Do you have a Wi-Fi connection at your home or office? You must have heard the name of the router. A router helps you to connect devices with the internet. However, do you know the difference between a dual-band and single-band router? The blog explains comprehensive analysis on dual-band vs single-band router.
Before comparing dual-band and single-band router, let us first understand the basic things about these devices.
What is a Dual Band Router?
Dual-band routers use two frequency bands that are 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz one-by-one for data transmission to provide better performance. You get one channel of 2.4 GHz band that works on 802.11n standard. It provides speed up to 300Mbps. The other channel is 5GHz band that works on 802.11ac standard. It delivers outstanding speed up to 2 Gbps.
The dual-band router has better range coverage and signal strength. It is capable of switching bands automatically whenever needed. Dual-band routers perform superbly in open areas with fewer objects due to high oscillating radio waves. It would help if you considered buying the best dual-band router for your mid-sized home or small office.
Suppose there are two users connected with a dual-band router. The first user is watching a video on Youtube while the second user is playing a game online.
What is a Single Band Router?
Single Band Router uses only one frequency for wireless connectivity which is 2.4GHz. You get only one channel that works on 802.11n with the internet speed up to 300Mbps.
These routers are better while penetrating objects like walls, furniture and doors because of the low-frequency rate. This thing makes it a right choice for small homes or offices.
You may have a question, who should consider buying a single band router? Well, if you use the internet for web browsing, reading articles or blog, and watching Youtube videos, a single-band router can satisfy your needs.
Dual-Band vs Single Band Router
Price
India is a price-sensitive market. Therefore, it is essential to know the pricing. Single-band routers are cheaper and do not contain modern features, like app-based monitoring or device prioritization. On the other hand, dual-band routers are more expensive than a single-band router.
Network Speed
When it comes to speed, a single-band router delivers limited internet speed. Not only that, but the speed of the router is also slow. There are chances that the user may face frequent connection issues that can reduce Wi-Fi speed or stability.
On the other hand, the dual-band router supports 2.4GHz and 5GHz and offers stability and faster speed than the single-band router. It delivers more stability by avoiding connection issues or interference.
Performance
As the dual-band routers offer more features, dual-band routers’ performance is also better than the single-band routers. Single-band routers have a shorter range. Also the strength is not good enough. However, if your purpose of using the internet is to surf, read articles and news, watch Youtube videos, a single-band router is suitable for you.
On the other hand, the dual-band routers provide long-range, strong signal strength, and switches automatically from 2.4GHz to 5GHz as per the requirement. As the signal strength is outstanding, you can use dual-band routers for high-resolution online gaming, high-resolution audio and video streaming. Moreover, if you live in a home with 3BHK, dual-band routers can be the best choice.
If you live in an apartment where there are multiple Wi-Fi connections, your connection may drop if you use a single-band router. Therefore, if you live in such kind of area, prefer buying dual-band routers for smooth internet surfing.
Compatibility
Another essential thing to consider is compatibility. As single-based routers use 2.4GHz band, they are compatible most of the time with the broadband modems and wireless cards. On the other side, these days smartphones, personal computers, laptop, and other accessories are compatible with both 2.4GHz and 5GHz. Hence, all these devices are compatible with dual-band routers.
| Characteristics | Single-band Router | Dual-band Router |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Economical | Expensive |
| Signal strength | Medium | Strong |
| Suitable for | Small home or office | Large home |
| Works perfectly for | Internet surfing, email, watching online videos | High-resolution online streaming and video streaming |
| Covering area | Small | Very large |
| Operating frequency | 2.4GHz | 2.4GHz and 5GHz |
| Number of connected devices | 3-4 | 5-10 |
| Performance | Average | High |
| Price | Rs. 1000 to Rs. 1500 | Above Rs. 3000 |
Conclusion
This is all about the difference between dual-band routers and single-band routers. We recommend you to prefer dual-band routers as we all love to browse the internet with fast speed. However, if you live in a small space, for instance, a hostel room, single-band routers are a more convenient option.