forced 5Ghz possible?

Question

Level 1

8 points

forced 5Ghz possible?

I have finally rid myself of my old linksys router and got myself an new Airport Extreme and also an Airport Express to extend the network to the garden/office. My xbox and Ps3 are both Homeplugged and so it is only my iPhone 4 which requires the 2.4 frequency. My question is it it possible to force my Macs (Mac Pro, iMac, Macbook Air, Mac Mini) to use the 5Ghz frequency and leave the iPhone on the 2.4? The reason I ask is because when I Alt-Click on the Airport icon on the various computers it is apparent that my Macs change from 2.4 to 5 and vice versa every now and then. I particularly want to stream video from my Mac Pro to my Mac Mini and i'm presuming that it would be better via the 5Ghz freq rather than the 2.4 or does it only matter that they both use the 'n' protocol for best speed. At the moment the streaming is patchy and I was hoping that this new setup would solve all these problems.

many thanks

Airport Extreme-OTHER, Mac OS X (10.6.7)

Posted on Apr 17, 2011 8:38 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Best reply

Bob Timmons

Community+ 2024

Level 10

159,776 points

Apr 17, 2011 9:12 AM in response to Craig Hardy

My question is it it possible to force my Macs (Mac Pro, iMac, Macbook Air, Mac Mini) to use the 5Ghz frequency and leave the iPhone on the 2.4?

The only way that you can "force" your Mac to connect using 5 GHz is enable the option using AirPort Utility to setup the 5 GHz band with a different wireless network name. Then log on and "point" your computer to that network.

AirPort Utility > Manual Setup

Click on the Wireless tab/label below the row of icons

Click Wireless Network Options

Enter a check mark in the box next to 5 GHz Network Name

Click Done, then click Update

AirPort Utility will then automatically add "(5 GHz)" to the name of the 5 GHz wireless band

Upsides....your computer will connect to the 5 GHz band

Downsides....your computer will connect to the 5 GHz band....even though it may be located where the 2.4 GHz band is providing a stronger (and faster) signal.

(The 5 GHz signal is not nearly as strong as the 2.4 GHz signal, so it dissipates much more quickly and does not penetrate obstructions nearly as well as 2.4 GHz)

Bottom line....for most users, it makes sense to allow the computer to automatically connect to the band that is providing the best quality, which is a combination of signal strength and speed depending on the location of the computer. But, you may disagree.

The "extending" AirPort Express can only extend one band, which will likely be the 2.4 GHz band unless the device is located where it can receive a strong signal from the 5 GHz band, which would mean close to a line-of-sight situation between the main device and the Express.

Reply

Answer 2

Craig Hardy Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 17, 2011 10:56 AM in response to Bob Timmons

Thank you Bob for your speedy response. You have been most helpful. My airport express is home plugged in the garage and appears to be broadcasting both 2.5 & 5Ghz. Seeing as it's in bridge mode will it still be the case that it will likely adopt only the 2.5 when I change my settings as you suggest do you think?

Many thanks

Reply

Answer 3

Apr 17, 2011 11:07 AM in response to Craig Hardy

The AirPort Express 802.11n is a single band device, so it can produce a 2.4 GHz network or a 5 GHz network, but not both simultaneously.

If you have it connected via ethernet, then you have it configured to "Create a wireless network" (the "Extend a wireless network" would only be used if the device were connecting using wireless only...not ethernet).

See AirPort Utility - Manual Setup

Click the Wireless tab/label below the icons to pull up the setup page for Wireless

The Radio Mode setting will allow you to choose which type of signal that you want the device to broadcast.

If all of your devices are capable of receiving 5 GHz wireless, and they are reasonably close the AirPort device, 5 GHz will give you faster performance. If you have any older devices, or an iPod, iPhone, etc., you'll need to use the 802.11n (802.11b/g compatible) Radio Mode to allow the various devices to connect.

Reply