2.4g and 5g speeds same

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Zaughtilo

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May 7, 2016
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Got a new modem from TWC/Spectrum because the old one was junk and disconnected every hour. Hooked new one up, and in available connections there are 2.4g and 5g connections available. Did a little searching, 5g has more bandwidth but lower range. Interesting. I bring my laptop right in front of the router cause I wanted to test this. Connected to 2.4g, ran speedtest.net, got whatever, connected to 5g, got same exact speeds. Uhh, what? So then I log onto the modem's browser GUI thing and went to wireless. Two big buttons, one says 2.4G Hz, other 5G Hz. Oh, okay. Connect to 2.4g connection and clicked 2.4g Hz button on the browser, ran speeds, got same as before. K so those must be what 2.4g always will get, let's try changing it to 5G. Connected to 5g connection and changed the chosen option on the browser to 5G Hz. Ran speeds, still got the same speeds as before. And yes I also made sure that the 5G bandwidth limit was maxed at 80Hz (which was default) and that the 2.4G was 20Hz by default. So they literally say they have different bandwidth limits, but they get same speeds. All tests were done with laptop 2 inches in front of the router.
The router is a 2-1 Router-Modem from Ubee, provided by TWC/Spectrum and I'm in Maine.

What am I doing wrong in changing it to 5G?

EDIT: The 2.4G wireless channel is 6 by default. Available channels for that is 1-11. For 5G though, by default it is on 149/80 and has a bunch of options like that with different numbers/80.
 
Solution
USAFRet


Paying for "Up to 30Mbps"
Getting 23.5Mbps via WiFi

That is completely within the bounds of expectation for a WiFi connection!
WiFi will almost never actually meet the advertised speed you are contracted with the ISP for.

I have 75/75 Mbps from Verizon Fios.
On a wired connection, I generally get 83/84.
Via WiFi, in the same room line of sight direct to the router 8 feet away....maybe...
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USAFRet

USAFRet

Titan
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Mar 16, 2013
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2.4 vs 5 does not increase the bandwidth coming from your ISP.
Nor does it necessarily increase the bandwidth from your PC to the router.

It is merely a different frequency. Which may or may not prevent issues with an otherwise overcrowded freq band.

What you've not told us is any actual numbers.

What speed are you supposed to be getting from the ISP?
What speed do you actually get via WiFi?
Where are you testing this?
 
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Z

Zaughtilo

Commendable
May 7, 2016
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I'm on a TWC plan that no longer can be bought, but people who had it before the TWC-Spectrum merger kept it and it's prices. We're paying for 30 Mbps wireless internet. I'm getting 23.5 Mbps max on all settings and connections. I know 6.5 Mbps probably won't change much but still, I would like to know why I'm not getting all 30 Mbps.
 
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USAFRet

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
Mar 16, 2013
171,467
17,922
184,590


Paying for "Up to 30Mbps"
Getting 23.5Mbps via WiFi

That is completely within the bounds of expectation for a WiFi connection!
WiFi will almost never actually meet the advertised speed you are contracted with the ISP for.

I have 75/75 Mbps from Verizon Fios.
On a wired connection, I generally get 83/84.
Via WiFi, in the same room line of sight direct to the router 8 feet away....maybe 65Mbps.


When you say "We're paying for 30 Mbps wireless internet."
This is actually a coax cable connection, and the router is providing the WiFi?
 
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Solution
Z

Zaughtilo

Commendable
May 7, 2016
75
0
1,630
Yeah it's a coax cable and router providing wifi. I just didn't know that you don't usually get the advertised speed. The speeds have been like this for over a year, but 23.5 has been enough and we didn't have any issues. It's just that when we got this new replacement modem and the 5G was the same, I was curious as to why. Now I know they're the same because between 2.4G and 5G because it just can't get any closer to 30Mbps, as that's just how it is with wireless. That's all I wanted to know. Just for curiosity's sake, though, I'm going to see what the speeds are when wired. But that's not what the threads about so I won't go on about that. Thanks for answering my question.
 
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getochkn

getochkn

Polypheme
Jul 2, 2006
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In a perfect sealed environment with no interference, WIFI can close to it's full output. But other radio waves, cosmic rays, other WIFI in the area, people in the way, walls that don't reflect well, everything takes a bit away.

This is addition to network overhead, distance from the speed test, more people in your neighbourhood using internet.
 
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