Electromagnetic radiation creates visible light, enables microwave ovens, causes sunburns, and allows wireless communication. Tech applications use a wide range of electromagnetic frequencies within the electromagnetic spectrum.
Wi-Fi routers and cellular communication systems are two modern uses that rely on the electromagnetic spectrum. Modern Wi-Fi routers can create ‘5GHz’ Wi-Fi. Cellular communication systems utilize ‘5G’ technology. These are not the same thing.
What is the difference between 5G and 5GHz? These systems utilize different parts of the electromagnetic spectrum and have very different performance capabilities. This article explains the difference between 5G and 5GHz and the use cases for both technologies.
What is 5G, and what is 5GHz Wi-Fi?
Fundamentally, 5G and 5GHz technology both utilize radio waves (electromagnetic radiation) to enable wireless communication. However, they use different radio wave technologies. Additionally, 5G and 5GHz stand for two different technologies.
What does 5G mean?
5G is an abbreviation for the fifth generation of wireless cellular communication technology. 5G cellular—the replacement of 3G/4G/LTE technology—utilizes relatively similar radio frequency (RF) bands as its cellular predecessors, plus a new radio (NR) frequency band not previously used for RF wireless communications.
Low- and Mid-band frequencies of 5G cellular technology operate between 600MHz and 900MHz (low-band) and 2.5GHz to 3.7GHz (mid-band). High-band 5G frequencies are the new ones to telecommunications, ranging from 24GHz and 71GHz.
Visit our What is 5G? article to learn more about this technology.
What does 5GHz mean?
5GHz is one of the several different operating frequency bands reserved for Wi-Fi and other unlicensed wireless communication technologies. Most modern Wi-Fi routers offer two RF band options upon setup – 2.4GHz and 5GHz. 2.4GHz Wi-Fi is better at providing internet over long distances and through solid surfaces, but 5GHz Wi-Fi signals have lower latency and higher internet speeds than 2.4GHz Wi-Fi.
What about 5G home internet?
Adding to the confusion between the two technologies, many home internet providers now offer 5G service that is actually a combination of the two technologies.
Traditionally, the internet is provided to a home via an ethernet or fiber optic cable owned by the internet provider. This internet signal is converted from a wired signal via a modem and then wirelessly broadcasted around a home via a router.
5G home internet eliminates the need for a wired internet connection. Instead, it utilizes a wireless 5G signal provided via a cellular provider. This 5G cellular signal is then converted, via the modem, into a Wi-Fi signal (potentially a 5GHz signal) and broadcasted via a Wi-Fi router.
5G vs. 5GHz capabilities
Aside from being different technologies, there are several differences between 5G and 5GHz capabilities. Generally, 5G cellular capabilities are far vaster than 5GHz, but each has their own value and use cases.
1. Signal Range and Quality: Given that 5G technology occupies three different frequency bands, the range of these signals also vary. Low-band frequencies can travel several thousand meters, while high-band frequencies can travel only a few meters. Meanwhile, 5GHz Wi-Fi signals can travel around 15 meters while maintaining a quality signal, but the signal is quickly weakened by interfering signals and obstacles such as building materials and people.
2. Speed: Again, 5G technology varies significantly in speed across its different frequency bands. Low-band 5G frequencies can reach internet speeds of 50 to 250Mbps. However, high-band 5G frequencies can reach theoretical speeds of up to 20 Gbps (which is 20x that of typical wired fiber optic speeds).
Meanwhile, 5GHz Wi-Fi signals can reach theoretical speeds of around 1.3 Gbps.
3. Capacity: One additional advantage of 5G high-band frequencies is their ability to support more devices than a typical 5GHz system. 5GHz Wi-Fi systems can generally support tens of devices, while high-band 5G systems can support hundreds of devices. These device support thresholds are a direct function of the capable operational speeds of each technology, which is why 5G cellular systems are widely utilized in public settings like arenas instead of Wi-Fi systems.
What does 5G mean for the future of Wi-Fi?
While 5G cellular and 5Ghz Wi-Fi technologies differ, their applications and capabilities are relatively similar. Wi-Fi is the standard for in-home wireless service and has historically been faster than cellular communication. With the advent of 5G, that’s no longer the case. 5G will not replace in-home 5GHz Wi-Fi any time soon, but in the next decade, we will likely see a shift in connected devices that currently only support Wi-Fi to support Wi-Fi and 5G signals. As the theoretical maximum of 5G speeds and latency become realized, high-speed applications like internet gaming, VR, AR, and edge IoT products will no longer require a Wi-Fi router.
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