2.4GHz or 5GHz Wi-Fi. . . . What difference does it make to me?
There are so many options to choose from when adding wireless access to the Internet at your home or business. Which one is the best one? The correct answer . . . is YES. In other words each has it’s place and depending on your needs either could be right for you.
Isn’t 5GHz more than twice as fast as 2.4GHz?
No it’s not. These numbers refer to the frequency at which the waves modulate from peak to trough. This is not referring to a throughput speed. Think back to Sixth Grade science class when you had to draw sound waves. A base singer in the choir doesn’t necessarily sing slower than a soprano. (What a mess Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody would be then!)
What’s so good about 5GHz Wi-Fi then?
802.11a band routers operate at 5Gh. 802.11ac and 802.11n can operate at both frequencies. What’s so good about 5GHz? You have 23 channels at this frequency so interference between competing neighbor access points is likely to happen less often. (2.4 GHz devices only offer 11 channels and only 1, 6 and 11 do not bleed over on to each other.) Also, there are less household devices competing in the 5GHz space. (Microwaves, garage door openers and cordless telephones all can interfere with 2.4GHz Wi-Fi signals.)
Why wouldn’t I just go with the 5GHz then?
Here is the negative aspect of the newer, less crowded 5GHz radio devices. The higher frequency of the waves at 5GHz means they tend to degrade faster than the lower frequency waves. Thus, your signal range is reduced. Also, these higher frequency signals are more subject to being degraded by obstructions, such as walls and doors.
Which is better? Are you trying to use only one device to cover a fairly large space? You need to stick with a 2.4GHz router. If you are dealing with a smaller space and there are microwave ovens and cordless telephones in it? Go with the 5GHz router. Or be like me. The last router I purchased was an 802.11n band router. The kids’ room was farther away than my office. I put the lads’ equipment on the 2.4GHz frequency thus reserving the entire 5GHz radio for me. 😉
Later I’ll be discussing how you can handle covering a larger space with a “meshed” Wi-Fi network.
If you have any questions you can contact me at scottbailey100@gmail.com. Happy Wi-Fiing!