THE PATRIOT KID

🌐 2.4GHz vs. 5GHz: What's the Difference?

2.4GHz: Longer range, penetrates walls better, but only 3 non-overlapping channels (1, 6, 11). Every device in your building fights over the same lanes.

5GHz: Shorter range, but 23+ non-overlapping channels and far less congestion. Much faster when you're close to the router.

The rule: Use 5GHz for laptops and streaming devices close to your router. Reserve 2.4GHz for IoT devices and things farther away.

🚫 The Hidden Wi-Fi Killers

These are the things silently wrecking your signal:

• Microwave ovens — blast 2.4GHz every time they run
• Baby monitors & cameras — constant interference on 2.4GHz
• Bluetooth speakers & headphones — share the same spectrum
• Neighbors' routers — the #1 cause of channel congestion
• Thick concrete/brick walls — absorb signal, especially 5GHz
• Cordless phones — old ones use 2.4GHz directly

💡 Router Placement Tips

Where your router sits matters as much as what router you have:

• Place it centrally in your home or office — not in a closet
• Keep it elevated — off the floor and out of cabinets
• At least 3 feet from microwaves, baby monitors, and cordless phones
• Away from metal objects — filing cabinets kill signal
• Point antennas vertically for horizontal coverage

Still slow after all this? Chuck will find it.