iPhone on a 5GHz network?

[Redneck]

I'm pretty new to iPhone and Apple, but I do like most of it so far.

One thing I can't figure out is that the iPhone is obviously not capable of recognizing and joining 5GHz 802.11n networks.

I think this is really bad because my Apple TV and the Mac Mini server do support that faster 5GHz network.
I so love that Remote app on my iPhone but in order to use it your devices must be on the same network. Which means you have to slow down your mac and your atv when you want to control it with your iPhone.

Am I overseeing something here? Does anybody know a way around this?

[KenJulio]

Well, I almost put my foot in my mouth...

iPhone and iPod touch: Troubleshooting Wi-Fi networks and connections

All iPhone and iPod touch models support 802.11b/g Wi-Fi networks. In addition, iPhone 4 and iPod touch (4th generation) support 802.11n Wi-Fi networks (2.4 GHz only).

[SCone]

iPhones support 802.11n... but only the 2.4Ghz band....

[dryicerx]

Your option is to get a dual-band router (and about half of the current 802.11n routers already support this), check your router setting in case that option is already there.

[Redneck]

@Janitha
I have a dual band router, but that still doesn't make the iPhone capable of using the faster 5GHz band. And that is exactly the problem I have.
I don't quite understand the strategy behind it. I really expected Apple devices working perfectly together, but in this case, you can't use the higher speed of the 5 GHz network if you want to keep your devices compatible to each other.

[dryicerx]

Originally Posted by Redneck

@Janitha
I have a dual band router, but that still doesn't make the iPhone capable of using the faster 5GHz band. And that is exactly the problem I have.
I don't quite understand the strategy behind it. I really expected Apple devices working perfectly together, but in this case, you can't use the higher speed of the 5 GHz network if you want to keep your devices compatible to each other.

If it's simultaneous dual band (guessing airport extreme), the router will simultaneously work on both 2.4 and 5. So all your laptops and computers will be on 5, and the iPhone will fall back to 2.4 without affecting other stuff. In your confit make sure there's no option to have both bands enable.

If your router for reason forces you to select a single band for some reason, the other option is to get a g router, and hooking it up to the main router (turn off firewall on second router, enable dhcp passthrough), in a way doing this you are rolling your own simultaneous dual band setup.

Even if you do get the iPhone on the 5 band, it won't be make a difference from a usability standpoint since only rare rare apps will be able to utilize that much speed (I'd be surprised if there are apps that can saturate even 54mbps)

[Redneck]

Well, I'm not talking about high speed data transfer over iPhone. I only want to use my iPhone to control Apple TV and iTunes on the Mac Mini while these both devices are running on a 5GHz network.
In order to do that all three devices (iPhone, ATV and Mac Mini) must be on the same network. However, the iPhone won't recognize any 5 GHz network while ATV and Mac Mini do so.
Apple TV for instance won't let me choose two networks, like a 2.4 GHz and the 5 GHz at the same time. So if I connect ATV to the 5 GHz network, the iPhone is useless as a control device. If I conncect ATV to the 2.4 GHz network I can use the iPhone as a control device (or for AirPlay), but I'm not using ATV at maximum speed (for media streaming).

[dryicerx]

Originally Posted by Redneck

Well, I'm not talking about high speed data transfer over iPhone. I only want to use my iPhone to control Apple TV and iTunes on the Mac Mini while these both devices are running on a 5GHz network.
In order to do that all three devices (iPhone, ATV and Mac Mini) must be on the same network. However, the iPhone won't recognize any 5 GHz network while ATV and Mac Mini do so.
Apple TV for instance won't let me choose two networks, like a 2.4 GHz and the 5 GHz at the same time. So if I connect ATV to the 5 GHz network, the iPhone is useless as a control device. If I conncect ATV to the 2.4 GHz network I can use the iPhone as a control device (or for AirPlay), but I'm not using ATV at maximum speed (for media streaming).

They will be on the same network, even though they use different frequencies...

To be clear. The ATV and Mini will be using the 5GHz frequency, and the iPhone will be using the 2.4Ghz frequency, and they are all connected to the same network... and communication between each device will be possible.

What router do you have? You said it has dual band, but it may not have simultaneous dual band (which is what I'm talking about).

[Redneck]

The router is a Netgear WNDR3700.
I'm trusting your skills but I have no idea how to realize what you're talking about.

[dryicerx]

Originally Posted by Redneck

The router is a Netgear WNDR3700.
I'm trusting your skills but I have no idea how to realize what you're talking about.

Alright, so go to the router config page, go to the "wireless settings" section, and there should be two section... one for 2.4GHz b/g/n and one for 5GHz a/n.

Make sure both of those have the checkmark underneath checked (Enabled SSID Broadcast).

Give each of them a different SSID names (eg. "redneck" and "redneckslow" whatever).

Now.. have all your true N devices like ATV and Mini connect to redneck, then connect your iphone4 to the redneckslow.

Hope that works

[Redneck]

Wow wow wow, it really does work. You totally made my day (and that big turkey).

Thank you so much. Have a super happy Thanksgiving.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

[janikphoto]

by the way, I'm sure the next iphone (coming next summer) will offer the faster connection. They were probably saving that feature to make the next phone seem more important?!?