Wi-Fi signals will usually reach about 150 feet or over 45 meters for a 2.4Ghz frequency. Using a 5Ghz frequency, you will get about 50 feet or about 15 meters of reach.
5GHz WiFi can pass through walls. That being said, 5GHz networks are more susceptible to interference from physical objects and may not be the best solution in a large home or office with many walls, floors, and other obstacles.
5Ghz WiFi Range
The 5 GHz frequency has a shorter effective range. It's best for locations with no physical obstructions and that span around one-third of the distances mentioned above.
The difference between 2.4GHz and 5GHz is that a 2.4GHz connection is slower but reaches longer distances, while a 5GHz connection is faster over a shorter range of reach.
Generally, the lower the frequency the farther a wireless signal can travel. Therefore, devices on a 5 GHz network will tend to have a shorter range than those using 2.4 GHz.
Ideally, you should use the 2.4GHz band to connect devices for low bandwidth activities like browsing the Internet. On the other hand, 5GHz is the best suited for high-bandwidth devices or activities like gaming and streaming HDTV.
2.4 GHz has a longer range, meaning it reaches a lot further than 5 GHz Wi-Fi. 1 However, even though you can connect to 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi from your basement, it will have a slower speed. 5 GHz Wi-Fi is faster.
5 GHz networks do not penetrate solid objects such as walls nearly as well as do 2.4 GHz signals. This can limit an access points reach inside buildings like homes and offices where many walls may come between a wireless antenna and the user.
Who Should Use Wi-Fi 5? If you're conscientious about your budget or have an internet plan below 500 Mbps with only a few devices, Wi-Fi 5 is more than sufficient. In fact, most markets and devices are still using Wi-Fi 5 as the standard.
On the 2.4 GHz band, which is usually Wireless-N, always choose Channels 1, 11, or 6. Try to pick the emptiest of the three, using the Wi-Fi Analyzer as your guide. Channels other than 1, 11, or 6 will receive more interference. European users can also use Channels 12 and 13 on the 2.4 GHz band.
The 5 GHz has a shorter range because it has a higher frequency and higher frequencies have a harder time penetrating solid objects such as floors and walls in a building.
In the battle of Ethernet vs. WiFi, an Ethernet connection is the best choice for incredible download speeds. Most modern gaming devices take advantage of a 5GHz wireless connection. Still, you will experience a slower speed than Ethernet, even if it's just a few Mb/s.
Although they look the same, 5G and 5GHz are two different things. 5GHz is a frequency used on dual band routers. 5GHz is best suited for high-bandwidth activities like gaming and streaming in high definition. On the other hand, 5G simply means Fifth Generation, commonly associated with cellular service networks.
The main difference is speed.
Under ideal conditions, 2.4 GHz WiFi will support up to 450 Mbps or 600 Mbps, while 5 GHz Wi-Fi will support up to 1300 Mbps. But be careful! The maximum speed dependent on what wireless standard a router supports — 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n, or 802.11ac.
The 2.4GHz band uses longer transmission waves, which makes it better suited for transmission through walls and other solid objects. Ideally, the 2.4GHz band should be used to connect devices for low bandwidth activities like browsing the Internet.
Not really. The bands don't overlap and 5GHz has shorter range. One reason you might want to do it is if 2.4 is crowded with other people but you have 5GHz to yourself. If you disable 2.4 then the other people may be less likely to upgrade.
As testing by Consumer Reports shows, WiFi range extenders can be useful in certain situations, but you shouldn't necessarily think of them as a slam-dunk fix for your WiFi woes. In some cases, according to our testing, a mesh router system may be a better solution.
Our verdict: Upgrade to Wi-Fi 6 when you can
Upgrade to Wi-Fi 6 if you still use Wi-Fi 5 or older equipment and devices. You get real-world speeds above 1,000Mbps in some cases, better multi-device support, better security, and better battery longevity.
If you're splurging on gigabit internet—even though it's overkill for most people—you'll likely want a Wi-Fi 6 router to go with it. As the networking expert Dong Ngo has noted, Wi-Fi 6 can hit speeds of around 1,000 Mbps in the real world with most devices, while Wi-Fi 5 might get to around half those speeds at best.
WiFi 6 increases the number of streams to a new high of 12 across the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands, whereas WiFi 5 has a limit of 8 in a dual band configuration. This increase of streams provides higher connection speed, and your client devices have more paths to communicate with your WiFi router.