What do the terms 5 gigahertz and 2.4 gigahertz (GHz) mean to you?
Just another set of frequencies? Perhaps. These two bandwidths are the staples of your wireless network. Your wireless router is probably sending and receiving on one, if not both of these frequencies so let’s explore the differences between the two.
5GHz – This frequency is the new kid on the block in the world of wireless networking, but just because the number is bigger than its predecessor, does not mean that it is faster or more secure all the time. 5GHz is only faster than 2.4GHz when the device that is sending and receiving from is using the right technology. These details can usually be found in the description of the router online or on its box. Another thing to be aware of with the 5GHz frequency is that it’s generally not going to penetrate through solid objects like walls or ceilings very well so be careful of where you place the router if you are set on using it.
2.4GHz – 2.4GHz is the staple of the wireless networking world. It’s been around much longer than the technology for 5GHz and almost all wireless devices will connect on this bandwidth. One caveat is that since 2.4GHz has been around longer it is easier to run into interference. Other routers, phones, and devices can cause interference because they are all operating on the same bandwidth and saturating it which slows down transmission speeds across the board.
As a final note, just because your router can send and receive at a high speed doesn’t mean that your device or internet connection will be able to match that speed. If your internet or file sharing in your household or office seems slow it after installing a brand new router it may be time to take a look at how quickly your device can send or receive data or how fast your internet connection is.
This post provided by Adam Kobler of Kataku Technology
Contact him at
adamk@katakucomputersupport.com
612-643-1011
