802.11 question

How can you tell whether a device is connected to an Airport base station
via 2.4 GHz or 5.0GHz? I think I know, but I'm not sure.

If it's shown as 802.11b/g, it's 2.4; that one is obvious.

If it's shown as 802.11a/n, it's 5.0, right?

But what if it's shown as 802.11b/g/n? Is that always 2.4, or can it be
5.0?

-- Michelle

--
Tea Party Patriots is to Patriotism as
People's Democratic Republic is to Democracy.

In article
<michelle-(E-Mail Removed)>,
Michelle Steiner <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> How can you tell whether a device is connected to an Airport base station
> via 2.4 GHz or 5.0GHz? I think I know, but I'm not sure.
>
> If it's shown as 802.11b/g, it's 2.4; that one is obvious.
>
> If it's shown as 802.11a/n, it's 5.0, right?
>
> But what if it's shown as 802.11b/g/n? Is that always 2.4, or can it be
> 5.0?
>
> -- Michelle

Option-Click on your Airport icon in the menu bar. If you are on
a 2.4GHz frequency, it sill say your channel and the frequency it
is using. And if you are on a 5GHz frequency, the Option-Click
Airport icon will again show your channel and frequency.

Option-Click Airport icon is very informative.

In article <michelle-(E-Mail Removed)>,
Michelle Steiner <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> How can you tell whether a device is connected to an Airport base station
> via 2.4 GHz or 5.0GHz? I think I know, but I'm not sure.
>
> If it's shown as 802.11b/g, it's 2.4; that one is obvious.
>
> If it's shown as 802.11a/n, it's 5.0, right?
>
> But what if it's shown as 802.11b/g/n? Is that always 2.4, or can it be
> 5.0?
>

I use different SSIDs for 2.4 and 5.0 access points.

--
PRAY, v. To ask that the laws of the universe be annulled in behalf
of a single petitioner confessedly unworthy. -- Ambrose Bierce

In article <tom_stiller-(E-Mail Removed)>,
Tom Stiller <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> > How can you tell whether a device is connected to an Airport base station
> > via 2.4 GHz or 5.0GHz? I think I know, but I'm not sure.
> >
> > If it's shown as 802.11b/g, it's 2.4; that one is obvious.
> >
> > If it's shown as 802.11a/n, it's 5.0, right?
> >
> > But what if it's shown as 802.11b/g/n? Is that always 2.4, or can it be
> > 5.0?
>
> I use different SSIDs for 2.4 and 5.0 access points.

That means they're different networks. The HP print app on my iPhone can
print to my HP printer, but they have to be on the same network.

--
Tea Party Patriots is to Patriotism as
People's Democratic Republic is to Democracy.

In article
<nospam.News.Bob-(E-Mail Removed)>,
Bob Harris <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> > How can you tell whether a device is connected to an Airport base
> > station via 2.4 GHz or 5.0GHz? I think I know, but I'm not sure.
> >
> > If it's shown as 802.11b/g, it's 2.4; that one is obvious.
> >
> > If it's shown as 802.11a/n, it's 5.0, right?
> >
> > But what if it's shown as 802.11b/g/n? Is that always 2.4, or can it
> > be 5.0?
> >
> > -- Michelle
>
> Option-Click on your Airport icon in the menu bar. If you are on a
> 2.4GHz frequency, it sill say your channel and the frequency it is
> using. And if you are on a 5GHz frequency, the Option-Click Airport
> icon will again show your channel and frequency.
>
> Option-Click Airport icon is very informative.

That doesn't tell me which peripherals are connected; it tells me only how
the computer is connected. (Besides, the computer is connected via
ethernet; it's the only hardwired device on the network.

--
Tea Party Patriots is to Patriotism as
People's Democratic Republic is to Democracy.

In article <150520111140474700%(E-Mail Removed)>,
nospam <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> > > I use different SSIDs for 2.4 and 5.0 access points.
> >
> > That means they're different networks. The HP print app on my iPhone
> > can print to my HP printer, but they have to be on the same network.
>
> not if you set them up to be on the same network.

I am not following you. You're saying that they don't have to be on the
same network if you set them up to be on the same network.

The instructions for the HP print app says that I can choose among printers
on the same network. If the 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz bands have different SSIDs,
they are different networks, so the HP print app for the iPad won't see the
printer. (The iPhone and the printer are both 2.4 GHz, so it's not a
problem for that pairing.)

--
Tea Party Patriots is to Patriotism as
People's Democratic Republic is to Democracy.

In article
<michelle-(E-Mail Removed)>,
Michelle Steiner <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> In article <150520111140474700%(E-Mail Removed)>,
> nospam <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
> > > > I use different SSIDs for 2.4 and 5.0 access points.
> > >
> > > That means they're different networks. The HP print app on my iPhone
> > > can print to my HP printer, but they have to be on the same network.
> >
> > not if you set them up to be on the same network.
>
> I am not following you. You're saying that they don't have to be on the
> same network if you set them up to be on the same network.
>
> The instructions for the HP print app says that I can choose among printers
> on the same network. If the 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz bands have different SSIDs,
> they are different networks, so the HP print app for the iPad won't see the
> printer. (The iPhone and the printer are both 2.4 GHz, so it's not a
> problem for that pairing.)

The SSID has nothing to do with the subnet (aka the network). The
SSID is just identifying the access point and password for the
access point.

If you want a "Roaming" WiFi setup, then there are advantages
having all the SSID names and passwords being the same. However,
if "Roaming" is not an issue, or you have dual-trasmitter WiFi
base stations, you can have matching 2.4GHz SSID and passwords,
and a separately names 5GHz SSID and passwords. But both the
2.4GHz and the 5GHz WiFi consumers will ALL be on the same subnet,
so they will all be able to use Bonjour to see all the services in
your home, they will all be able to freely talk to each other.

Do not confuse the SSID name with the subnet. The subnet is the
critical part of your setup. The SSID names are separately
settable.

On 05-15-2011 11:22, Michelle Steiner wrote:
> That doesn't tell me which peripherals are connected; it tells me only how
> the computer is connected

For that, turn one of the channels off and see whether the device still
works.

--
Wes Groleau

There are two types of people in the world …
http://Ideas.Lang-Learn.us/barrett?itemid=1157

In article <michelle-(E-Mail Removed)>,
Michelle Steiner <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> I am not following you. You're saying that they don't have to be on the
> same network if you set them up to be on the same network.
>
> The instructions for the HP print app says that I can choose among printers
> on the same network. If the 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz bands have different SSIDs,
> they are different networks, so the HP print app for the iPad won't see the
> printer. (The iPhone and the printer are both 2.4 GHz, so it's not a
> problem for that pairing.)

So connect to the 2.4 SSID when you want to print. I have the same
setup with an iPhone and and HP printer on 2.4 and iPad on 5.

However here is a little tip. If the printer is next to your Mac and
your Mac is on Ethernet to the same router as your Wi Fi SSID's,
connect the printer by USB and the iPad will print over the 5 SSID.

--
Charles

In article <michelle-(E-Mail Removed)>,
Michelle Steiner <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> > I use different SSIDs for 2.4 and 5.0 access points.
>
> That means they're different networks. The HP print app on my iPhone can
> print to my HP printer, but they have to be on the same network.

not if you set them up to be on the same network.