Answer | All current ARRIS Gateways and Routers broadcast the Wi-Fi networks on both the 2.4 GHz and the 5 GHz bands.  The 2.4 GHz band can transmit data farther away from the Wi-Fi cable modem/router and is better at transmitting data through solid objects, such as walls. However, the 2.4 GHz band is more susceptible to wireless interference as more devices use the 2.4 GHz band, such as baby monitors, garage door openers, cordless phones, and microwave ovens. The 2.4 GHz band is also limited by the speeds it can transmit. Under ideal conditions, the 2.4 GHz band will support up to 100 Mbps to 1.2 Gbps, depending on the Wi-Fi cable modem/router, and the network client.
The 5 GHz band can transmit data at faster speeds, up to 4.8Gbps, but is better closer to the Wi-Fi cable modem/router because the 5 GHz band is not able to penetrate walls as well as the 2.4 GHz band. The 5 GHz band is also less susceptible to wireless interference as fewer devices use it, and it also has 23 channels to choose from, whereas the 2.4 GHz band only has 11.
Which is better to connect to?
At shorter distances, the 5 GHz band will provide better speeds and more reliability but is limited by its range. The 2.4 GHz will provide more reliability at longer distances and through solid objects such as walls, but is limited by its speeds and is more susceptible to interference.  In short, it's better to connect to the 5 GHz at shorter distances, and better to connect to the 2.4 Ghz and longer distances.Â
In summary, the 2.4 GHz band is best at farther distances and going through walls and solid objects, and the 5 GHz band is best when closer to the Wi-Fi cable modem/router.
The Wi-Fi speeds are dependent on the type of wireless technology supported on the clients and the Wi-F routers. If the client supports Wi-Fi 6, the 2.4 GHz network can achieve speeds up to 1.2 Gbps under ideal conditions. However, if the client only supports Wi-Fi 4, the 2.4 GHz network is only able to achieve speeds up to 100 Mbps under ideal conditions. Regardless of which standard the client connects to, the 5 GHz band is able to achieve much greater speeds then the 2.4 GHz band. See below for the Wi-Fi standards and their maximum data rate.Â
| IEEE Standard | 802.11n | 802.11ac | 802.11ac2 | 802.11ax | | Frequency | 2.4 GHz | 5 GHz | 5 GHz | 5 GHz | 2.4 GHz | 5 GHz | | Max. Data Rate | 100 Mbps | 600 Mbps | 1.3 Gbps | 2.34 Gbps | 1.2 Gbps | 4.8 Gbps | | New Naming System | Wi-Fi 4 | Wi-Fi 5 | Wi-Fi 6 |
|
|
|---|
