Can't access high band with Samsung TV

antinode
Guru
Nov 09, 2017
> [...] I thought that it would be more reliable for streaming video.
> Is it?

Define "reliable". 5GHz radios can move data faster than 2.4GHz
radios, but if the 2.4GHz hardware is fast enough, then switching to
5GHz would gain nothing but cost. Radio propagation depends on many
things, but, generally, 2.4GHz has a longer range than 5GHz. If you're
at the fringe of 2.4GHz reception, so that your data rate starts to
suffer, then you may already be beyond the useful range for 5GHz.
- JimmyW
  Luminary
  Nov 09, 2017
  Thanks again. I'm nowhere near the fringe of reception. I believe, however, that the 5GHz provides more bandwidth, so if I have 5 devices using the router at once and streaming large files, wouldn't the 5GHz offer an advantage?
  - antinode
    Guru
    Nov 10, 2017
    > [...] 5GHz provides more bandwidth, so if I have 5 devices using the
    > router at once and streaming large files, wouldn't the 5GHz offer an
    > advantage?
    
       The size of the file doesn't matter if you're streaming, only the
    data rate. (You're not trying to transfer the whole thing as fast as
    possible, only to keep up with the demand.)
    
       5GHz might be better, if you're really bandwidth-limited. The
    question would be how much bandwidth you really need to serve those
    devices. I don't know. Based on some Roku information, I'd expect
    something less than 4Mb/s to keep anyone happy. I haven't run the
    experiment, so I know nothing, but I'd expect to be able to squeeze
    20Mb/s out of almost any 2.4GHz radio/router (if the WAN connection can
    do it, too).
    
          https://forums.roku.com/viewtopic.php?t=101059
    
       I assume that that refers to a 1K device. I'd expect 4K to raise the
    requirement.
    
       Of course, if the TV does only 2.4GHz, then it wouldn't matter how
    much better 5GHz would be (until you get your next TV).

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Can't access high band with Samsung TV