# WI-FI Frequency????



## Zorrosuncle (Nov 11, 2008)

Hi -- The specs say that the device will automatically switch between 2.5GHZ and 5GHZ.  My router in my home operates at 2457MHZ (2.457GHZ) and the legal highest allowable frequency in the U.S. is 2.5GHZ according to Netgear -- two full channels lower than the highest capability of my router. My router is basically residence in the lower frequencies, even though I can change them within that band.  I can't change my router frequency to the higher band even if the law has changed.  So how does the device operating in the 5.0GHZ range help me, short of my obtaining a new router using the higher band?

Amazon probably, with no great cost added a second harmonic of the lower band.

Likewise, for all intents and purposes, I have no control over the router frequencies used by non-owned wi-fi hot spots, such as in malls and airports and rail stations, probably most of which are in the lower band. I have to use what is out there.

Added by OP:  Technically speaking, if I switch to a new router in the 5G band, (It is legal, now) I will have less contention and congestion, but also lower signal strength.

Will this feature be of much help?

ZU


----------



## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

It's a good question.  Perhaps someone who understands routers and frequencies better than I do can comment?

Betsy


----------



## tbsteph (May 3, 2009)

Many routers in the US support the 5GZ frequency (I have an Apple Airport for example.).  They are usually referenced as "dual band".  Neatgear sells one also - model WNDR 3300. 

Typically the 5GHZ frequency allows for a faster transmission speed but has a shorter range than  2.4GHZ. 

Hope that helps!


----------



## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Hmmmm....wonder what the specs on my Verizon router are....off to look. Found this but not sure it tells me anything:

Betsy


----------



## tbsteph (May 3, 2009)

Betsy:

Lot of specs huh?

It looks like your FIOS router does not support the dual bands (2.4 and 5GHZ) stuff.  Unless the router firmware has been updated since their spec sheet was printed, the router only supports a couple of fairly old wireless standards (b and g.  FWIW, the dual band stuff is only found on what is called wireless "n". The theoretical thru-put for "n" is about twice as fast as g on the 2.4 GHZ frequency and five times as fast on the 5HGZ frequency).

Obviously the older wireless b/g standards still work but, you may find streaming video issues (pausing to buffer etc.) especially for HD content.  I'm a bit surprised FIOS/Verizon use such an old wireless standard.  If it were me, I would call them and see if they have a newer router that at least supports wireless n and hopefully dual band.

I know it sounds a bit complicated. But just view each of these wireless standards as a water conduit.  Wireless b is a small soda straw;  wireless G a large soda straw; wireless n 2.4GHZ  a garden hose and; wireless n 5GHZ being a sewer pipe. Obviously the bigger the pipe the more data it can carry.


----------



## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

I just recently had to get a new router (and modem thanks to a lightning strike) and we picked up a dual band.  I've noticed a definite improvement, especially in streaming movies. I think it helps that I put all the BRATs devices on the 2.4GHZ and only the Roku, main computer and my iPad on the 5GHZ.


----------



## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

tbsteph said:


> Betsy:
> 
> Lot of specs huh?
> 
> ...


Thanks, I'll look into it.

I get the idea, just have never bothered to learn much about it. I did get the b&g out of it...it my be that I got this modem because I didn't opt for the most expensive plan. I don't have problems streaming now, though.

Betsy


----------



## hsuthard (Jan 6, 2010)

This is a very timely subject for me, leave it to Kindleboards to make me think about new gadgets I might need.

Time Warner is coming back tomorrow to look at our new router. We had Internet/cable/phone set up last week but we have some problems getting steady speeds out of the router/modem. We keep having random disconnects. So they're sending someone out tomorrow to check the combo modem/router and now I'm thinking hmmm, maybe we should have them install their best modem and we can just use our own router (either an apple airport or some new tangled thing via Amazon). 

I'm just not sure if all our wireless devices (a TiVo premiere, a TiVo series 3 HD, a PC, Mac mini, MacBook pro, iMac, MacBook air, two MacBooks, a few printers, kindles, and iPhones, etc.) can take advantage of the N band or other higher speeds a better router can offer? Does anyone know?


----------



## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

hsuthard said:


> I'm just not sure if all our wireless devices (a TiVo premiere, a TiVo series 3 HD, a PC, Mac mini, MacBook pro, iMac, MacBook air, two MacBooks, a few printers, kindles, and iPhones, etc.) can take advantage of the N band or other higher speeds a better router can offer? Does anyone know?


Most routers that use 'n' also have 'b' and 'g' so you should be fine. But I'm not an expert.


----------



## hsuthard (Jan 6, 2010)

Ann in Arlington said:


> Most routers that use 'n' also have 'b' and 'g' so you should be fine. But I'm not an expert.


I think you're right, but it's not the transmitting router end I'm worried about, but the receiving ends on all our various aging devices.

With more research, though, I've found that I can get a wireless N adapter for some of those devices, that could help speed them right up!

One of the drawbacks of living in Hawaii is that all our Internet comes from the same undersea cable, and there's only one big Internet provider so no real competition to induce innovation.


----------



## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

hsuthard said:


> One of the drawbacks of living in Hawaii is that all our Internet comes from the same undersea cable, and there's only one big Internet provider so no real competition to induce innovation.


I'm glad to hear there's a drawback to living in Hawaii... 

Betsy


----------



## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

hsuthard said:


> One of the drawbacks of living in Hawaii is that all our Internet comes from the same undersea cable, and there's only one big Internet provider so no real competition to induce innovation.


We lived there pre-internet. . . . . . 

On topic, there's a router for sale today at Daily Steals. http://mobile.dailysteals.com/ I know NOTHING about it. . . .but am going to research it a little and see if I can find any commentary about it. If I learn anything useful I'll report back.


----------



## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Ann in Arlington said:


> We lived there pre-internet. . . . . .


Wow, you must be really old...  

Betsy


----------



## MrPLD (Sep 23, 2010)

btw, higher frequencies (5GHz) don't explicitly mean shorter range, in fact they generally perform better per watt of power than lower frequencies in our real world, assuming a lack of obstructions.  The "shortness" comes from the fact that as the frequency goes up a lot more things tend to block, reflect or absorb the signal.  Interestingly, in a complex house layout, 5GHz WiFi can be superior to 2.4GHz wifi as it is absorbed less by walls and tends to bounce more.

Lastly, yes, the higher the frequency, the more data-throughput can be achieved (which is why fibre-optics is so great, as light is many-many times higher in frequency than Wifi)


----------



## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Betsy the Quilter said:


> Wow, you must be really old...
> 
> Betsy




We left in 1990. . . . . the boy was barely out of first grade!


----------

