June 2021 - Netgeniee

Be it your personal network or your business, having high-speed internet is so important these days when we are becoming as technology-driven as possible. The internet has also evolved rapidly over the years and now we have 5Ghz bandwidth as well. But to avail such facilities, the devices have to develop at par as well and that brings us to choosing between dual-band and tri-band routers. There are different network connection devices like Wi-Fi 6, mesh system, LAN etc and determining what works best for you can get confusing. In 2022, it is said that if you buy a dual-band Wi-Fi router it should suffice, but have you considered a tri-band? Tri-bands will have a definite edge over the dual-bands and are more futuristic if you are thinking in the long run. But is it a necessary addition? This depends largely on your usage at the moment and how it can evolve in time. Here we have a detailed comparison of both dual and tri bands to give you some valuable insights on which can work the best for you. Read on and find out more to make an informed decision on dual-band vs tri-band. Also Read : What Is MAC Address Best of Dual-Band: As the name suggests, dual-band routers can broadcast two signal frequencies that are 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. The 2.4Ghz is slower but works over a larger distance so when your device is further from the router, this is the one you can connect to. The 5Ghz is faster but works over a shorter distance and perfect when you need a high-speed connection and can stay near the router. Even today, we have many devices that are not compatible with 5Ghz and as a result, having 2.4Ghz is necessary. Here are some of the features of dual-band that must be considered when deciding between dual-band vs tri-band: The dual-band router offers up to 450mbps On the 2.4 GHz bandwidth and 1300mbps on the 5Ghz bandwidth. Such routers are usually labelled as AC1750 class routers considering the total speed that you get from them. Do note that these are maximum and ideal speeds that may vary in the real world and no device can get 1750mbps or 1900mbps in total at a time. The speed you experience while using the internet depends on the bandwidth to which your device is connected. The 2.4Ghz frequency is not just used for the internet but it is also used by cordless phones, Bluetooth devices and many home appliances which means this bandwidth is congested and often you will experience slower connection and interference while using this frequency. 5Ghz works over a shorter distance and is not as congested yet as a result, there is lesser interference and congestion. But a 5Ghz only device will not be feasible when you need uninterrupted connectivity all-round the house which is why the concept of dual-band came into being and is so popular today. There are many high-performance dual-band routers available today which you can easily use for a person or a domestic connection. A good quality dual-band router can even work for a small office to provide uninterrupted internet throughout the day. Also Read : How To Connect Wifi To Pc Best of Tri-Band: To put it simply, tri-band routers come with three frequency compatibility- one 2.4Ghz and two 5Ghz bandwidths. When you have multiple devices connecting to the router, the bandwidth gets divided further and there will be considerable lagging. The two 5Ghz frequencies allow users to connect to either of them, without experiencing any lagging while live streaming or other heavy-duty use of the internet. Here are some of the features that set apart a tri-band Wi-Fi: In 2022, we will not have Wi-Fi 6E which is a further upgraded version of Wi-Fi 6. It is an extension of Wi-Fi 6 that also supports a brand-new frequency- 6Ghz. This means, eventually moving on to tri-bands can become a necessity when 6Ghz becomes more popular. To work with all types of Wi-Fi devices, new and old, the router must be compatible with all the bandwidths available shortly. Thus, when you are investing in a tri-band router that can support 6Ghz at present, you will not have to upgrade it later to use this frequency as well. However, at this moment, this is not yet a necessity and unless your internet usage is extreme, or there are too many client devices to work with, the 5Ghz frequency will suffice. Do note that, in most cases, tri-band Wi-Fi comes with an extra 5Ghz frequency bandwidth which is not a necessity as most devices can already connect with the 2.4Ghz and the other 5Ghz, especially in a home network. it only becomes a necessity when there are many devices, as in an office space that constantly requires a steady network connection without any dip in the speed. In short, the tri-band connection will not be necessary for your home or personal network at the moment though there are plenty of devices that you can get. If you have the budget and want a tri-band router, you can go ahead with it anyway, but do not expect a dramatic change in the network connectivity speed you experience at present. Also Read : How To Connect Alexa To WiFi Without App What Differs These Two From Each Other? Before it is determined if tri-band wifi can speed up your Wi-Fi compared to a modern dual-band wireless router, let’s understand the difference between the two. The Technology Of Dual-band Routers: While the modern dual-band technology is relatively common among the modern 802.11ac routers that use the 5 GHz spectrum, the older 802.11n and earlier versions use the 2.4 GHz version. Therefore, when you opt for dual-band routers, they can broadcast both 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz signals to support the modern as well as the older generation of devices. This way, you get two different Wi-Fi networks from a single device without having to compromise on compatibility. If you use a single band router, you have to choose between your 2.4 GHz and modern 5 GHz Wi-Fi. It will not be able to support both devices at the same time as a dual-band router can. Also Read : How To Setup A Router The Technology Of Tri-band Routers: Tri-band routers, on the other hand, help broadcast three different types of signals so you can host three different Wi-Fi networks simultaneously. Now when it comes to compatibility, a dual-band router does seem to make more sense. But think about it; why do you need a 5 GHz Wi-Fi signal separately? The reason is that Wi-Fi networks often suffer congestion. In theory, the maximum Wi-Fi speeds are divided among all devices within the specific network. As a result, the device that consumes the most speed, such as a 4K streaming TV, will automatically reduce the speed for other available devices. This is where tri bands come into work. It can separately host two 5 GHz networks, without you needing to sort the devices. It will host the network among devices by itself without affecting the speed on any device. What it does is make sure that more speed is added to any additional device you’re using at the time without compromising on the ones that are already connected. In simple statistics, ideally, a dual-band router can offer you a Wi-Fi speed of up to 450 Mbps on a 2.4 GHz signal and 1300 Mbps on a 5 GHz signal. A tri-band Wi-Fi router, in contrast, can offer up to a 600 Mbps speed in a 2.4 GHz signal and 1300 Mbps on a 5 GHz signal. But these are all theoretically ideal conditions. In reality, you will never find a single device that will acquire that much speed. 1300 Mbps is the maximum speed any individual device can acquire. But as you keep connecting more and more devices, the network gets automatically divided among the separate 5 GHz signals so that each of those devices gets more Wi-Fi speed. Therefore, a tri-band router lets you host an older 2.4 GHz network along with two separate 5 GHz networks. But you will not realize its true potential unless you have really fast internet connectivity and a lot of devices operating in that bandwidth. However, in simpler situations, a dual-band might still be all that you need. Also Read : WiFi Keeps Dropping Which One Is Workable For You? As you browse through the different routers available and consider dual-band vs tri-band, it all comes down to your network connection and how you plan to use the internet at present and in future. Here are a few important factors that will affect the choice of what is more workable for you: Connected Clients Vs. Active Clients: The number of client devices that can connect to the Wi-Fi will only make a difference in the speed when all are being actively used. Hence, consider the average number of active devices you are likely to have at a time and how that can affect the internet speed. When you have a tri-band, more active client devices can share the connection without experiencing too much lag in the speed. Compatibility: Many dual-band routers are compatible with the 5Ghz network. When you have tri-bands you can support the top speed and as well as divide the network into different Wi-Fi-tiers so that client devices can share the network according to the speed they require without overloading any one of the bandwidths. Also Read : Why Is My Internet So Slow All Of A Sudden Affordability: The budget you have for a router is a major determinant in a triband vs dual-band. Needless to say, being a newer technology, the tri-bands are significantly more expensive than dual-band devices. For personal use, this can become an unnecessary investment if there is no heavy-duty internet usage around your home. Dual-band routers will suffice but when it is a question of affordability only, it comes down to your budget. If you have the budget, you can as well get a tri-band router and if you don’t, sticking to the dual-band will not hamper your experience too much. Type Of Usage: The kind of usage is another important factor as the speed of the internet is often affected by what you do. For example, if your internet usage is limited to browsing, checking emails and at most streaming live on YouTube and other platforms and these are done by all the active clients, a dual-band router should suffice. Having tri-band lets you have more local bandwidth which can be helpful when there are different client devices with different network requirements and the connection can be segregated according to their needs. Even for more heavy-duty use, like file backup, photo editing, connecting virtual reality headsets, if there is a dedicated 5Ghz bandwidth it will be very helpful. This is available on both tri-band and dual-band devices. Tri-band Wi-Fi has created a buzz in recent times and opting for it is your choice rather than a necessity. If your only concern is the performance and network speed and there are not many client devices around the house to connect, the dual-band router should suffice. But if you apprehend an increase in the number of heavy-duty users, thinking ahead and getting a tri-band device will be helpful. Also Read : How To Set Up New Modem Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's): Who will benefit from Tri-band wifi? The tri-band wifi comes with an extra bandwidth which gives an extra bandwidth to connect with. As a result, you can access the 5 GHz internet with either of the two broadcasts. In areas, which are very congested and you are unable to get good network reception and hence the internet connectivity slows down, the tri-band router will be particularly useful. It has better chances of connecting and picking up speed in such regions and hence you can enjoy the internet speed without any interruptions. Does the internet speed decrease when using dual-band? The internet speed with dual-band routers is 450Mbps for 2.4ghz and 1300 Mbps for 5ghz ideally. However, this speed is not consistently available all the time. You can either connect the device to 2.4Ghz or 5Ghz and depending on the bandwidth you are connected to; the speed will vary accordingly. If you are expecting that the total 1750mbps speed can be accessed all at once from a single device- that does not happen. At most, you can enjoy 1300mbps speed with a dual-band router. Why can’t I access the 5Ghz bandwidth from the other rooms? The 5GHz frequency is shorter and cannot penetrate through anything solid like walls of furniture as easily as the 2.4 GHz bandwidth does. Hence, in a house with a lot of foot traffic or obstructions between the wifi and the client device, connecting to the 5ghz bandwidth can be a problem. This is why users are advised to stay close to the router to connect the 5Ghz. Why do I invest in a dual-band router? The dual-band routers are presently the most widely available and frequently bought routers. With this router, you can access 2.4Ghz bandwidth as well as 5Ghz bandwidth. As a result, there is a greater chance of high-speed connectivity. Moreover, as 5Ghz bandwidth is gaining popularity, eventually this will replace 2.4Ghz. But at the same time, we still have a fair amount of devices that can only connect to 2.4Ghz. So, the dual-band router is the ideal solution for all and a worthy investment. What is the band steering feature and why is it necessary? When one of the bandwidths is overloaded or facing any kind of network error, the router is intelligent enough to steer the devices to the other bandwidth. This is done through band steering. You can turn the automatic shift “on” from the settings but in this case, cannot assign separate passwords and username to each of the bandwidth. However, when you turn it off, it will create two separate SSID and a separate password and username can be assigned. It is a necessary feature when you want an uninterrupted network throughout the day. You will not have to check why the bandwidth is not working. Also Read : Smart Tv Not Connecting To WiFi Final Verdict: The choice between dual-band vs tri-band is largely ruled by which is more affordable for you and the type of network usage you have daily. At this moment, dual-band routers do not offer anything less than tri-bands but what if there is a new technology beyond 5Ghz? Having extra bandwidth increases your network option and thus limits overloading on a specific bandwidth. It can be concluded that if your requirements are very much internet intensive, then opting for the tri-bands will be a wiser decision. However, there is not much difference in the internet speed between dual-band vs tri-band in general. The difference is witnessed because there is extra-band compatibility in tri-band devices and hence the client devices connected to it are more spread over the different tiers of the internet.