Dual band question

[jhansman]

Did a search, but couldn't find an answer to my questions, so...

I'm thinking of replacing my aging WRT54G V2 with a simultaneous dual band router, but can someone tell me how you determine what device uses which band? Is this a function of the router or the device accessing the network? I'm streaming Amazon and Netflix now and would like to devote a band (5 GHz?) to my wireless blu-ray player and keep all the web browsing on the other band. Please enlighten me on this. Many thanks.

 

[JackMDS]

First make sure that the Wireless adapter (client) have dual Radio and can do 5GHz.

Then you can configure some to do only 5GHz and others to do N.

Of course you need a good Internet bandwidth to begin with.

 

[jhansman]

So, if I understand correctly, the client (in this case, the blu-ray player) has to be able to be configured to stream at 5 GHz, and if it cannot be setup to do so, it defaults to 2.4GHz?

EDIT: Just did some digging on my blu-ray player and discovered that, despite the fact that it has built-in wireless, you have to buy a wireless adapter to get it to use the 5GHz connection. Sigh....

 

[RadiclDreamer]

So, if I understand correctly, the client (in this case, the blu-ray player) has to be able to be configured to stream at 5 GHz, and if it cannot be setup to do so, it defaults to 2.4GHz?

EDIT: Just did some digging on my blu-ray player and discovered that, despite the fact that it has built-in wireless, you have to buy a wireless adapter to get it to use the 5GHz connection. Sigh....

Most devices will default to whichever band they get the best association speed with. That being said, some wireless devices will allow a separate SSID per band, or you can hard set the client to pick one band over the other.

 

[JackMDS]

Having dual radio Wireless client as is is on consumers hardware is very uncommon in this time.

A Dual Band Wireless card goes for about $40 - $60 as oppose to $10 - $20 for comparable regular Wireless adapter.

 

[boomhower]

Most devices will default to whichever band they get the best association speed with. That being said, some wireless devices will allow a separate SSID per band, or you can hard set the client to pick one band over the other.

Correct answer. If your device only supports one band, that's the only network you'll see. If it supports both it'll see both and the one you connect will determine which band you'll be on.

 

[smitbret]

You'd probably be better off keeping the whole thing simple. At it's most basic, a simultaneous dual band router gives you 2 wireless networks, one at 2.4Ghz and another at 5Ghz. 90% of all the wireless devices out there work on 2.4Ghz and I'm sure your BR player is no different.

You could always get a 5Ghz wireless bridge and then run a short cat5e to the BR player. That's what I do, but that's mostly because the PS3's built-in wireless is only 'G' not 'N' and there's no good way to stream a BR rip on a 'G' network. Streaming Amazon and Netflix would work, though.

Keep in mind a couple of things:

#1 - The range of 5Ghz is really, really, really low if you don't have unobstructed LOS from the router to the client. My router is downstairs, but mounted on the ceiling. My wireless bridge is upstairs, no more than 10 feet away in a straight line throught he floor. If I don't have my antennas or the bridge in just the right spot, my signal strength drops from low 80's to high 20's and takes the bandwidth with it.

#2 - Most internet related stuff will come nowhere close to maxing out an 'N' connection. Netflix's highest quality level is 6mbps. A modest 'N' connection will get you 40-45mbps, leaving about 40mbps for anything else on the network.

Unless you are streaming raw BR rips or have lots of internal network activity, I would think that a good single-band 2.4Ghz router would be more than adequate.

 

[jhansman]

I'm just about at the point of running Cat5 from my present router to the player (a distance of a whole 25 ft.), and being done with all this. While the player streams just fine now, sooner or later it's going to be competing for wireless bandwidth with three users in this house who may/will be using it for other tasks as well. Time to bite the bullet and get under the house. Black widows, here I come!

 

[smitbret]

I'm just about at the point of running Cat5 from my present router to the player (a distance of a whole 25 ft.), and being done with all this. While the player streams just fine now, sooner or later it's going to be competing for wireless bandwidth with three users in this house who may/will be using it for other tasks as well. Time to bite the bullet and get under the house. Black widows, here I come!

Smartest decision you could possibly make.