Can anybody tell if this router does 5Ghz 802.11N? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 25, 2016, 06:47:41 pm
content: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16833320218Looking for a router, more an AP but the routing functions will be used, and AP offerings a fairly poo.I use Nvidia Shields, 3 of them in the house, and they have 0 built in support for 802.11AC, but they DO support 802.11N's 5Ghz channel (Why they decided to NOT use AC is beyond me). As a result whatever router/AP I buy it HAS to support 802.11N 5Ghz for it's improve channel selection, and the fact that nobody in my area is running anything on the 5ghz band that will directly affect me (No routers).The 2.4 Ghz band drops packets faster than a FedEx plane with the back open, and is USELESS for high bandwidth streaming applications like Gamestream. It also results in a lost connection about every 5-12 minutes for me.I know this router supports 2.4Ghz 802.11N, I have 3 APs in the house that can do that, pick your poison, but I need it to run one of the 5Ghz radios using 802.11N. I can't find any information that informs me I can set one to be N, but there is nothing that says I can't, and for 180 dollars I want to believe it can do such a thing.Either way, sorry for a slightly useless post, but I got no clue where else to look, thanks.

author: Chalcogenide
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 25, 2016, 07:09:35 pm
content: By looking at the FCC test report, it looks like it doeshttps://apps.fcc.gov/eas/GetApplicationAttachment.html?id=2478215I also strongly believe that any AC radio can drop to N mode if needed.

author: Monkeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 25, 2016, 07:11:01 pm
content: Of course it does.It is, however, a hugely expensive turd and you should look at a non-joke device. This means an AP, not a router.As for lack of ac support, it's because they finished the hardware development kind of.. before 802.11ac was finished. Assuming you're talking about the tablets or the console thing, the TV box supports ac fine.

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 25, 2016, 10:03:52 pm
content: Quote from: Monkeh on November 25, 2016, 07:11:01 pmthey don'tHAVEnon "Joke" devices like APs.As I said any offering in that department is either insanely expensive for an industrial/business device, or just sucks. And this device has interesting features I could make use of, like having 3 different SSIDs on 3 different radios for 5 radios around the house (This would replace one which is currently acting as a secondary router to provide a network "Bubble" that supports DHCP in a manually setup environment (Unchangable, network admin refuses to change this) so I can use something like a Chromecast or network boot on non manual IP PXE environments.I agree, 180 bucks for 3 radios, a small switch, and a subpar RasPi is a bit cheeky, but if you can find an AP specific device with external antennas, Support for AC/N/A (I could care less about B/G/N), and the same two 5Ghz network solutions (Or a <90 dollars per unit price tag), feel free to send that my way for less money than this device. So far I am unable to find a reliable device that doesn't come straight from the asscrack of China (They all come from China, but everybody knows what I mean, the cheap Chinese no name company type) and can hold a stable connection.I can't find an AP like this, would love if you could.And as a second point, there are APs out there that ONLY support AC/A instead of AC/N/A, so don't automatically assume it can do that. If that document (Which I am denied access to) says it supports this, then that's what I want to know, and many thanks for helping me out.Thanks to Monkeh to trying to steer me down the path of reason, but that doesn't happen to exist in our universe.(And yes, I tried an AC dongle, doesn't hold a stable connection as a network host)

author: Monkeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 25, 2016, 10:05:07 pm
content: Quote from: TwoOfFive on November 25, 2016, 10:03:52 pm.... or, alternatively, they're about $90. Search term: Ubiquiti.

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 25, 2016, 10:10:21 pm
content: Quote from: Monkeh on November 25, 2016, 10:05:07 pmI found this by limiting my results to Ubiquiti, and then the speeds required,http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=0XM-0013-00050which is 90 dollars, fine and dandy, but it has no external antennas (Which if it's a decent strength is alright) but I don't know if it does 802.11 N@5Ghz.If you have a suggestion to a better one of these, alright, if not, I'll buy myself awall clocker, AP.

author: Monkeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 25, 2016, 10:16:05 pm
content: Quote from: TwoOfFive on November 25, 2016, 10:10:21 pmI will repeat, 'of course it does'.QuoteFeel free to specify one. That's, uhm.. extraordinarily unlikely considering the vast majority of, if not all, AC radios support N.

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 25, 2016, 10:28:32 pm
content: Quote from: Monkeh on November 25, 2016, 10:16:05 pmto make me look like a Liar I can't find any.Well, I'll buy that, maybe it will go down somewhere on cyber monday, who knows.

author: System Error Message
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 26, 2016, 06:04:02 am
content: well its important your client supports it but the best way however is to look at wikidevi and check the exact model number and variant/version. The wifi chip used will give you an idea.Why not just go with wifi AC instead? Wifi AC definitely supports 5Ghz wifi N but 5Ghz wifi N clients are rare.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 26, 2016, 06:22:06 am
content: Quote from: System Error Message on November 26, 2016, 06:04:02 amThey are not rare at all, it would be hard to find a laptop which supports wifi N but no 5 GHz.

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 26, 2016, 06:28:28 am
content: Quote from: wraper on November 26, 2016, 06:22:06 amI have two laptops, and a USB NIC that doesn't support 5Ghz.

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 26, 2016, 06:40:12 am
content: Quote from: System Error Message on November 26, 2016, 06:04:02 amIt's because i CAN'T do that. I DEFINATELY would do so, but the Nvidia Shield Tablet, of where there exist only two models, neither of them support 802.11AC in any form. They never will, and unless I feel like carrying around a USB NIC, it will not be able to connect to it. I need an AC that supports BOTH AC and N on the 5Ghz band, as I am not spending money on an 802.11N AP (I have 3 of those ATM, all single band 2.4)And I have DEFINATELY found APs that didn't at least clearly state they support N on the 5Ghz band.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 26, 2016, 07:01:27 am
content: Quote from: TwoOfFive on November 26, 2016, 06:28:28 amAnd what wifi cards those laptops have? Do they actually support "N"?

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 26, 2016, 07:12:36 am
content: Quote from: wraper on November 26, 2016, 07:01:27 amI don't know off the top of my head, but they support 802.11B/G/N, normally indicating no 5Ghz mode. That's not how I know they are not 5Ghz, they will physically not connect to a 5Ghz network.And the reason I don't add a 20 dollar 5Ghz NIC is that I don't have a 5Ghz AP of any sort, thus why I intend to buy one. They are also rarely used, and not in need of anything faster than the 50-70 Mbps speeds of 802.11N 2.4Ghz once you factor in all the dropped packets, and it's not a big deal if they disconnect on occasion.It is quite a big deal if my tablets that I use to stream games off of can't hold a stable connection for more than 10-15 minutes, and quite a big deal if I can't go faster than 70Mbps on a good day when nobody is using internet on my street, and if I can't hold a stable connection on a useful PC. The 5Ghz band is practically uninhabited where I live.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 26, 2016, 07:35:56 am
content: The only adapter I can find with googling which supports b/g/n is damn old (as old as N standard) Broadcom 4313GN (crappy 1x1). Almost everything usesa/b/g/n adapters, which is dead giveaway they support 5 GHz, or AC.

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 26, 2016, 07:44:44 am
content: Quote from: wraper on November 26, 2016, 07:35:56 amI have 20 here.http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833704141http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833704045http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833704053http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833704140http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833320071http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA0724941180http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833156306http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833704129http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833315091http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833704059http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833166073http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833114110http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833114127http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833166047http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA9NC3VA8167http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833389023http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833166116http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA0724941518http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833555009http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833389020A bit overkill, but that took me 3-4 minutes to put together. Every one of them supports 802.11N, and none of them support 5Ghz communications. And that is from a quick browse on Newegg. The same thing can be had with any other site (Except Amazon since their search functions are some of the worst I have ever seen) that sells wireless networking gear.There are of course adapters that DO support 5Ghz, but those tend to be more expensive, and are labeled as such.And either way, the issue is not I don't HAVE devices that can use 5Ghz, the issue is I have many that NEED 5Ghz in order to function properly, so I need an AP of some sort. I looked at the Ubiquiti one, it seemed decent, cheaper than the router, and I don't really need two separate 5Ghz channels, even though it would be a nice futureproof feature.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 26, 2016, 07:50:25 am
content: Quote from: TwoOfFive on November 26, 2016, 07:44:44 amI'm not ever talked about cheap USB adapters at all. All of the time I said only aboutLAPTOP adapters.

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 26, 2016, 07:58:34 am
content: Quote from: wraper on November 26, 2016, 07:50:25 amApologies, didn't know. Here are some more.http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833114107http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA1EA41K5018http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA2F845P3115http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA2F83WK7045http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA0AJ1N88923http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA1JM21U9899http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA24G1XA5581Less than usual, Newegg doesn't stock as many, but these are all laptop cards, a couple only do B/G, but the rest are 2.4 Ghz only N, with some having B and/or G.I've seen them. They exist, I have three different adapters, all 2.4 Ghz B/G/N in the house for laptop/embedded use, and they are quite annoying.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 26, 2016, 08:16:58 am
content: Quote from: TwoOfFive on November 26, 2016, 07:58:34 amhttp://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833114107Cheap aftermarket crap.http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA1EA41K5018miniPCINot PCI-E.http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA2F845P3115supports 5 GHzhttp://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA2F83WK7045supports 5 GHzhttp://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA0AJ1N88923What the crap is this, not even N, on won't fit in laptop which isn't 10 years old.http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA1JM21U9899same as ^^http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA24G1XA5581You got me, LOL. This discontinued adapter, sold starting for $5 does not support 5 GHz.http://www.ebay.com/itm/IBM-LENOVO-FRU-60Y3295-INTEL-2200-WIRELESS-N-2200BNHMW-WIFI-MINI-CARD-/261461569932

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 26, 2016, 08:25:27 am
content: Look, it was a grab bag off newegg. I have three adapters in my house that have full 2.4 ghz support for 802.11N, but 0.0% support for 5Ghz. I also have a USB NIC that is the same way. We have only 4 wireless devices in the house that can even use 5Ghz. Three are Shield Tabs, and the other is a USB 3 AC NIC.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 26, 2016, 09:14:20 am
content: Quote from: TwoOfFive on November 26, 2016, 08:25:27 amI don't know what's in your house. What I said was that 5 GHz N client devices are not rare. And in a last few years it is not that easy to find a laptop which does not support 5 GHz, be it N or AC (which supports N). Sure, if you look at the bottom of the barrel, there should be something.

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 26, 2016, 06:13:06 pm
content: Quote from: blueskull on November 26, 2016, 08:34:13 amAmerican houses are made very cheaply. The house is made of wood, and not much of it either. There is a lot of hollow wallspace everywhere. I want a router that can do BOTH AC and N. The devices I NEED TO BE FASTER, only support 802.11N, but will work on the 5Ghz band that has superior bandwidth and will not drop nearly as many packets where I live (Nobody has a 5Ghz router near me). These devices cannot be upgraded, and they need to take the extra network stability, which will equate to speed.I do not need extra speed on my 2.4Ghz only devices, as I don't really use any of them. I never use the laptops, and if I do it's very shortly and with little internet use, My media center computer doesn't really need anything faster than G to be honest, as I still haven't picked up an HDMI switch for the TV, so it's doing 1080P off VGA (The will to do this is small as it looks fine anyways) and will never do 4K streaming for it's entire existence, as the time I have enough money to buy 4K televisions will be the time I can afford 4K chromecasts and forget about all of that.Everything else is Gigabit ethernet, and thus FAR superior to any 802.11 technology currently out to market. I just need the 5Ghz for more dedicated machines like my Shield Tablets (Which require as few dropped packets as possible).And I never said 5Ghz N devices were rare. It's just that practically nobody even uses the 5Ghz band anywhere NEAR where I live (Albany area), and there are PLENTY of laptops that do not support 5Ghz bands, as I don't have any high power laptops (Best one has an A10 in it, boo.)

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 26, 2016, 09:14:59 pm
content: Quote from: TwoOfFive on November 26, 2016, 06:13:06 pmLikely they have cheap 2.4 GHz only N routers supplied by network provider (like here). 5GHz band has significantly lower working distance, so likely you won't see 5GHz because of this as well.