Questions about Dual-Band routers and using g/b/n/ac together

[Cyber Akuma]

I would like to mention that I am not too good with networking hardware.

I recently got a dual-band AC router (Asus RT-AC66U) and have been hearing some conflicting advice on how the dual-band works.

First of all, if I take for example a Dual-Band N router with two 300Mbps bands. That means that you have two lanes that go up to 300Mbps, and they don't add up to 600Mbps right? I have heard it mentioned both ways, and I always assumed they don't add up the same way having two 1GHhz cpus would not add up to having a single 2Ghz CPU.

Also, I was told that each band would have it's own SSID, but when I set up my router I only saw one SSID. I assumed it was automatic and the router manages which device goes on which band until I was told that I should be seeing two SSIDs instead of one (other than setting up WiFi security and assigning specific IPs to specific devices by network name I left it more or less on default settings, I am certain that the dual band option was enabled though).

And finally, I was told that this is important because having a b or g device on a n band would slow the band down to b/g speeds. Is this true? Does that mean that when AC devices are common, and I connect an old b or g device to it, that it will slow the entire band down to below even n speeds? Or that all the n devices I have now will mean there was no point in getting an AC router unless I get rid of them all? (or stick them on their own band?).

[Midknyte]

First of all, if I take for example a Dual-Band N router with two 300Mbps bands.

Dual-band means that it operates in both the 2.4 and 5 GHz Wi-Fi frequency bands. I think you're talking about link rate.

Each band SHOULD have it's own SSID. If you only see one, it might be that your wireless NIC doesn't support 5GHz.
http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wirel...outer-reviewed

The 2.4 GHz radio's default SSID is ASUS and the 5 GHz radio is set to ASUS_5G.

Using non-N clients can slow down your network, but the router shouldn't have to slow down all clients to b or g speeds. You would need to get 802.11ac wifi cards in order to get ac speeds. Otherwise, you will be limited to the max of your wifi cards.

[Cyber Akuma]

Dual-band means that it operates in both the 2.4 and 5 GHz Wi-Fi frequency bands. I think you're talking about link rate.

Sorry for the confusion, I know that they operate at a 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz band, but I meant the link rates on each band. Even if your card supports both 2.4 and 5ghz, it can only connect to one band and thus get at max the 300Mbps example I used not 600Mbps over both right?

Each band SHOULD have it's own SSID. If you only see one, it might be that your wireless NIC doesn't support 5GHz.

huh, I understand that it's possible, but it's still surprising that nothing I own supports 5Ghz.

Using non-N clients can slow down your network, but the router shouldn't have to slow down all clients to b or g speeds. You would need to get 802.11ac wifi cards in order to get ac speeds. Otherwise, you will be limited to the max of your wifi cards.

I know that you would need an AC card to get AC speeds, I was asking for when AC cards are more common, if all these N devices I already have would slow down the AC network to N speeds.

[Midknyte]

it can only connect to one band and thus get at max the 300Mbps example I used not 600Mbps over both right?

Kinda. Manufacturers do some weird math in their labeling. If you mean "N600" router for example, the max you'd probably get is 300Mbps. 802.11n on 2.4GHz tops out at 150Mbps on a single link. Depending on the adapter, you could get 150 single or 300 dual link on 5GHz. 150+150+300=600

huh, I understand that it's possible, but it's still surprising that nothing I own supports 5Ghz.

You would need to tell us your devices. Otherwise, you'll have to check for yourself.

if all these N devices I already have would slow down the AC network to N speeds.

No they wouldn't limit all your devices to N speeds. Overall network performance may drop, but it wouldn't be a hard limit.