexistence at 2.4 GHz comes down to site planning.

Common questions

Will Auracast slow down our Wi-Fi?

It can add to the load on a busy 2.4 GHz network, especially near the transmitter. Auri's own guidance says the effect can go both ways. Low transmitter power, sensible placement and moving Wi-Fi traffic to 5 or 6 GHz all help.

Can we choose an Auracast channel like a Wi-Fi channel?

Not in the same way. Whether a particular transmitter can be told to stay off busy Wi-Fi channels depends on the product, and we have not found a maker that documents it. The tools you can count on are the ones above: distance, a tidy Wi-Fi channel plan and the lowest power that covers the area.

Sources

  1. Bluetooth Core Specification 5.4, Physical Layer (§2 and §4.2, Tables 4.3 and 4.4). Bluetooth SIG. Accessed September 30, 2026.
  2. Wireless RF Reference Guide (Catalyst 9800). Cisco. Accessed September 30, 2026.
  3. Installation Best Practices (UP3B608). Auri (Ampetronic / Listen Technologies). Accessed September 30, 2026.
  4. Auracast simple transmitter best practices guide, Version 3 (§2.9.1, §3.2). Bluetooth SIG. Accessed September 30, 2026.
  5. GLX-D Digital Wireless Specification Sheet. Shure. Accessed September 30, 2026.
  6. Wi-Fi Alliance and Bluetooth SIG initiate joint work to advance coexistence (19 June 2026). Bluetooth SIG. Accessed September 30, 2026.
  7. Bettear site-planning workshop for CASTER (training material, not published online). Bettear / AUDIOropa (Humantechnik), 2026. Accessed September 30, 2026.

We cite the source for every fact and label manufacturer rules of thumb as such. This is general information, not legal or engineering advice for a particular building. Spot something out of date? Write to dave@equalaccessaudio.com.