Router: 2.4GHz or 5GHz?

Many of the current routers can operate at both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. We will tell you when which standard is worthwhile.

Router: 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz?

There are some differences between routers with 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz:

• Range: Even if 5 GHz promise a lot, the range is smaller compared to 2.4 GHz. If the WLAN arrives everywhere in your own four walls, you can dare to switch. Alternatively, you can solve this problem with a repeater.
• Support: For both router and receiver to receive a signal over the 5 GHz frequency, they must support the 802.11n or 802.11ac standard. If one of your somewhat older computers does not support this standard, the 5 GHz network is already out of the question.
• Interference: 5 GHz networks are not as susceptible to interference. Especially in private use, you can quickly find numerous other WLANs in the vicinity, most of which work with 2.4 GHz. The 5 GHz frequency is mostly used much less frequently.
• Conclusion: If your WLAN is unstable, too slow or if your neighbors are sparking in between, you should switch to 5 GHz.

Router: How to switch to the 5GHz band

Usually, the router decides whether your smartphone, tablet or PC connects to the router via the 2.4 or 5 GHz frequency. If you want to choose between the larger range of the 2.4 GHz frequency and the faster transmission of the 5 GHz frequency, this is quite possible in modern routers. The following instructions refer to a current FritzBox.

1. Open the user interface of the FritzBox and activate the extended view if necessary.
2. Change to the category "radio network" in the menu on the left, you will find the WLAN names for the 2.4 and 5 GHz WLAN in the middle.
3. Simply assign a new name for the 5 GHz WLAN. Just add the suffix "5 GHz" to the old name.
4. If you click the "Apply" button below, both networks will be visible separately.
5. For example, if a laptop is very close to the router, the faster 5 GHz frequency is worthwhile. If you use the laptop at a great distance from the router, the 2.4 GHz frequency is more suitable.

Advantages and disadvantages of 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz

Although the standard with 2.4 GHz is significantly older, it has several advantages over the new 5 GHz standard.

• Above all, the penetration of walls is mastered a bit better by a router with 2.4 GHz. In theory, the range in the 2.4 GHz network is also higher, but in practice it usually looks different due to the numerous interference factors. If you are still using many older devices, the use of 2.4 GHz is also indispensable, since these often do not support 5 GHz.
• Due to the small number of only 13 channels, in theory there are only 3 overlap-free channels in the 2.4 GHz network. A huge disadvantage compared to the 5 GHz network, which enables up to 19 overlap-free channels and thus a significantly interference-free network. In addition, other devices, such as Bluetooth devices with 2.4 GHz, also radio and interfere with the network.