Wi-Fi 20 MHz Vs 40 MHz – Which frequency channel provides higher speeds?

If you’ve been wondering what router bandwidth is, the 20 MHz and 40 MHz are the two main router bandwidths. In this article, we are going to look at what both numbers mean and see how you can setu your router in regard to the frequency.

With the growth of home internet, routers are becoming more and popular in modern and urban homes. There are many routers today, all with different capabilities in terms of speed and performance. When studying how routers work, you may have stumbles upon the tow router bandwidths. They are: 20 MHz and 40 MHz.But first, to understand them better, we need to look at the two broadcasting radio channels that all routers have: the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. Not only are these details important, but they also help you choose the better router depending on your situation or what you want.The two bands 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands are used by the router for the signal. The main difference between the two is the speed. In ideal conditions or on paper, the 2.4 GHz supports a speed of up to 450 Mbps while the 5 GHz supports speeds of 600 Mbps max. However, the value for the 5 GHz band varies depending on the class and model of the router. The speed may go up to 1300 Mbps on the latter channel band.

What is the difference between the 20 MHz and 40 MHz bands?

Frequency band	20 MHz	40 MHz
Frequency to use	2.4 GHz	5 GHz
Channels to use	1, 6, 11	3, 11
Router Configuration	802.11n/ac	802.11a/b/g/n
Channel width	Narrow	Wide
Channel settings	Auto	Auto

Difference between 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz

 

To understand routers better and all the features listed on router boxes, it is important to know what the radio bands are. 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. Today, we are lucky enough to have routers that provide both channels from the same device. And this is because of dual band and triband capabilities that routers have. The following section shows what dual and triband routers mean in relation to the 2.4 GHz band

Dual Band

A dual band router offers both the 2.4 GHz band and 5 GHz band where you can only use one at a time. Since some routers do not allow you to switch between these bands, you need a switch to be able to do this

Simultaneous Dual Band

With the growth of technology came simultaneous dual band routers. Here, the routers broadcast on both the two channel bands at the same time. By doing this, the router gives you two Wi-Fi networks to choose from. To know whether you have a simultaneous dual band routers, you will see that there are two networks in your house where one is the regular band with your router name and the other features the brand name of the router. You can choose either the same password for both or different ones. But the advantage of having two operating bands at the same time makes them a much more valuable buy

Triband

A triband router refers to three broadcasts from the same router. This means there is one 2.4 GHz band and two 5 GHz band broadcast. Most routers with a triband system are high performance gaming routers. And this is because the two broadcast eliminate network congestion. Because of this, triband routers are able to provide very high speeds over long distances making them the perfect choice for gaming and 4K video live streaming.

Factors to consider when selecting a router’s radio frequency

Deciding whether to use the 2.4 or 5 GHz is difficult for most people. However, with the following factors we guarantee it will be easier to choose between them

Range of the signal

There is no doubt we want a router that will cover every inch of the house. Since the radio bands are responsible for this, it is important to look at what type of router frequency stated. Say you have a medium size house with a backyard, a router that broadcasts 2.4 GHz would be a better choice for you since the frequency has longer waves. Also, if there are many obstructions along the way, a 2.4 GHz broadcast would fit you better.

Interference

One of the main factors to consider is the interference or traffic in your house. If there are many devices such as cell phones, baby monitors, speakers and more, there is a high chance there is a lot of interference in that house. For this, you need a 5 GHz router since it has less interference. This is because the other broadcast channel is used by almost all devices.

Data throughput speeds

There’s nothing worse than slow internet. Usually the slow broadcast is the 2.4 GHz channel. This is because there are many devices and household electronics that operate on this channel.

Should I use the 20 MHz or 40 MHz?

The 20 MHz frequency goes hand in hand with the 2.4 GHz broadcast. What this means is that if you are using the 2.4 GHz band, use the 20 MHz channel width. This is because the 20 MHz 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. A

Conclusion

The router you choose is always recommended to have simultaneous dual bands or a triband system. With these, you get great performance and long range that covers your whole house. These routers also operate on the 40 MHz band for seamless connections.