What do you use your 5GHz band for?

[jhansman]

Dual band router users, what are you connecting to your 5GHz band? I'm not finding a lot of devices that will connect to that band, so while the prospect of having separate bands sounds appealing, can someone tell me why I would use it? My hopes were for Roku streaming or with my blu-ray player, but the Roku cannot use it, and my player (Sony BDP-S580) will only use it with Sony's wireless USB dongle, even though the player has built-in wireless. TIA!

 

[fluffmonster]

use it for relatively fast short-range wireless. Otherwise, no need. I just moved my sole 5GHz device a couple rooms away from the wireless AP and that weakened the signal enough that it was no better than the 2.4GHz band. I just turned the 5GHz off for the time being.

 

[jhansman]

use it for relatively fast short-range wireless

This is what I was hoping I could do with my blu-ray or Roku, but alas. What device is it you moved?

 

[Fardringle]

I use it for any mobile devices that support it in the office (iPad, iPhone, some laptops) since there's absolutely zero interference. The 2.4ghz devices just get wired whenever possible since there are sometimes as many as 40 different 2.4ghz signals in the area and it's just not stable or fast enough to do anything more than basic web browsing

 

[spidey07]

I use it for super fast wireless, that's what I use it for. 2.4 Ghz is quickly becoming useless.

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

My router is dual-band and the SSID is the same, so I'm assuming whenever my computer gets close enough, it switches to the 5GHz band and I get faster wireless when I'm close. But I don't know what close really means.

 

[HeXen]

2.4 Ghz is quickly becoming useless.

sounds odd to me as i've considered 5ghz to be 100% useless. maybe if more products could use it but i have not one nor ever even seen one that actually could make use of it. obviously there are some but personally i have not seen

 

[spidey07]

sounds odd to me as i've considered 5ghz to be 100% useless. maybe if more products could use it but i have not one nor ever even seen one that actually could make use of it. obviously there are some but personally i have not seen

It really depends on the environment. The 2.4 spectrum is crowded with utter crap. If it works in your environment, then great. But it's pretty much done in a business place.

 

[jhansman]

Well, this is at home, where 2.4GHz on my aging WRT54G has done well for me so far. I'll hook the new one up and see how the wireless connections fare. If there's no appreciable increase, back it goes.

 

[postaled]

My router is dual-band and the SSID is the same, so I'm assuming whenever my computer gets close enough, it switches to the 5GHz band and I get faster wireless when I'm close. But I don't know what close really means.

Might want to be careful with that, I know at least some products used to have issues with 2.4/5 having the same ssid

I know the Ipad was big on switching which it connected to an ssid on both 2.4/5, caused a bunch of issues at work.

 

[smitbret]

I use 2.4Ghz for general everything around the house since range and and compatibility are far better. I use the 5Ghz only for streaming media from my Media Server to the PS3 upstairs.

 

[jhansman]

I know the Ipad was big on switching which it connected to an ssid on both 2.4/5, caused a bunch of issues at work.

Then I'll be sure never to buy one of those.

My main goal in getting a dual band router was for streaming, but that is looking more and more like a non-starter. The more I think about it, the more likely I am to just hang onto the router as a backup. Perhaps one day the 5GHz band will become the streaming standard. Thanks to all who chimed in.

 

[arch113]

I have a office that has my servers. firewall, etc. I have a 5ghz AP connected to a 8 port gige switch (which the firewall and servers connect too). I have a linksys 5ghz bridge device in the master bedroom, connected to a 8 port gige switch so I don't have to run a cat5/6 cable, a 2.4ghz AP also connects to the bedroom switch for everything else wireless.

 

[Emulex]

nothing i've found 2.4 just as fast - if not faster. you can do 450 over 2.4 300 is faster on my buffalo than (e4200,airport extreme) both @ 2.4 and 5ghz (20 feet range).

had to chuck those expensive options and stick to the buffalo