Wireless N adapter question: 2.4GHz vs 5GHz capable

[incognito]

To take full advantage of your dual-band N router, does your N adapter need to be 5 GHz capable?

I need a PCI (not USB) N adapter and I have only been able to find one that is 2.4 GHz & 5 GHz capable: Cisco's WMP600N (which seems to be discontinuing). For example, if you look at the specs for TRENDnet 300Mbps Wireless N PCI Adapter TEW-623PI, the Wireless Frequency Range: 2.4 - 2.4835 GHz only.

Thank you for your help in advance!

 

[stevech]

there are dual band routers that do and do not use both bands simultaneously. You can tell by the price, as a rule.

A client adapter can use either 2.4 GHz (802.11g/n) or 5.8GHz. None I know of can do simultaneous two-band transfers, on the client side. So client 1 can be on 2.4GHz and client 2 on 5.8GHz. Or client 1 can use 5.8GHz for less interference and switch to 2.4GHz depending on signal strength and other factors.

You can use different SSIDs for the two bands. This done, you can tell your client which SSID and thus which band to use.

Some products support 11n in both bands. Some support only 11a in 5.8GHz. Some support 11g/n only in 2.4GHz - and this is most common for clients. 11n in 5.8GHz is typically quite expensive.

 

[incognito]

Just to confirm what you are saying with a hypothetical use case:

Router = Netgear Rangemax WNDR3700 Dual Band Wireless-N
Freq = 2.4 & 5 GHz

Adapter = TRENDnet 300Mbps Wireless N PCI Adapter TEW-623PI
Freq = 2.4 GHz

In this setup, the adapter could only use the router's 2.4 GHz wireless-n (not 5 GHz).

So, I would not be able to take full advantage of the dual-band N router.

 

[mhw]

Yeah... You cannot (to my knowledge) use both bands with one client - you have to choose...

Dual-band is more useful if you have several clients.

 

[thiggins]

Just to confirm what you are saying with a hypothetical use case:

Router = Netgear Rangemax WNDR3700 Dual Band Wireless-N
Freq = 2.4 & 5 GHz

Adapter = TRENDnet 300Mbps Wireless N PCI Adapter TEW-623PI
Freq = 2.4 GHz

In this setup, the adapter could only use the router's 2.4 GHz wireless-n (not 5 GHz).

So, I would not be able to take full advantage of the dual-band N router.

This is correct. There is no client adapter (or bridge) that will allow bonding of the 2.4 and 5 GHz band radios. The ability to switch clients to 5 GHz is primarily to get more reliable operation from less crowded airspace. You will sacrifice range, however, using 5 GHz.

 

[incognito]

This is all really helpful - thank you!

One last question: Why are there so few 5GHz capable adapters (esp. PCI) given the popularity of dual-band wireless-n?

 

[thiggins]

One last question: Why are there so few 5GHz capable adapters (esp. PCI) given the popularity of dual-band wireless-n?

Because PCI is old technology and chipmakers are designing their chipsets with PCIe and USB interfaces.

 

[stevech]

Most desktop PCs use USB WiFi adapters, of late.
Speed demons use 11n WiFi client bridge to etherenet and enter the PC via ethernet, not USB.