Why is it important that a channel plan ensures no two adjacent access points are on the same channel?

The importance of ensuring that no two adjacent access points operate on the same channel lies in the need to avoid co-channel interference. When multiple access points use the same channel in close proximity, they will interfere with each other’s signals, resulting in poor performance, reduced data throughput, and increased latency. This phenomenon can lead to a degraded user experience as devices struggle to communicate effectively with their respective access points. By assigning different channels to adjacent access points, the overall network performance improves significantly, as each access point can transmit and receive data more efficiently without competing for the same frequency space.

In addition to this, while other options address different aspects of wireless networking, they do not directly relate to the avoidance of co-channel interference. For the most effective wireless network performance, careful channel planning is crucial.