How to use 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz at the same time

1

I have the following setup:

  • 1x TP-Link Archer C7 (with to Accesspoints "AC24" on 2.4 GHz and "AC5" on 5 GHz)
  • 1x Notebook with 2 Wifi-Adapters (TP-Link Stick connected to "AC5" and Intel N 7260 connected to "AC24")

If I'm connected with both network cards, as described above, Windows only uses one connection. How to combine them? I tried to create a network bridge over the 2 network cards, but then I loose internet connection.

(Connection works only if one of both cards in the bridge is connected. As soon as the second card connects, the bridge looses. Sometimes immediately, sometimes after some seconds.)

netblognet

Posted 2015-05-14T11:10:27.997

Reputation: 139

To put it simply. You can't. Even if you did it wouldn't increase your bandwidth. – Ramhound – 2015-05-14T11:14:32.747

Only thing that would come close would be a bonded connection but as Ramhound mentioned it would be useless as that is mostly for eth + wifi style connection boosts and redundancy. – linuxdev2013 – 2015-05-14T11:19:53.973

Why wouldn't it improve the bandwidth? AC24 connects with 300Mbit. AC5 with 520Mbit. If the bridge adapter would get a request for file download, couldn't it could split requests on low level and send packages alternating on both physical connections? – netblognet – 2015-05-14T11:20:05.887

That only works when the other side (the AP in this case) provides corresponding logic to distribute the packets over multiple links. Wikipedia has an article on link aggregation. “AC24” is a misnomer btw, because it’s not 11ac in the 2.4 GHz band. ;)

– Daniel B – 2015-05-14T12:32:21.513

1@netblognet - The reason it wouldn't increase your bandwidth is because you only have one pipe. You would need two pipes and connect to both of those pipes to increase your bandwidth. Unless you have a 520Mbit connection, and if you do, then just that single 802.11ac connection would max out your bandwidth. – Ramhound – 2015-05-14T12:32:36.343

@DanielB it's not a misnormer. I meaned AC for AccessPoint not for the wireless standard. ;-) – netblognet – 2015-05-14T16:31:06.887

@Ramhound I've a 200 Mbit internet connection. Sure the 5 GHz link is 520 Mbit, but the netto rates drop often below 200 Mbit... That's why I wanted to combine the both WiFi adapters/networks. – netblognet – 2015-05-14T16:31:11.233

How in the world did you get "AC" to stand for access point instead of "AP"? Disregard my comment in that case. – Ramhound – 2015-05-14T16:53:23.373

Answers

1

You can't and is because al IEEE 802.11 variants work in 1 and 2 Layer so that means if you router works with 2,4 and 5 Ghz modes they are always in same broadcast domain, in simple words they are like 2 plugged in same switch trying to compare with wired ones topologies.

Some solutions you should try:

Channel Bonding

Super G

More details about IEEE 802.11 :

802.11 Reference

Francisco Tapia

Posted 2015-05-14T11:10:27.997

Reputation: 2 383

Is this still not possible with modern APs that have 802.11 AC? These normally include both 2ghz and 5ghz radios? – Zapnologica – 2017-01-26T17:49:33.173

check OP, it asking about operate 2,4 and 5 as single channel, as example in wired ones he want to take a fiber channel and cat6 copper wire and operate it as 1 bond channel. imo its imposible, if it ill go to my retirement. – Francisco Tapia – 2017-03-11T00:48:49.370

Asked: 2015-05-14T11:10:27.997

Viewed: 3 947 times

Active: 2015-05-14T17:36:35.417