This post comes from some interesting tweets I saw, and really speaks to how difficult it can be to get the right amount of "correctness" when you ...
For further actions, you may consider blocking this person and/or reporting abuse
I would like to answer with the conventional wisdom I've heard and anecdotes from my experience. However, it seems like a fact-checkable engineer's explanation would be best here. Kindof a commentary on the value of freely available information. π
Real world.Depends on the WiFi reciever & walls, I guess. Β―_(γ)_/Β―
The range of 5G is better on my Intel WiFi Card & one Xiaomi phone(SD 845).
The range of 2.4G is better on the Realme, other Xiaomi devices, Nokia , Laptop and older USB Wifi.
Strictly speaking, in a vacuum, there is no difference in propagation range between 2.4GHz and 5GHz with all other factors being equal. All that matters is initial energy.
However, thatβs not very useful in practice for two reasons:
These two factors combined mean that in the traditional setup of a single AP for a house or business, 5 GHz really does have less effective range. Itβs not a βmythβ, itβs just not some inherent aspect of ββ5 GHzβ like everyone seems to imply.
Overall though, this is part of why ESS setups (sometimes (not always accurately) called βmeshβ setups in consumer marketing material) are so useful, and the limitations of 5 GHz are what is pushing their adoption in consumer settings.
Very interesting write-up, Ben.
My biggest pet peeve is the time it takes to reconnnect to a different AP when walking around in the apt. They already run in a mesh network, but the reconnect is still there.
Does anyone know if I am I just running cheapo hardware or is that something that is there to live by?
I agree with the penetration and range assertions. Another advantage 5g has over 2.4 is it operates at a higher frequency so it doesn't get as much RF interference. 2.4 is all over the place and it disrupts connectivity.
This is what should be addressed beside the range issue. I have a mobile BTS near my house and it's impossible to have 2.4GHz working normally (the AP is just about 1m away tbh). Switching to 5GHz and the connection is more stable.
As a technician who installs internet services the above assertions are true. 2.4ghz frequency travels further and has better penetration due to the lower frequency. 5ghz will provide faster speeds at a shorter distance. Most modems now are equipped to automatically divert traffic to the most optimal frequency.
There are some that donβt, which will cause issues with certain devices like printers and home cameras if you try to connect other devices to them that are on a 5ghz frequency. They will not talk to each other.
I remember the struggles with Wifi "in the old days" (partially attributable to how horribly Windows handled it), nowadays your ISP's modem almost always comes with capable Wifi built in, so in most cases we can just enjoy that & call it a day ;)
5-years-old version:
Suppose that wifi signal is like light. The 2.4 Ghz is red and the 5 Ghz is blue and green.
Thanks for your reply.
I asked Malte from one of your tweets (twitter.com/cramforce/status/14395...). He was very kind to state that this problem has been solved already. Not all hardware do solve it, but many do.
Great thread. I wonder if anyone has done any benchmarks. My AP supports 2.4 and 5 and I have to say Iβve had way less issues/problems with 5 even through distance and walls (live in a 30βs house with good size load bearing walls). This has certainly made me think and I might try to do my own experiments to find out more.
i agree that 5ghz us super fast
+2.6ghz is the difference
The benefit at least in my city apartment is being able to split my devices across both bands instead of clogging the one (like everyone else in my building...)
Even what we would hope would be an authoritative source describes the common understanding.
kb.netgear.com/29396/What-is-the-d...
I discover despite the channel being available I'm not really getting 5Ghz. I think it has to be enabled on my router...