At the beginning of the wireless era, all wireless networks operated on the 2.4 GHz frequency. Only a few years ago, dual-band routers were introduced, and soon after, tri-band routers were introduced, allowing the use of the 5 GHz frequency, which is the new and much-improved standard.
We always recommend using a wireless network card or USB network adapter with 5 GHz if possible.
- The 2.4 GHz frequency provides longer range and is compatible with older equipment.
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The 5 GHz frequency offers higher speeds and greater stability but has a shorter range than 2.4 GHz.
The 5 GHz band is less crowded than the 2.4 GHz band, meaning a 5 GHz connection is more stable and less susceptible to interference from other devices. The 2.4 GHz frequency is used by several devices in your home, such as microwaves, baby monitors, and some wireless headsets, keyboards, and mice.
Unfortunately, this leads to unwanted competition among your devices, resulting in poorer performance. Think of your wireless bands like a highway – the more devices trying to use the highway, the more traffic there is, affecting the end result negatively by up to 80%.
That being said, 5 GHz also has its limitations, as much equipment is still sold that only works with the 2.4 GHz frequency. This means you may not always be able to connect the equipment to your modern network.
We recommend using 5 GHz for data-intensive activities such as streaming HD video or gaming, as it is more stable and significantly faster.
We have now established that 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi is slower and less stable than 5 GHz. However, 2.4 GHz offers superior range when it comes to wireless transmissions.
Additionally, you should remember that your home or office is filled with potential interferences such as walls, floors, ceilings, and closed doors – all of which can block or affect your wireless network. A good way to extend your network is to use a Mesh router with a Mesh extender if you want to avoid this.