help on dualband wireless tech

WINTERLORD

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Sep 20, 2008
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does dual band wireless tech have greater range then single band? or do I need to get a 300+150 450x2 N900 for better range? im just out of range close though on a 2.4ghz band so am wondering if dual band would extend my range or do I need a 450+450 N+
 
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Unfortunately there is no simple solution and it generally a cheap router has the same range as expensive one....there are some exceptions with unknown brand junk exported directly from china.

Your other problem is that wireless antenna are designed to concentrate the power horizontally and you want to go vertical. On top of this floors/ceilings are much more dense than walls and block wireless signal much more.

In many cases you have to use a non wireless solution to solve this like powerline networks or maybe MoCA if you have coax. Many people end up having to run ethernet.

The only way you can increase the wireless signal is with directional antenna. There are lots on the market but since you have looked at engenious I will...

shure

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No. Dual band just means you have two options to transmit and receive a signal. But receivers will only ever use one band to connect with. Think of it like a choice of using two roads to reach a destination.

If we're talking wireless n, there are advantages to both bands. The 5Ghz band is faster and is a less crowded spectrum, given that it's relatively newer, so you will be less likely to suffer interference from your neighbours on the same channel. It also uses a broader spectrum, so is better for e.g. streaming HD movies. However, the 2.4Ghz band has greater range and is less susceptible to interference from e.g. walls obstructing the signal, so can offer greater stability in larger properties or ones with many walls.

Wireless ac only uses the 5Ghz band. It is backwards compatible so will connect to older, n equipment through the 2.4Ghz band where necessary.

If you are in the market for a new router dual band is a sensible choice. Most decent routers support it these days and it gives you much greater opportunity for a good connection.
 

bobsilver

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The 5ghz band is where all the newer development is taking pace today. When you look at all the advances like AC technology and intelligent capabilities like NETGEAR Smart Connect its happening in the 5ghz band. That said there is a drwaback to 5Ghz and that is range. Lower frequencies travel farther. So the way around this limitation is enhanced radio technologies, antenna design and placement and technologies like Implicit and Explicit Beamforming with can focus signals toward maximize client performance.

These 5ghz enhancements are only seen on the top line routers like NETGEAR's Nighthawk series which include the R7000 and the R8000. In both cases you will see 5ghz range that comes very close to the 2.4ghz range and have significantly enhanced performance then what you see from 2.4ghz devices.

In my home I have relegated 2.4ghz to slow devices like security cameras and use 5ghz exclusively for all media and mobile device usage.

Check out my review of the NETGEAR Nighthawk R7000 here http://www.avsforum.com/forum/39-networking-media-servers-content-streaming/1493322-netgear-r7000-nighthawk-ac1900-router-review-comments-thread.html

and the R8000 here http://www.avsforum.com/forum/39-networking-media-servers-content-streaming/1579850-netgear-nighthawk-r8000-triband-ac-router-review-comments-thread.html#post25637305

Bob Silver
NETGEAR AV Consultant
 
All those number with 300+300 or 450+1300 etc etc are mostly marketing to confuse people into thinking they mean something.

Range of a router is purely a function of the transmission power allowed and the signal frequencies. This has not changed in many years. The government regulations are still the same. What has changed is how much data they can cram into the signal at a certain level. So say you get 20% signal strength and could get 2m/sec though with 802.11g. With 802.11n using all the Mimo and wide channels and such you might get say 10m. But if at 1% signal level you get 0m/sec you would still get 0m/sec using 802.11n. All those number they are putting out are related to how the data is encoded into the signal not the signal itself.

The reason some people say it goes father is a perception thing. Say I want 10m/sec and 802.11g only does 2m at 100ft but 802.11n foes 10m at 100ft. They would claim the 802.11n goes farther but what they should say is the distance I can run 10m is farther. Problem is when you hit the limit of the signal both will quickly go to 0ms at the same point.

Now 802.11ac has a new feature that can focus the signal power into beams using a antenna feature called beam forming. This is a electronic version of changing the antenna on the router. It likely does go a little farther but since 802.11ac only runs on 5g and 5g is blocked by walls much easier it is hard to say how useful this is in a home environment. Outdoors with no obstructions or in huge rooms it would likely be quite beneficial.
 

WINTERLORD

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hmm ok, well I bought a http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833168128 it was on sale for 39.99 shellshocker. but I may return it.

I was wondering for 40bucks there abouts what device would have a better range? as for im not planning on doing a whole lot downloading or anything for the upstriarsw computer where the range is most important because it drops out a lot playing video games but its off a single band 2.4ghz router.

so can anyone recommend one for under 45bucks
 
Unfortunately there is no simple solution and it generally a cheap router has the same range as expensive one....there are some exceptions with unknown brand junk exported directly from china.

Your other problem is that wireless antenna are designed to concentrate the power horizontally and you want to go vertical. On top of this floors/ceilings are much more dense than walls and block wireless signal much more.

In many cases you have to use a non wireless solution to solve this like powerline networks or maybe MoCA if you have coax. Many people end up having to run ethernet.

The only way you can increase the wireless signal is with directional antenna. There are lots on the market but since you have looked at engenious I will mention something like enh200. You would connect this to your current router and point it upward. There is no way to predict if this will work. It should "in theory" increase the signal but ceil/floor do a great job of absorbing signals. Outdoors where you normally use direction equipment it is much easier to calculate how much signal you will get.

I would look at powerline networks with a AP connected to give wireless on the second floor.
 
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