2.4GHz Wi-Fi isn't great, but that's why it's still useful today

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Key findings

  • The 2.4 GHz band is still essential for smart home devices due to its long range and compatibility with most routers, despite its slow speeds.
  • The 5 GHz and 6 GHz bands offer higher bandwidth, but 2.4 GHz is preferred for comprehensive connectivity and compatibility with older devices.
  • Due to the large number of connected devices, the 2.4 GHz band often becomes overloaded, causing delays in communication between devices.



Wireless technologies have evolved significantly over the past few decades, but for many IoT and smart home devices, we still rely on the 2.4 GHz band. Although this band has many drawbacks (which is why we now have 5 GHz and 6 GHz), it's still worth using in 2024. The main reason the 2.4 GHz band has been largely replaced for general connectivity is its low bandwidth and heavy congestion.


What is 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi?

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1985 was the birth year of the 2.4 GHz radio frequency from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the United States. Because it was free, it was quickly used as the basis for the first wireless protocol, 802.11. You've probably heard of 802.11 because marketing used protocol SKUs to represent connectivity improvements in hardware like laptops and phones. So what is the 2.4 GHz band? A band is a group of frequencies for transmitting radio waves. Bands are further divided into channels. 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz refer to the bands cleared by government agencies for wireless data transmission. A single hertz (Hz) represents one repetition per second.


1 GHz has 1,000,000,000 Hz. The higher the number, the more frequently wave patterns are repeated, which means longer waves and greater range. The higher this number of repetitions and channels, the more bandwidth is available to the network. Think of each band as a pipe with fluid flowing through it. The larger the pipe, the more fluid can flow through it. Newer bands like 5 GHz and 6 GHz are not supported by older hardware. Modern smartphones, for example, are likely to support all three bands for fast data transfer and stable connectivity throughout a building.

2.4 GHz is limited to certain speeds and is significantly slower than other available bands. Modern routers support 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz and 6 GHz, giving you more scope to get online with the technology. While you're reading about bands, don't forget about security with WPA2!


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How the 2.4 GHz band became overloaded

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As expected, throwing everything at the same connection was inevitably going to cause problems, especially as technology continued to evolve and more bandwidth was required. Everything connected to the wireless network over 2.4GHz. Your phone, TV, computer, and smart devices all use the same band. Add in lightbulbs, plugs, and other smart home protocols, and the 2.4GHz band is now a congested mess. Look at the list of clients connected wirelessly to your router, and there's a high chance it's using 2.4GHz. Looking at my home LAN right now, everything except a select few devices is on the same 2.4GHz band.


Supporting 2.4 GHz keeps smart home hardware small, affordable and compatible.

2.4GHz is still used today because it offers better coverage and is available on most routers, including all models used by internet service providers (ISPs). This is especially useful for devices installed around (and outside) the home. That Ring doorbell next to your front door? Yes, 2.4GHz ensures a stable connection so you can see who's knocking. It's not fast, but it's fast enough for everything we need it for. Since almost everything supports 2.4GHz, the band gets congested, especially in a busy home or office. Even devices that support higher bands fall back to 2.4GHz for better coverage.


It's hard to understand how congested a wireless network can become, since it's all invisible to the naked eye. Imagine if the wireless data waves were sound waves and your devices had to compete with each other so the router (or access point) could hear them clearly. With a few devices on the same band, this wouldn't be a problem, but when that number rises to 20 or more for smart home devices, you start to run into problems with too much noise. Have you ever wondered why the smart plug takes a few seconds to respond to your input? Network congestion could be the reason.

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Why 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi is still essential in today's connected world

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We're fitting more and more smart technology into our homes. Central heating and air conditioning can be controlled from the phone. More and more people are buying electric cars, smart lightbulbs, smart plugs and even washing machines that can connect wirelessly to the LAN. For some, this may seem like too much, but for others, it's incredibly convenient to get more done with less human intervention. The 2.4GHz wireless band makes this easier. 5GHz and 6GHz help the network spread the load across different channels and this is important for smart homes, but the 2.4GHz band shouldn't be overlooked.


Supporting 2.4 GHz keeps smart home hardware small, affordable, and compatible, which is something to consider when planning your network infrastructure and purchasing numerous smart home accessories.

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