Optimizing Operation at 5 GHz

Published on October 2, 2018

Optimizing Operation at 5 GHz

As the traditional 2.4 GHz operating band for IEEE 802.11-compliant Wi-Fi wireless local area networking becomes more crowded, network administrators increasingly look to the less crowded 5 GHz operating band to improve or maintain network performance and reliability. This is especially necessary in industrial Wi-Fi deployments which present greater operational challenges and more stringent requirements than residential and commercial Wi-Fi networks.

This document contrasts the key physical, regulatory, and interference considerations between the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz band and how they impact critical Wi-Fi operational parameters like performance and reliability. This document focuses on 5 GHz Wi-Fi operation in challenging industrial environments and provides recommendations for optimal dual band deployments.