Difference in 2.4 and 5-Ghz Wi-Fi bands?

Many people are not aware that the 5Ghz band is now available for Wi-Fi.  2.4Ghz has been around forever, so almost all wireless devices use it.  As a result, the frequency is very crowded as it is also shared with cordless telephones, garage door openers, baby monitors, microwave ovens and more.  Even if you don’t have some of these, chances are your neighbors do, so you’ll still suffer from interference and dropped signals due to conflicts.

Both the 2.4 and 5-Ghz bands have pro’s and con’s.  2.4 can go longer distances and through walls / objects much easier but is much more crowded so prone to congestion (ie. slow transmission) and dropped signals.  5-Ghz can handle transmission of larger amounts of data due to less congestion but is less able to penetrate walls and objects.

For both 2.4 and 5-Ghz, what channels within those bands you use and share with your neighbors and other devices also affects the quality of your transmission.  You’ll need a professional to help determine channel conflicts and to make the proper adjustments.

For more information on 2.4 and 5-Ghz wireless bands, see this article or contact TheGoToTechGuru for more information and to setup or improve your Wi-Fi reception.