The difference between 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz WiFi

Your wireless router uses radio frequencies to transmit internet to your WiFi-connected devices like your JellyFish Lighting Controller, smartphones, laptops, tablets and more. The difference between 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz WiFi comes down to speed and range. Let’s take a closer look at the differences.

2.4 GHz vs. 5 GHz pros and cons

2.4 GHz vs. 5 GHz: Which frequency should you choose? Always choose 2.4 GHz when using JellyFish Lighting.

A 2.4 GHz connection travels farther at lower speeds, while 5 GHz frequencies provide faster speeds at shorter range. Your choice of 2.4 GHz because the JellyFIsh Lighting Controller is designed to be installed in areas typically far from the router, you must use 2.4 GHz to connect the JellyFish Lighting Controller to any WiFi network.

A lot of electronic devices and appliances use the 2.4 GHz frequency, including microwaves, baby monitors, security cameras, and garage door openers and the JellyFish Lighting Controller. If you have many of these in your home, that 2.4 GHz band is likely to be congested, which can impact streaming.  Because the JellyFish Lighting controller does not stream high bandwidth data like audio and video, 2.4 GHz is ideal for connecting the JellyFish Lighting controller to the internet.

5 GHz will give you more signal strength and faster speed over a shorter range, compared to 2.4 GHz.

Use 5 GHz for a device closer to the router

If you're able to use most of your devices near your router, 5 GHz is your best choice to take advantage of higher speeds. Similarly, if you're doing a lot of high-bandwidth activities online, such as gaming or videoconferencing, it's best to use this frequency and move as close as possible to the router. (Better yet, plug directly into the modem with an Ethernet cable, as a wired connection is always more stable and faster than wireless.) Or if, as stated above, you're in an apartment or condo with many other units surrounding you, 5 GHz will help you avoid wireless congestion.

Use 2.4 GHz for a device farther from the router and always for JellyFish Lighting

On the other hand, on a device that moves around a lot throughout the day (like your smartphone), especially if you have a large home, the 2.4 GHz frequency is your best bet. This wavelength has a longer range and can penetrate solid objects more easily than the 5 GHz band, making it ideal for devices that are taken from room to room or are further away from the router. The exception to this is newer routers running 5 GHz 802.11ac WiFi, which can, in the right conditions, get range coverage equal to 2.4 GHz. 

How do you change frequency settings?

Whether you choose 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz, you need to make sure your wireless is enabled on your modem/router and set to use the same frequency. Check your specific model of router for compatibility and frequency capabilities.

With a dual-band router, you can set it to transmit at both frequencies concurrently. In this case, you typically have two networks (SSIDs) that appear in your network list, with identical names except for a "5G" or "2.4G" at the end. You can then choose to connect each individual device to either network. DO NOT use the same SSID or network name for 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, as the JellyFish Lighting Controller will ignore any network SSID name broadcasting 5 GHz.

On most newer modems, there is also a way to find the best WiFi channel for your environment and then change the channel as needed in the modem's wireless settings. This way you can make the most of the different capabilities of 2.4 GHz vs. 5GHz WiFi. 

Use a TP-Link WiFi Range Extender

Not only will a WiFi extender improve range for your networks, but it can also connect to an existing 5 GHz signal and re-broadcast with a 2.4 GHz signal.  

The Wi-Fi Range extender provides a bridge between the JellyFish Controller and existing home network. Common applications are boosting signal when Wi-Fi signal is poor in the area of the home where the controller is installed, provide a 2.4ghz signal where the existing network is on 5ghz, or bridge connectivity to networks not compatible with the JellyFish Lighting Controller Wi-Fi.
Boosts wireless signal to previously unreachable or hard-to-wire areas flawlessly.
Creates a Mesh network by connecting to a existing router for seamless whole-home coverage.
Compatible with 802.11 b/g/n and 802.11ac Wi-Fi devices
Dual band speeds up to 750 Mbps
Miniature size and wall-mounted design make it easy to deploy and move flexibly
Ethernet port allows the Extender to function as a wireless adapter to connect wired devices