Tri Band WiFi as Fast As Possible
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Description
How the heck can tri band wireless access points claim to be so much faster than dual band when they use the same wireless AC standard? Sponsor message: lynda.com is your one stop shop for learning a variety of skills online, at your own pace. Visit lynda.com to redeem your 10 day free trial and start learning today!
The video starts by addressing the consumer habit of choosing a wireless router based on appearance, then immediately dissects what a modern wireless router actually contains. The host clarifies that a typical box houses three discrete components: a router, a network switch, and a wireless access point (AP). He explains that a tri band or dual band AP claims higher speeds, but emphasizes that advertised 1900 Mbps for dual band is an aggregated value across 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz channels, not a single client’s peak speed. He then explains how multiple radios and bands can improve overall network performance by spreading devices across nonoverlapping frequencies, which reduces contention and idle waiting time inherent in a polite Wi-Fi protocol. The discussion highlights that more bands can help accommodate many devices by steering slower clients to a separate radio, freeing up faster devices for better performance. The host also notes practical limitations, such as power consumption, heat, and real-world interference from neighbors, which can limit the benefits of more radios if clients do not support faster speeds. The sponsor segment for lynda.com is included, presenting a 10-day free trial to learn new skills online. The video closes with a recap of lessons learned, a call for comments and suggestions, and a reminder to subscribe for future episodes.
Topics · networking · technology · consumer electronics · wifi
Questions answered
- What are the three main components inside a wireless router and their roles?
- The three components are a router which controls traffic between the home network and the internet, a network switch which connects devices inside the home, and a wireless access point which communicates with wireless devices over radio frequencies.
- Why does tri-band or dual-band not always yield a single high speed connection for a single device?
- Because the 1900 Mbps figure is often an aggregated value across multiple radios and bands, and a single client typically uses only one radio at a time, so the peak speed is not shared across devices. More bands can help overall throughput by offloading slower devices and reducing contention across the network.