MHz Vs GHz – Which provides better range for routers?

The frequency of a router heavily affects its performance in terms of speed and range. Take a look as we describe what Megahertz and Gigahertz are and highlight the key differences between them.

Hertz, initialized as Hz, is a term in wireless technology that refers to the number of rotations or cycles per second. It is the unit that represents frequency of the radio signals released by a wireless device per second. As technology advances, the frequency of devices continues to go higher and higher. Usually, the higher the frequency, the better performance in terms of range and speed for the router or any other wireless device. A high frequency also means higher processing power. MHz stands for Megahertz while GHz stands for Gigahertz. Mega usually represents one million meaning that one MHz represents one million cycles per seconds. Giga on the other hand denotes one billion meaning that one GHz represents a billion revolutions per second. The following table provides more insight on their differences.

What is the difference between the MHz and GHz bands?

How do MHz and GHz relate to processing power?

One of the most common areas you will find these frequencies are in computers and routers. Both of these devices perform processing functions and are fitted with microprocessor chips. You will find that processors are labelled according to how many instructions they can handle per second. For instance, a laptop may have a 2 GHz processor – this is also its clock speed. Similarly, a router may have a 1 GHz processor. The higher the frequency, the better performance the device will have. To understand this concepts better, we have to understand the meaning of clock speed as used in computers

A processor’s clock speed is the number of cycles it can performper second. It is also referred to as clock rate. The clock speed should be one of the first things you check when looking for computer or router. It heavily affects the performance of the device and this is why you find that high performance gadgets have very high clock speeds. Clock speed is measured in MHz and GHz. However, other factors affect performance such as the number of CPU cores and instructions per clock (IPC). The concept of clock speed in computers is usually confused with bus speed. Bus speed however is the speed at which the PC can communicate with peripherals such as the keyboard.

Does higher clock speed mean better performance?

The short answer is yes. Contrary to many people’s belief, a high clock speed does not mean better performance as there are other factors that affect the performance of a computer. Say you buy a new PC with double the MHz or GHz from your previous computer, this does not mean it will twice as fast. Factors such as internal cache, RAM, storage and number of cores some into play. You may not even notice the improved performance in some cases

MHz and GHz in wireless routers

For a long time, wireless routers have come with two main channel bands for operation: 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. While 5 GHz have been around longer, they are not as popular as 2.4 GHz bands since 5 GHz are expensive to deploy and implement. Because of this, you will find that many networks use the 2.4 GHz as it works well and costs less.5 GHz networks are denoted by 802.11a standards in routers while 2.4 GHz are denoted by 802.11b or g standards. Lately, there has been a significant growth in the new 802.11n standard which supports both networks at the same time. These are what are referred to as dual band routers. It is probably the most used and implemented network standard today with many laptops and routers getting fitted with it.

2.4 GHz vs 5 GHz

2.4 GHz

The 2.4 GHz band is usually slower due to the fact that it is very crowded. Almost all devices from cordless phones, remote controls and baby monitors operate on the 2.4 GHz band. This is because this channel band usually has longer waves compared to the other band. Because of this, you will find that the band provides longer range and can transfer easily through walls and other obstructions. The 2.4 GHz band is therefore used where you need better range due to large spaces or long distances from devices. However, due to the congestion of the channel that we mentioned earlier, the speeds will be much slower on this channel – slower than the expected speeds from the router. We are lucky since routerstoday are able to broadcast both of these bands. Such routers are referred to as dual band and triband routers.

Limitations of using 2.4 GHz

For many decades now, WLANs have been using the 2.4 GHz channel. But over the years, there has been a huge increase in the number of wireless devices in our lives and this has revealed the weaknesses of the 2.4 GHz band.

• There is high interference in very populated areas since lots of devices use this channel
• Reduced internet speeds due to interference with other home devices such as microwaves and baby monitors
• The network is unregulated meaning that high powered antennas and network cards affect the flow of network traffic

5 GHz

5 GHz channels came about to deal with the above issues suffered by 2.4 GHz routers. They provide a clearer, less noisy signal and can be combines for higher speeds (triband routers). This broadcast channel also does not suffer from overcrowding as they can handle more traffic more efficiently. The following are the perks of this channel over 2.4 GHz

• Clear and less noisy signal reducing interference
• There are no overlaps that slow the speed
• Improved speeds since there is less interference and more traffic handling

The following table highlights the difference in speed and range for the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz channels.

What’s the difference between dual band and triband routers?

Dual band

It is difficult to mention routers processing and network standards without getting into what dual band and triband routers are. Almost all routers today are either dual band or triband routers. With a dual band, it broadcasts both a 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz signal providing your household with two Wi-Fi networks. When connecting to a dual band router, you find that there are two Wi-Fi networks detected by your devices. Usually, devices connect to the 2.4 GHz. There are two types of dual band routers

Selectable dual band

Here, the router offers a 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz network signal but only one can be used at a time. You need a switch to be able to change the channel of the router

Simultaneous dual band

This router also broadcasts the two channels. However, you are able to separate each band so that devices use both of them. Here, you will find that your devices detect two Wi-Fi networks from one router. A few routers allow you to change the name and password for both bands so that the devices see only one network. Simultaneous dual band routers are slightly more expensive but are worth the extra cost since the benefits outweigh the price.

Triband Routers

A triband broadcast is found in high performance routers meant for gaming or industrial use. As the name suggests, there are three broadcasts from this router: a 2.4 GHz and two 5 GHz bands. These broadcast design was developed to reduce traffic network congestion for people with a lot of connected devices. Say you have more than one device streaming high resolution 4K, a triband router will be perfect for you as multiple broadcast will alleviate network traffic into one device and distribute the signal equally.

Conclusion

If you are using the 2.4 GHz band, use the 20 MHz channel width because it works well for old devices operating on the 2.4 band. The 40 MHz width band on the other hand is used when broadcasting on the 5.0 GHz radio. In a few cases, you may be required to use the combination of both 20 MHz and 40 MHz channels. This happens when one of the devices require it. Although quite rare, there are devices that need this. If there is no specified channel like in many of the devices we use today, always go for the 40 MHz band.