Need some help

[G+_Charles Griffin]

Need some help. I don't normally use WiFi at home except for my phone and I have a switch in my living room for devices there, but I have a new device I would like to optimize the WiFi connection for. I was thinking maybe finally buying an AC router, but I did some research and I see AC protocol only affects 5.0 GHz connections. In my house 5.0 is very weak, but my 2.4 works pretty well, but I want to tweak it. What I was wondering is if AC 5.0 GHz penetrates walls any better than N 5.0 GHz.

 

Thanks for any help. I was trying to think who I could ask and remembered I hadn't logged in Google+ in a while.

[G+_Scott Snodgrass]

5.0GHz doesn't penetrate walls as well as 2.4GHz. If you want to take advantage of 5.0GHz I'd advise moving your router to a central location, or setting up access points in your house. Ubiquity has a good package for long range access points.

[G+_Charles Griffin]

What I'm wondering is if 5.0 GHz WiFi in an AC router penetrates walls any better than a N router's 5.0 GHz. I'm aware that 2.4 is better for wall penetration, but I'm trying to decide if there is any real benefit for getting an AC router if I plan use the 5.0 GHz WiFi. Otherwise, my 2.4 GHz WiFi will be good enough for now while using my N router.

[G+_David Wiggins]

N and AC affect how efficient the data is transferred. The band affects penetration and how big the pipe is.

 

5 GHz allows for more/faster, but as Scott Snodgrass? said, can't penetrate walls. It also has more channels available, reducing congestion.

 

2.4 GHz is the opposite, not as fast, more congested (baby monitors et al) but can get through walls better (this also adds to the congestion from neighbors and such). Also, older devices can't use 5 GHz.

 

Essentially, higher frequencies are more susceptible to being reflected off obstacles than passing through them.

 

electronics.stackexchange.com - Why do higher frequency waves have better penetration?