I know that you can turn off the 2.4GHz channel (with newer versions of the Airport Utility - OS Sierra and higher.)
True.....IF.....you are asking about the most recent "tall" or "tower" versions of the 802.11ac AirPort Extreme and AirPort Time Capsule. Not true though.....IF....you have the older "flat" versions of the 802.11n AirPort Extreme, Time Capsule or any version of the AirPort Express.
But, assuming that neither of these are a problem, is there an advantage to turning off the 2.4GHz channel?
Possibly. since there are likely a lot more2.4 GHz networks around you than 5 GHz networks, so the 2.4 GHz band is always more crowded and susceptible to wireless interference.
But, assuming that neither of these are a problem, is there an advantage to turning off the 2.4GHz channel?
Devices will connect to the 5 GHz network, which is capable of higher speeds, rather than first comparing the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz signals and trying to decide which one to connect to. Devices that initially connect to 2.4 GHz though, may not automatically switch over to the 5 GHz signal even though they might move closer to the router.
On the other hand, once a device moves a room or two away from the router, the 5 GHz signal may not be the strongest or fastest signal with which to connect. That's because 5 GHz signals are much weaker than 2.4 GHz signals, so 5 GHz really only works well when WiFi devices are in close proximity to the router.
If my laptop is 2 rooms away from the router, I can actually get a faster connection at 2.4 GHz than I can at 5 GHz.
WiFi is always a series of trade offs. With 5 GHz, to get one thing.....speed....you have give up something else.....distance. That might not be an issue though if your devices all remain in close proximity to the router.
- will it increase my 5GHz signal strength?
No
- will it improve performance with a higher number of devices connected?
No
- is there a security advantage?
No
- lower energy consumption?
No
Some users are absolutely convinced that 5 GHz is always the best connection no matter what, so they are happier that way. Probably best to not try to burst their bubble.
