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Forum Discussion
Does 2.4ghz signal interfere with 5ghz performance?
I've got a CM1000 modem and using Google Mesh Wifi, and am trying to problem-solve some performance issues. Today, my wifi started cutting out (completely) every 10-15 minutes or so, and I'm trying to figure out if the issue could be interference. There is a decent amount of space between my house and the next house, and when performing a network diagnostic on my mac, there no 5ghz signals making it to my house. However, there are several (weak) 2.4ghz signals my mac is detecting.
My essential question: Could a 2.4ghz signal be at all interfering with the 5ghz band? I realize the channels/frequencies are totally, separate, but what I don't understand is how interference actually works. Does interference occur at the point of reception - as in, do different signals interfere with the ability of my computer to receive a signal? Or, does interference occur at the point of transmission - as in, could one signal cause my Google mesh wifi (or modem) to somehow transmit all signals (even 5ghz ones) poorly?
Interestingly, performance was quite poor earlier in the day today, through about 3pm, and has been relatively fine since there. So, a secondary question would be if interference is better or worse if someone is actively using wifi, or if interference should be an even/consistent occurence because a router is always emitting a signal?
I'm also co-troubleshooting for my girlfriend who has a netgear router, so ideallly I'm looking for a "universal" response as to how wifi and interference work in general, not just a particular product.
Thanks in advance!
5 Replies
> [...] Could a 2.4ghz signal be at all interfering with the 5ghz band?
Unlikely, for typical signal strengths. The factor-of-two difference
in frequency is pretty big, making it pretty easy for a receiver to
reject the wrong one. (If you defeat the interlock on a microwave oven,
and run it with the door open, then it's a different story.)> [...] Does interference occur at the point of reception [...]
In the receiver, yes.
> Or, does interference occur at the point of transmission - as in,
> could one signal cause my Google mesh wifi (or modem) to somehow
> transmit all signals (even 5ghz ones) poorly?No. Transmitters are generally unaffected by their environments.
> [...] a secondary question would be if interference is better or worse
> if someone is actively using wifi, or if interference should be an
> even/consistent occurence because a router is always emitting a signal?"Interference" means an unwanted signal degrades reception of a
desired signal. If the interfering signal varies, then the interference
varies. If your neighbors' use of their routers varies throughout the
day, ...Are you too young to have listened to a radio in adverse conditions?
plain and simple 2.4 ghz does not interefere with a 5ghz signal. Rather is there any strong 2.4ghz wifi signals from neighbors houses that are on the same channel as your 2.4 ghz wifi? If so you need to change the channel on your wifi to avoid signal interference. There are various apps and programs you can use to see what channel everyone is using around you. One I use on my cell phone is called wifi analyzer. It shows you the channels of the wifi around you.
Awesome thanks. I'm personally using Google Mesh wifi, so I can't switch channels (that feature is unavailable). However, we're not receiving any 5ghz signals at the house, and our devices are all using 5ghz signals, so it sounds like this shouldn't be an issue, in terms of interference.
This is very helpful - really appreciated. So, because our devices are using the 5ghz signal, and we aren't detecting any competing 5ghz signals from the house (only 2.4ghz), it sounds like interference isn't an issue, which is a helpful rule out.
- Just an FYI, 2.4 ghz gives you longer range just not higher speeds, 5ghz gives you faster speeds with shorter range.