New Dual Band Router

[dandynick5]

So Merry Christmas to everyone! Hope it was a good one. This year my parents bought me a new Netgear Wireless N Dual Band Router (N600). Not that they would have a clue what that was, except the old man might think it was for woodworking. Sometimes cash is the perfect gift. Anyway, as it's my first time using a dual band, when I hooked up my iPad, it detected both a Netgear30 and a Netgear30-5G. For my wi-fi equipment or say my iPad which I use all over the property, which should I be using?
I've noted that while connected to the regular Netgear30, my range isn't any better than with my old D-Link G. If anyone feels like educating an old fart like me, have at er! Thanks for all your help. Dan

[Bsuds]

Dual band means you have one working at 2.4ghz and the other at 5ghz. So you actually have 2 networks. Pick the one with the best signal. Other than that I'm not sure.

[rekabis]

Dual band means you have one working at 2.4ghz and the other at 5ghz. So you actually have 2 networks. Pick the one with the best signal. Other than that I'm not sure.

That also helps with interference, because many household items (like microwaves) produce scads of interference in the 2.4Ghz band. Therefore, if you set up your wireless network correctly, you can have the 2.4Ghz band handling any of your older devices (Wireless-G, etc.) and the 5Ghz band sitting pretty for your high-speed Wireless-N devices (and only the Wireless-N devices). The older, slower devices get the network most prone to interference, and they don’t slow down the Wireless-N network because the 5Ghz band is set up as Wireless-N-only.

[dandynick5]

So when the kidlets aren't home, I have1 wifi printer, 1 laptop, 1 desktop (hardwired in) 1 iPad and 1 LG DVD player. The router is located on the computer desk with a cordless phone, the printer,and other computer paraphernalia. So the wifi equipment should be on the 5Ghz?

[Bsuds]

No you have too much stuff. For the best results send me the iPad, Printer, and DVD player.
Then you should have no issues.

[dandynick5]

I'll get right on that! You can expect a parcel in the mail soon! Merry Christmas!

[Bsuds]

And a Happy New Year to you.

I'll PM you my shipping address.

[DANSPEED]

I've noted that while connected to the regular Netgear30, my range isn't any better than with my old D-Link G.

I had the same experience upgrading from a Telus wifi G to a D-Link 655 N. The distance was worse but the speed increased. I had to move the D-Link to a central location. Also I couldn't connected at 300N until I enabled WMM. Anyways I got too many dropped packets and errors streaming live TV so now I use 130N. Maybe that's why it's called draft N!

Wifi speed, distance and signal strength issues are sometimes complex to troubleshoot. A free app like inSSIDer can help to see what your connected at and who else in your neighborhood might be on the same channel. Try setting your transmit power to highest. My Telus router used a directional antenna which might explain the greater distance.

[rekabis]

So when the kidlets aren't home, I have1 wifi printer, 1 laptop, 1 desktop (hardwired in) 1 iPad and 1 LG DVD player. The router is located on the computer desk with a cordless phone, the printer,and other computer paraphernalia. So the wifi equipment should be on the 5Ghz?

When you set up wireless on the router, you will have two separate pages (usually) for the 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz bands. Put Wireless G (and A/B if you still need it for some reason) on the 2.4Ghz band, and put Wireless N on the 5Ghz band. Then when you connect with each device, if they seen the 5Ghz network then connect them preferentially to that network (and especially if they see both networks). In other words, if a device can see the Wireless-N on the 5Ghz band, connect it to that network only -- do NOT connect it to the slower network!

I would go so far as to call each network by their respective wireless names. For example, on my home network I have [ssd]-w.N as my 5Ghz band running ONLY Wireless-N and [ssd]-w.G as my 2.4Ghz band running ONLY Wireless-G. If the device can only see the [ssd]-w.G then I know it is an older device. If it can see the [ssd]-w.N then I know it is a newer device.

The key thing about having Wireless N only on the 5Ghz band is that if W-N has to share a band with Wireless G, the Wireless-G slows down the Wireless-N whenever it is being used. And by quite a big amount, too. So if you put all of the slower protocols (Wireless A/B/G) on the slower 2.4Ghz band, and all of the faster protocols (Wireless N) on the faster band, you maximize the performance of the newer devices.

I hope this helps.