Range - AWUSO36NH vs AWUSO36ACH ?

[SP2005]

I got these two WIFI adaptor AWUSO36HN and  Alfa AWUS036ACH AC1200

I like them both, but the range on the the AWUSO36HN is much better than on the AWUSO36ACH. I thought that the range would be better on the last one. Anyone else that experiences this ? 

[i8igmac]

5.8ghz is best.

2.4 is obsolete.

 

I just have to upgrade my kodi pi to support 5.8ghz. Then ill completely remove 2.4 from my property.

[PixL]

Quote

5.8ghz is best.

...however 2.4ghz has the longer range for the same power output.

[Dave-ee Jones]

2 hours ago, PixL said:

...however 2.4ghz has the longer range for the same power output.

More or less correct.

2.4 GHz Range > 5 GHz Range

2.4 GHz Throughput < 5 GHz Throughput

2.4 GHz is better in larger, client-spread areas, 5 GHz is better in smaller, condensed areas with lots of clients.

In regards to the OP, I know the AWUS036CH has incredible range, and it uses both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz (dual-band). With large 9dB 2.4 GHz Antennas I can increase that range dramatically, although I don't use them at home. Bad idea - I just use the default antennas that came with the AWUS036CH, which are still quite powerful.

I can't give an accurate test of which has better range though, as I don't own the NH, sorry. And if you're using the adapter for Linux-based machines, go with the NH, because (I would assume) it has better driver compatibility with Linux than the CH, which is notorious for being awful with Linux drivers, sadly.

[Cap_Sig]

AWUS036NH has some of the best range wise of usb adapters for 2.4 GHz that I have tested.  A lot of times it seems to have stronger signal than other adapters, not necessary more APs.  

Edited April 16, 2018 by trapman16

[kr@ken]

AWUS036nh 2000mw
Awus051nh v2
AWUS036ACH
AWUS036AC
Awus036nhr v2
Awus051nh
I have access to buy this cards but i do not know which one is better...
i need advice
please help me

[Dave-ee Jones]

1 hour ago, kr@ken said:

AWUS036nh 2000mw
Awus051nh v2
AWUS036ACH
AWUS036AC
Awus036nhr v2
Awus051nh
I have access to buy this cards but i do not know which one is better...
i need advice
please help me

Depends what you want to do with them ?

Research the differences between them and see what best suits.

Do you need range? Do you need speed? Do you need driver compatibility with Linux/Mac/Windows?

I own the ACH and it's drivers don't work very well with many Linux distros (including Kali/Debian), and it seems to not work very well with my Windows machine either (swapped to cable anyway so I'm not too fussed).

[kr@ken]

Thank you for your answer

I've been researching

But confused

I need driver compatibility with Linux . 
I can increase range with new antenna .
but speed is important too(not too much)

[0phoi5]

On ‎4‎/‎12‎/‎2018 at 4:37 PM, i8igmac said:

2.4 is obsolete.

Wow, definitely not.

It's slower, but much better at distance and punching through objects.

[i8igmac]

12 hours ago, haze1434 said:

Wow, definitely not.

It's slower, but much better at distance and punching through objects.

2.4ghz = dropped packets or packet loss.

The more distance the more interference.

 

With 5.8ghz I can achieve almost" the same distance. 

I can achieve 20 Times the download speed and completely eliminate packet loss... a long distance and long term stable connection.

 

2.4ghz. At the same distance, identical parabolic 2x2 mimo design. completely identical setup. 2.4 will crawl on the floor and deauthenticate every 5 minutes.

 

if you have the experience or knowledge to agree with the above. Do share plz

 

 

Edited June 9, 2018 by i8igmac

[ILoveCyberSec]

I spent weeks trying to get the drivers to kali linux/ to no avail. you have to find the right kernel for you

[barry99705]

13 hours ago, i8igmac said:

2.4ghz = dropped packets or packet loss.

The more distance the more interference.

 

With 5.8ghz I can achieve almost" the same distance. 

I can achieve 20 Times the download speed and completely eliminate packet loss... a long distance and long term stable connection.

 

2.4ghz. At the same distance, identical parabolic 2x2 mimo design. completely identical setup. 2.4 will crawl on the floor and deauthenticate every 5 minutes.

 

if you have the experience or knowledge to agree with the above. Do share plz

 

 

You're getting interference from something if it's doing that.  I have clients running point to point 2.4ghz connections a few hundred meters apart.  You're right, it's not fast, but they don't need fast, they need a connection.  It's still about as fast as their internet connection, so they're not too worried about it.

[0phoi5]

On ‎6‎/‎8‎/‎2018 at 10:42 PM, i8igmac said:

2.4ghz = dropped packets or packet loss.

The more distance the more interference.

With 5.8ghz I can achieve almost" the same distance. 

I can achieve 20 Times the download speed and completely eliminate packet loss... a long distance and long term stable connection.

2.4ghz. At the same distance, identical parabolic 2x2 mimo design. completely identical setup. 2.4 will crawl on the floor and deauthenticate every 5 minutes.

if you have the experience or knowledge to agree with the above. Do share plz

 

You're committing a bit of an anecdotal fallacy there.

Actually physics will confirm you're incorrect. 2.4ghz will always reach further than 5ghz, as per the wavelength. It will also always punch through objects better, as per the wavelengths.

Potentially, yes, it can lose more packets than 5ghz, due to the nature of longer distances equalling a higher possibility of this happening, but certainly not to the extent you are experiencing, generally. I agree with barry, there must be a reason for this interference, and it isn't the fact that the signal is 2.4ghz.

[i8igmac]

On 6/12/2018 at 4:57 AM, haze1434 said:

You're committing a bit of an anecdotal fallacy there.

Actually physics will confirm you're incorrect. 2.4ghz will always reach further than 5ghz, as per the wavelength. It will also always punch through objects better, as per the wavelengths.

Potentially, yes, it can lose more packets than 5ghz, due to the nature of longer distances equalling a higher possibility of this happening, but certainly not to the extent you are experiencing, generally. I agree with barry, there must be a reason for this interference, and it isn't the fact that the signal is 2.4ghz.

I'm not doubting the distance achievable on 2.4ghz in a perfect world.

 

 Its the crowded channels that cause unstable conditions. 

 

There might be 11 channels to choose from but in actuality there are only three available. because of channel width at 20mhz.

rule of thumb is not to be on the same channel as your neighbor or within the overlapping channel width. This works perfectly if you have only 2 Neighbors. Maybe in the 1990s this was perfect when only 3 people had wifi.

 

if your neighbor on the left uses channel 2 and the house on your right uses Channel 7. Then you might experience horrific packet loss and extreme amounts of retries. Depending on how many devices you have in your home fighting and competing for wifi this condition will be more apparent.

 

Currently I see 20 access points running on 2.4ghz. Channels 1 6 and 11 are most popular. Devices now days will scan and then choose a channel with the least amount of noise. I also see 3 turds using channel 2 7 8 and 9... 

 

Microwaves, baby Monitors,  security cameras, tow cars. All other items also operating on the same frequency.

 

So yah. its crowded and outdated. Maybe not yet obsolete as I stated ?

 

now. Blasting through walls With a proper directional antenna. reaching out and connecting to the office router or the free cafe Wi-Fi, maybe running some arp spoofing sessions on a house in the distance. This nice powerful antenna will now increase the amount of access points visible thus increasing noise.

 

I guess what I'm doing is directly related to the above. a stable connection is not possible with 2.4ghz... 5.8ghz is like I'm standing in the living room of the distant building 100% stable.

5.8ghz 2x2 mimo long range blasting through walls.

A point to point link typically is line of site rooftop mounted decent hardware on both ends. Not blasting through walls and certainly not congested residential neighborhoods.

 

Anyways. introduce your self to 5.8ghz... 

Edited June 13, 2018 by i8igmac

[Dave-ee Jones]

19 hours ago, i8igmac said:

-snip-

I imagine everyone walking by gets headaches and is diagnosed with severe radiation poisoning in under a minute of exposure..

[barry99705]

On 6/13/2018 at 12:57 AM, i8igmac said:

Snip too.

 

5ghz doesn't even pass through the walls of my house(yaaay, 200 year old house), I currently have 5 access points mounted to get coverage everywhere.  Though honestly, the 2.4ghz doesn't like the walls that much either, but I can connect to the 2.4 out in my barn from the access point in my living room.  There's about 10 neighboring access points visible at any one time.  I do agree, 5 gig is soooo much better for throughput though.  My point to point reference is in a residential area, they are rooftop mounted though.  From those radios I could see about 60 neighboring access points.  The radios really need to be about twenty feet higher, they shoot over a metal roof between the buildings, but like I said, the throughput is pretty much maxed out on them, so we didn't bother.

[Cap_Sig]

On 6/12/2018 at 6:57 AM, haze1434 said:

You're committing a bit of an anecdotal fallacy there.

Actually physics will confirm you're incorrect. 2.4ghz will always reach further than 5ghz, as per the wavelength. It will also always punch through objects better, as per the wavelengths.

Potentially, yes, it can lose more packets than 5ghz, due to the nature of longer distances equalling a higher possibility of this happening, but certainly not to the extent you are experiencing, generally. I agree with barry, there must be a reason for this interference, and it isn't the fact that the signal is 2.4ghz.

This is correct for RF with no interference.  Like others have said, you must be getting off band interference.  There are so many things that can cause it.  Bad transforms, older cordless phones, older home wiring,  harmonic interference, etc, etc

Just have to start eliminating things and it will eventually show itself.  Of course a RF spectrum analyzer would make it easier!

[Dave-ee Jones]

On 6/9/2018 at 7:42 AM, i8igmac said:

2.4ghz. At the same distance, identical parabolic 2x2 mimo design. completely identical setup. 2.4 will crawl on the floor and deauthenticate every 5 minutes.

if you have the experience or knowledge to agree with the above. Do share plz

Do you WiFi hotspot often from your phone? 9/10 the phone can only make a 2.4 GHz WiFi hotspot and I've never had problems with it. Mind you, at the moment it's set to 5 GHz because OP phone (pun intended - not everyone will get it, though).

Also, my old PCIe WiFi adapter was 2.4 GHz only and that never faltered.

I would look at your most-likely-DIY setup or your source of WiFi ? Could also be channel interference. 

[i8igmac]

7 hours ago, Dave-ee Jones said:

Do you WiFi hotspot often from your phone? 9/10 the phone can only make a 2.4 GHz WiFi hotspot and I've never had problems with it. Mind you, at the moment it's set to 5 GHz because OP phone (pun intended - not everyone will get it, though).

Also, my old PCIe WiFi adapter was 2.4 GHz only and that never faltered.

I would look at your most-likely-DIY setup or your source of WiFi ? Could also be channel interference. 

It is exactly interference. The source is a combination of things in the neighborhood, also more noticeable with the amount of range involved.

 

but again. 5.8ghz brings me a solid long range stable 40mb per second. both radios operate in different frequency. the device is in fact broadcasting 2.4ghz  from device1 ? and 5.8ghz blows right threw all the nearby congested airwaves.

 

[Dave-ee Jones]

9 hours ago, i8igmac said:

It is exactly interference. The source is a combination of things in the neighborhood, also more noticeable with the amount of range involved.

but again. 5.8ghz brings me a solid long range stable 40mb per second. both radios operate in different frequency. the device is in fact broadcasting 2.4ghz  from device1 ? and 5.8ghz blows right threw all the nearby congested airwaves.

It's true 2.4 GHz can struggle to navigate it's way through many other channels of 2.4 GHz, but it doesn't mean it's useless. Your neighbourhood must have a magical air about it...

..AKA WiFi.

[Cap_Sig]

I think one of the funniest interference cases is when an ISP puts all the SAME WiFi routers on the SAME channel in the SAME town and a lot of people are mad about poor WiFi signal.  

Its bad enough when a low quality router is used, but simple channel delegation can help quite a bit.