Wifi: 5Ghz?

hArTh · Aug 9, 2004

I'd like to add my vote for a wifi forum [

]

I'm busy swotting up the whole wifi scene as I want to setup my own system.

I see their are dual band 2.4/5 Ghz cards available. Is 5 Ghz useable in ZA? Or will the airforce drop a cluster bomb on me if I use it?

What are the advantages of using it in 5 Ghz mode?

Sorry for all the n00b questions ... there will be many more.

-Information anarchist-
www.sentechhatesfreespeech.org.za
I support:
www.poopband.co.za
www.hellkom.co.za

dbnnet · Aug 9, 2004

I've yet to hear of a 5Ghz solution implemented here commercially in SA.
At that frequency... it is going to have a number of serious limitations.
(Sentech is however implementing a commercial 3.5Ghz solution from Cambridge Broadband of the UK).

I also doubt that the 5Ghz spectrum would be available for
commercial use here.

Bay of Plenty : Signal 48% - SNL 17 - ber 71% : D-Link DI-604 - PPPoE : 8dBi Patch Antenna : Firmware 4.2.1.8

hArTh · Aug 9, 2004

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by dbnnet
 I've yet to hear of a 5Ghz solution implemented here commercially in SA.
At that frequency... it is going to have a number of serious limitations.
(Sentech is however implementing a commercial 3.5Ghz solution from Cambridge Broadband of the UK).

I also doubt that the 5Ghz spectrum would be available for
commercial use here.

Bay of Plenty : Signal 48% - SNL 17 - ber 71% : D-Link DI-604 - PPPoE : 8dBi Patch Antenna : Firmware 4.2.1.8
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Dammit man! I've been looking all over for you [

] Get yo ass onto the channel.

Please drop me a mail asap: james.mclaren@gmail.com

Back to the issue at hand, heres the 2.4/5 Ghz card I was talking about:
http://www.dlink.com/products/?pid=306

They are selling locally.

[}

]

-Information anarchist-
www.sentechhatesfreespeech.org.za
I support:
www.poopband.co.za
www.hellkom.co.za

dbnnet · Aug 9, 2004

WOW!
hArTh, If D-Link are selling them locally.. that is very interesting
as it may mean that the 5Ghz spectrum is available ....or that DLink SA
have not done their homework

I was not aware of this specific model... and sure as hell will do some
homework of my own tomorrow and establish more details.

I did send you an email earlier!

Bay of Plenty : Signal 48% - SNL 17 - ber 71% : D-Link DI-604 - PPPoE : 8dBi Patch Antenna : Firmware 4.2.1.8

Goobie · Aug 9, 2004

I'm no expert on this, but a while ago there was this discussion on TechTV (US cable TV channel)that the 5Ghz Wi-fi is more susceptible to interference by walls and buildings resulting in a shorter working range. Don't know if this is true, just relaying what I've heard.

dbnnet · Aug 9, 2004

Goobie, yes that is correct. 5Ghz has many limitations and I cannot understand
why it would appeal to users here in SA.
(Also bear in mind that in the USA, most homes are made from wood..... here in SA with
our brick and concrete structures, I think it would be crazy).

Bay of Plenty : Signal 48% - SNL 17 - ber 71% : D-Link DI-604 - PPPoE : 8dBi Patch Antenna : Firmware 4.2.1.8

regardtv · Aug 10, 2004

Ok, have I lost my mind ... 5Ghz is very simply 802.11a ... nothing fancy .. been around for quite some time.

More limited range than the 802.11b/g gear but good speeds. Not been too popular because up until recently a/b/g gear was not freely available.

5Ghz is part of the internationally public spectrum. It's the same as the 2.4Ghz spectrum for all intents and purposes.

dbnnet · Aug 10, 2004

No.. you are right. Gee...I had forgotten about the old 802.11a
(It never really took off here in SA)
This then makes sense... as 5Ghz is simply not an ideal
frequency, and I could not figure out why D-Link would be
introducing a new solution in this frequency band.

Bay of Plenty : Signal 48% - SNL 17 - ber 71% : D-Link DI-604 - PPPoE : 8dBi Patch Antenna : Firmware 4.2.1.8

John · Aug 10, 2004

www.duxbury.co.za distributes the Proxim 5ghz AP. 5.ghz is mainly used for creating a
backhaul backbone of 802.11b data. The access point must be able to deal with the hidden
node problem. Only locustworld and WRT54g Linksys solves this at the moment. With D-link,
netgear ect you need a PC runnning http://frottle.sourceforge.net software and the costs
escelates...

dbnnet · Aug 13, 2004

And just when you though it was safe to..... along comes 802.11n

"802.11n standard would be compatible with 802.11b and 802.11g.
The technology could operate at speeds up to 540 megabits per second".

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&ncid=738&e=1&u=/nm/20040812/tc_nm/tech_wireless_dc

..... and guess what... it operates in the 5GHz spectrum! Aaaag!

Bay of Plenty : Signal 48% - SNL 17 - ber 71% : D-Link DI-604 - PPPoE : 8dBi Patch Antenna : Firmware 4.2.1.8

Jerrek · Aug 14, 2004

What is so bad about 5 GHz?

dbnnet · Aug 14, 2004

Homes & Offices in SA are built with brick & concrete.
(Almost no wooden or steel frame buildings here!)
At that frequency it is quite problematic getting though
one wall ... more than that is almost impossible.

Bay of Plenty : Signal 48% - SNL 17 - ber 71% : D-Link DI-604 - PPPoE : 8dBi Patch Antenna : Firmware 4.2.1.8

Jerrek · Aug 15, 2004

Thats true. Didn't know that little construction fact. We use wood because a) it is plentiful, b) it is cheap, and c) it is a good insulator. I can just imagine the heating bills if you have a concrete house and it is -40 outside.

dbnnet · Aug 15, 2004

Our building methods pretty much date back to the colonial era

This in a sub-tropical climate!

(I see that the USA are re-thinking the introduction of concrete
high-rise buildings though.... this since the 9/11 commission
focused the problem of melting steel frame structures in casses
of fire/impact).

Bay of Plenty : Signal 48% - SNL 17 - ber 71% : D-Link DI-604 - PPPoE : 8dBi Patch Antenna : Firmware 4.2.1.8

Wifi: 5Ghz?

hArTh

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dbnnet

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regardtv

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John

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