Granted, the range is not quite as far with 5GHz but it is acceptable throughout the entire building.īefore you rush out and buy a new router, consider this: (1) It may not be necessary, and (2) If it is necessary, make sure you’ve got everything you need.įirst and foremost, it may not be necessary. ![]() Not to mention that I had 25 neighbors trying to share a handful of preferred channels on the 2.4GHz band. Channels 1,6,11 are preferable for the 2.4Ghz band.įor my particular situation, the 5GHz band provides a more reliable connection. If you discover that all of your neighbors are using the 2.4GHz band and your wireless performance is unreliable, first try changing the channel. If greater distance is the primary objective, my preference is the 2.4GHz band. However, noise and interference is not always the issue. 40MHz channel width allows for greater speed and faster transfer rates but it doesn’t perform as well in crowded areas. In crowded areas with a lot of frequency noise and interference, a single 20MHz channel will be more stable. But not if those channels are crowded with noise and interference. Obviously, two channels are better than one, right? In theory, yes. A 40 MHz channel width bonds two 20 MHz channels together, forming a 40 MHz channel width therefore, it allows for greater speed and faster transfer rates. A 20MHz channel width is wide enough to span one channel. By default, the 2.4 GHz frequency uses a 20 MHz channel width. ![]() On the other hand, the more cars (routers) you have on the road, the more congested the traffic becomes.īy increasing the channel width, we can increase the speed and throughput of a wireless broadcast. The wider the road, the more traffic (data) can pass through. It could also be multiple obstacles, inadequate antenna gain, or a little of everything.Ĭhannel width basically controls how broad the signal is for transferring data. It could be that there are too many devices using the same frequency. Remember this when troubleshooting because it may not be just one thing causing problems. Obstructions are physical obstacles like walls and trees or large metal objects such as a refrigerator. Interference often comes from noise created by other wireless routers, cordless phones, baby monitors, etc. Interference and obstructions greatly affect the range and quality of a wireless signal. However, keep in mind that because there are more 2.4GHz wireless networks, the frequency channels can become crowded in some areas. It just doesn’t handle obstructions and channel noise quite as well. However, 5GHz offers much faster throughput for maximum performance. 5GHz is a regulated frequency which costs manufacturers more to produce. The downside to this “unregulated” band is that manufacturers use it for everything: cordless phones, baby monitors, microwaves, garage door openers, etc. As a result, vendors can manufacture 2.4GHz devices less expensively than regulated spectrum like the 5GHz band. ![]() There are basically two frequency bands used for Wi-Fi technology, 2.4GHz and 5GHz. In fact, each frequency band has its own advantages and disadvantages. This is why you’ll often see “IEEE 801.11a/b/g/n” on retail boxes for wireless devices, routers, etc.Ĭontrary to the marketing hype, Wi-Fi spectrum is not based on speed alone. ![]() These Wi-Fi spectra are established by The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, a non-profit organization also known as the IEEE. When I say, “the same language” I’m referring to the same signal frequency and the same wireless spectrum. In order to receive the broadcast and communicate with the transmitter, the client device must have a Network Interface Controller (NIC) capable of speaking the same language. Corresponding TCP/IP packets are sent back to the transmitter where they are routed either inside or outside of the network. That signal is received by a client device. In a Wireless LAN (WLAN) environment, a signal is broadcast from a radio transmitter. Wireless routers have radio transmitters built-in. But if your WiFi is not working properly it is often a symptom of interference that can be fixed with some minor tweaks. It’s also one of those amenities like water and electricity –you just want it to work so you can flip a switch and enjoy the magic! The fact is, there are a number of things that can affect your WiFi performance, such as:Īll of these things contribute to the overall performance of the network.
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