Wi-Fi networks are widely used in our day to day. We can connect from mobile devices of all kinds and what is known as the Internet of Things has opened up a wide range of possibilities. When it comes to connecting, most modern devices allow us to use the 5 GHz band and also the 2.4 GHz band. The former is faster, more powerful and allows us to obtain greater performance. However, it is not always the best option, as we will see.
The 5 GHz Wi-Fi band is faster, but not always the best
If we are looking for speed, the 5 GHz band is the best. It is the one that will offer the best performance in our devices. However, it must be borne in mind that it is not always better than 2.4 GHz if we take into account certain aspects that we are going to show. This means that we must choose which equipment to use in 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz to achieve the best speed and stability.
Distance to router
The first negative point when we talk about the 5 GHz band is that it is much more sensitive to distance . It is not the best option when we are going to connect away from the router. We could have stability problems, cuts and even the inability to connect.
Therefore, in this case we would have to choose the 2.4 GHz band. It would allow us to connect from further away without affecting our connection. At least it would serve to avoid annoying cuts.
Obstacles and walls
It is also not the best option when we have obstacles and walls . If we are going to connect to a router that is in another room and there are many walls, the signal could get very weak and that would mean a very reduced connection speed.
We are facing a similar assumption at a distance. Once again, the best option would be the 2.4 GHz band. It would be this alternative that we should use in our equipment.
Old equipments
We also have the big problem of compatibility . It is a factor to take into account. The first thing is that we could have problems connecting older devices, such as a laptop that has an old network card, a mobile phone from a few years ago or any other equipment.
But it should also be noted that if we have a Wi-Fi amplifier or PLC device, not all of them are going to offer the 5 GHz band. Many of them will only allow us to connect through the 2.4 GH band and that will be a major limitation.
Higher battery consumption
Power consumption is one of the most important issues when we connect from mobile devices. It does not always last as long as we would like and there are some influencing factors, such as connecting to wireless networks.
The 5 GHz Wi-Fi band has a higher battery consumption compared to the 2.4 GHz band. Therefore, if we are going to use a laptop or any device and we want to save battery as much as possible and we do not mind doing without speed , It’s not the best option.