Is 5GHz better that 2.4GHz?

We just got a new router due to our old one broke and here is the router we got

NETGEAR - RangeMax Dual-Band Wireless-N Router with 4-Port Ethernet Switch - WNDR3300-1BYNAS

When I set it up it made me make 2 networks one for the 2.4GHz and one for 5Ghz. I can get my laptop to connect to the 5Ghz and I have a computer down stairs connected to the 2.4GHz. I have a xbox 360 that I play on live and stream netflix on it. I have it connected to the 2.4Ghz cause it will not pick up the 5GHz signal. Its a xbox 360 slim. Is there a big difference from 2.4Gz to 5GHz? If there is why is my xbox 360 not picking up the 5GHz signal when I scan for networks? Thanks!!!! If its connected to te 2.4GHz its N signal right not a G signal?

 

Usually it is, yes. It's less used than the overcrowded 2.4GHz band, and has longer transmit distance. 5GHz is a whole separate spectral frequency band than 2.4GHz, so if you're X360 adapter isn't compatible with 5GHz you can't use that band.

 

5GHz a lot less crowded than 2.4GHz , but the transmit range is shorter.

 

Heh, I'm sitting on 2.4GHz atm because 5GHz has gotten too crowded with wireless signals. 2.4GHz is near free and clear because of some upgrade-happy neighbors.

 

Lucky me that my neighbors aint that tech savvy and still uses 2.4 GHz G. ;D

And if your wireless router runs the 2.4 GHz band in B/G/N compatability, it will allways broadcast at the same standard as the lowest compatability card, meaning if 3 notebooks use N and the last one has only B, everyone gets B.

 

upgrading your router/ap does not mean that you've also upgraded your individual machine network cards.........

 

You should see a decent change switching over to a 5 GHz network however 5 Ghz won't travel as far as the 2.4 Ghz.. So distance is major factor.

 

Actually that part is not entirely true. When you have N and G devices you are going to see them both slow down when both are active but by that I mean slow down from their respective speeds. ( proof) If it was like you said there would be no point in creating "mixed mode" as it would be the same as setting "g only" or "b only" and forcing N device to work in this mode.
Mixed more does also work for 802.11b and 802.11n but I don't really know how- 802.11n requires WPA2 whereas 802.11b works only with WEP- so if you elect to use WEP your 802.11n device won't get above 54mbps but if you choose to use WPA2 your 802.11b device won't work at all.
Anyway mixed mode was meant to be used for 802.11g and 802.11n devices working on one network- nobody really cares for those who live in the past

 

^Exactly. As long as everyone is using the 2.4GHz band, the router will serve up N and G. If it's dual band, it can usually handle N@5GHz and N/G/[email protected]. It just really depends on the quality of the chipset within your router. Some can handle it, some can't. And completely correct about the security protocols limiting speed.


Oh, and to everyone that's saying 5GHz has a shorter x-mit distance, you're partially right. Devices that are dual band capable, or capable of 5GHz N transmission utilize spectral frequency shifting, MIMO, and at least a 2x2 antenna design with most being a 3x3. Technically 5GHz has a shorter x-mit distance, but with those enhancements to the standard, it ends up extending the range quite a bit, because it's able to adapt to the environment and other radio interference.

 

i think if you use it at you home ,they are no big difference.

 

A Sony PSP is 802.11b and works with WPA1 encryption. I have to run my network with WPA/WPA2 TKIP+AES for full compatibility across all my wireless devices. My PSP at 802.11b plays nice with my 802.11g AIO printer and 802.11n MSI laptop. The only device that caused problems was the second notebook in my signature, which would frequently disconnect. Setting it to 802.11g rather than 802.11n works fine. Since it's pretty much only used for web surfing and word processing, it's no big deal.

Somewhat off-topic side note - I still find it hard to believe that after so many hardware revisions that the PSP is still only 802.11b. You'd think that once Sony went to the slim (PSP-2000/3000) and PSPGo that they'd at least make them 802.11g.

 

That kinda solves the mystery because normally 802.11b doesn’t support WPA. The reason is WPA has been introduced in 2003 along with introduction of 802.11g. Sony PSP has been available since the end of 2004 or beginning of 2005 (depending on a region) but still retained 802.11b standard yet amended by WPA. It either that or I've seriously messed up dates

 

dont forget that the hardware might need to support WPA or AES

my old dell axim x51v's internal wifi does not support AES at all, so stuck at WPA+TKIP