iPhone 6 and dual band wifi.

from_atozinc · 07-01-2016 12:09am #1

Hi,

Earlier today I got a dual band wifi modem in my home.

Just regrading the dual wi fi and "roaming" around the house with my iPhone. I have the 2.4 G and 5 G wifi option with this box.

I have entered the password for both and saved etc.

Lets say I am upstairs and far away from the modem and only on 2.4 G, when I move down stairs and closer to modem, will I automatically connect to the 5 G OR do I have to manually connect to it each time.
Or is there some setting I need to change do that it connects to the best wifi network.

I have an iPhone 6

guil · 07-01-2016 12:23am

What speed broadband have you got? I'm not exactly sure but I think the iPhone prefers the network that it connected to first so if you connected to 5ghz before 2.4ghz for the first time then it should connect to 5ghz when you come into range.

from_atozinc · 07-01-2016 12:28am

guil wrote: »

What speed broadband have you got? I'm not exactly sure but I think the iPhone prefers the network that it connected to first so if you connected to 5ghz before 2.4ghz for the first time then it should connect to 5ghz when you come into range.

Hi. It's about 60mb with a wire. 50 Mbps on 5g Wifi and 30 Mbps on 2.5 g wifi.

mmmm. So right. I should maybe "forget" these networks and then re add them again with the 5g being added first b

guil · 07-01-2016 12:48am

from_atozinc wrote: »

Hi. It's about 60mb with a wire. 50 Mbps on 5g Wifi and 30 Mbps on 2.5 g wifi.

mmmm. So right. I should maybe "forget" these networks and then re add them again with the 5g being added first b

Won't harm to try it but as I said I'm not sure if that's how it decides what network to connect to.

from_atozinc · 08-01-2016 8:09am

Anyone else have any comments

dodzy · 08-01-2016 8:52am

from_atozinc wrote: »

Anyone else have any comments

If there is more than one available, iOS works alphabetically (as far as I remember). Just name your preferred point accordingly.

from_atozinc · 08-01-2016 10:11am

dodzy wrote: »

If there is more than one available, iOS works alphabetically (as far as I remember). Just name your preferred point accordingly.

mmm, interesting

youd think in this age that ios would pick the "best" network

dodzy · 08-01-2016 11:32am

from_atozinc wrote: »

mmm, interesting

youd think in this age that ios would pick the "best" network

My post will not help the OP

5ghz and 2.4ghz are basically 2 different frequencies with benefits and drawbacks to both. 2.4 travels farther, penetrates better but is typically more congested.

5ghz on the other hand, will not travel as far, is more susceptible to walls and obstacles but if you are close to the source, you can enjoy better speeds.

Creamy Goodness · 08-01-2016 11:39am

dodzy wrote: »

My post will not help the OP 5ghz and 2.4ghz are basically 2 different frequencies with benefits and drawbacks to both. 2.4 travels farther, penetrates better but is typically more congested.

5ghz on the other hand, will not travel as far, is more susceptible to walls and obstacles but if you are close to the source, you can enjoy better speeds.

Yup 5ghz all the way. Getting full 240mbit/sec here on the iPhone the same as if I could have Ethernet attached

dodzy · 08-01-2016 11:58am

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

Yup 5ghz all the way. Getting full 240mbit/sec here on the iPhone the same as if I could have Ethernet attached

240mb- Pffft. Not gone to 360 yet Creamy ?:P

Creamy Goodness · 08-01-2016 12:08pm

Not yet, have the car tax and insurance coming up, along with a trip to Apple TV Tech Talks and post December credit card bill...

Soon though...

dodzy · 08-01-2016 3:20pm

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

Not yet, have the car tax and insurance coming up, along with a trip to Apple TV Tech Talks and post December credit card bill...

Soon though...

Well I suppose 1 outa 4 ain't bad

Eire Go Brach · 08-01-2016 6:24pm

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

Yup 5ghz all the way. Getting full 240mbit/sec here on the iPhone the same as if I could have Ethernet attached

Upc?

What router and phone have you?

Creamy Goodness · 08-01-2016 6:29pm

Eire Go Brach wrote: »

Upc?

What router and phone have you?

Horizon >> Airport Extreme >> iPhone 6.

Eire Go Brach · 08-01-2016 8:38pm

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

Horizon >> Airport Extreme >> iPhone 6.

Thanks. Yeh I only get 150Mb using upc ubee router. That's with 5ghz. But it does not do dual band simultaneously. Need to leave it on 2.4 as not all my stuff is 5 compatible. With that I only get around 50Mb.
Sorry for changing the topic (o:

Creamy Goodness · 08-01-2016 10:13pm

Eire Go Brach wrote: »

Thanks. Yeh I only get 150Mb using upc ubee router. That's with 5ghz. But it does not do dual band simultaneously. Need to leave it on 2.4 as not all my stuff is 5 compatible. With that I only get around 50Mb.
Sorry for changing the topic (o:

Well worth investing in a router that can do both. Slow WiFi is a pain

Blazer · 09-01-2016 2:18pm

I have a dual band ac router.
If I go out of range of the 5ghz it will switch to the 2.4ghz but you have to manually switch it back unless it goes out of range of the currently connected band.
Its a bloody nuisance in fairness.

from_atozinc · 09-01-2016 4:29pm

Blazer wrote: »

I have a dual band ac router.
If I go out of range of the 5ghz it will switch to the 2.4ghz but you have to manually switch it back unless it goes out of range of the currently connected band.
Its a bloody nuisance in fairness.

Yeah it's a pain.

I also find with the 5G that you literally have to be right beside the modem it for it to work. The next room loses it, as for going upstairs and trying to use 5 G - not a chance.

flyguy · 09-01-2016 4:39pm

Not sure how it works on other routers, but on my time capsule (basically AirPort Extreme with HDD) both networks are named the same, I can only see one wifi network name if I search (but they're both there though). Phone switches back and forth as required. You can always name them the same I guess?

from_atozinc · 09-01-2016 5:48pm

flyguy wrote: »

Not sure how it works on other routers, but on my time capsule (basically AirPort Extreme with HDD) both networks are named the same, I can only see one wifi network name if I search (but they're both there though). Phone switches back and forth as required. You can always name them the same I guess?

Could be an option. But then you don't really know which actual network you are connected to.......suppose you could guess by the speeds being achieved.

SgtBob · 10-01-2016 1:01pm

If you connect to the 5GHz and move out of range and the iPhone connects to the 2.4GHz, then move back within range of the 5GHz, I don't believe the iPhone will automatically switch back to the 5GHz. From apple support the iPhone connects to networks based on auto-join settings and signal strength.

From https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202831 - "When iOS evaluates SSIDs to auto-join, it prefers known networks, higher levels of security, and stronger relative signal strength (RSSI)."

Unless of course, when you are closer to the router, the signal strength of the 5GHz is higher than the 2.4GHz, but I don't see that happening.

Just looking at the wifi networks available on my mac, my 5GHz is actually slightly higher than my 2.4GHz, by 1-2. So I guess it could be possible when you are in the same room as the router. But I don't know what tolerances are built into iOS for it.

from_atozinc · 10-01-2016 1:22pm

Thanks Bob.

flyguy · 11-01-2016 12:58am

SgtBob wrote: »

If you connect to the 5GHz and move out of range and the iPhone connects to the 2.4GHz, then move back within range of the 5GHz, I don't believe the iPhone will automatically switch back to the 5GHz. From apple support the iPhone connects to networks based on auto-join settings and signal strength.

From https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202831 - "When iOS evaluates SSIDs to auto-join, it prefers known networks, higher levels of security, and stronger relative signal strength (RSSI)."

Unless of course, when you are closer to the router, the signal strength of the 5GHz is higher than the 2.4GHz, but I don't see that happening.

Just looking at the wifi networks available on my mac, my 5GHz is actually slightly higher than my 2.4GHz, by 1-2. So I guess it could be possible when you are in the same room as the router. But I don't know what tolerances are built into iOS for it.

While what you say is true for the behaviour of the iPhone, the Apple router I think makes the difference. I think it's different to standard dual-band routers as on the latest models you can't even switch off one of the bands. All you can do is name them differently. Recently I had to set something up and the device I was setting up only supported 2.4. As I can't switch off 5 and both my phone and new device needed to be on 2.4 I named the networks differently and connected the iPhone to the 2.4 one (obviously deleting the 5 band from stored networks, even on iCloud). I could not get the device setup and after a lot of troubleshooting figured out the iPhone still forced itself onto the 5ghz wifi which made the setup fail (airport utility app showed what the iPhone was actually connected to, instead of the wifi settings). In the end I had to use an older model iPhone to successfully setup the device. So long story short, the Apple routers work well and will force the iPhone to switch to the better network as appropriate even if you try to avoid this from happening...

dodzy · 15-01-2016 2:47pm

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

Horizon >> Airport Extreme >> iPhone 6.

This one CG?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00DCR3VV8/sr=8-1/qid=1452865636/ref=olp_product_details?_encoding=UTF8&me=&qid=1452865636&sr=8-1

Creamy Goodness · 15-01-2016 4:03pm

dodzy wrote: »

This one CG?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00DCR3VV8/sr=8-1/qid=1452865636/ref=olp_product_details?_encoding=UTF8&me=&qid=1452865636&sr=8-1

yup, that's the one

dodzy · 15-01-2016 4:45pm

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

yup, that's the one

Sorry for bothering you CG but are there any other benefits ? I'm currently getting about 125mb DL on the iphone / ipad ( same setup as you with the exception of not having the A Ex. ) on the 5ghz.

Creamy Goodness · 15-01-2016 5:15pm

So you have horizon >> iPhone / iPad ?

Yup there's a massive difference. Upc's routers and hardware are terrible (rumours is it they have an 802.11 ac) router out as they're offering 360mbit now but I doubt the quality of its good.

To get the full wifi speed to your iPhone you need a good ac router with 5ghz. Remember the iOS device has to have an ac wifi chip in it too, iPhone 6 and about I think.

Nonoperational · 15-01-2016 11:41pm

The new UPC router is ok.

dodzy · 18-01-2016 2:03pm

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

So you have horizon >> iPhone / iPad ?

Yup there's a massive difference. Upc's routers and hardware are terrible (rumours is it they have an 802.11 ac) router out as they're offering 360mbit now but I doubt the quality of its good.

To get the full wifi speed to your iPhone you need a good ac router with 5ghz. Remember the iOS device has to have an ac wifi chip in it too, iPhone 6 and about I think.

Yep, spot on. Cheers for the advice. I might just bite the bullet and invest. I take it that it'll perform admirably in terms of feeding the daughters facebook / snapchat addiction on 2.4ghz?

Creamy Goodness · 18-01-2016 2:05pm

dodzy wrote: »

Yep, spot on. Cheers for the advice. I might just bite the bullet and invest. I take it that it'll perform admirably in terms of feeding the daughters facebook / snapchat addiction on 2.4ghz?

yup, at the moment I have the PS 4 on the 2.4ghz network as the PS 4 doesn't do 5ghz (at least the launch day models don't) and it gets about 70mbps through some walls and a floor

iPhone 6 and dual band wifi.

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