Cordless phones...2.4GHz versus 5.8GHz

[VoidRaven]

So I need to get some new phones for home. But I'm trying to decide between a 2.4GHz or a 5.8GHz set. The 2.4GHz is by Uniden and has 3 handsets. The two 5.8GHz sets are by Uniden and Vtech and only have two handsets each.

I also have a Wireless G network in my house. I want something that won't interfere with the network and will get good reception through my entire house as well as into the yard.

Since I don't understand all this stuff I was hoping some folks here might provide some insight and/or recommendations.

[beerguy]

2.4 will hose your WiFi.

I used to use it to knock my kid offline when he was supposed to be doing something else. :)

I've never had a problem with the 5.8

[VoidRaven]

That's what I was looking for...thanks for the info. That was exactly what I was trying to avoid happening.


Now the question is Uniden versus Vtech.

[beerguy]

They're probably made in the sweatshop so I'd just pick the one that you think looks better. :lol:

[VoidRaven]

Fair enough....thanks!

[llpoolej]

Make sure the batter is NOT NiCad. Won't last at all. I have found Panasonic to make the best, most reliable phones. Believe me, I have a big pile of cheap ones that no longer work

[fightingobblers]

Have had no problems in 3 years with my WiFi and my 2.4 ghz phones.

Have read that you lose range by going to 5.8 ghz, because of the higher frequency, it doesn't pass through walls and other objects as well.

[CrystalAZ]

We got Panasonic and they suck for battery life (and always give us the "move closer to base" message). :rolleyes:

I'm not too impressed with them.

Crystal

[llpoolej]

That is strange, mine can stay out of the cradle for days and not go dead. I can also go to the neighbors and have a strong signal.

Maybe your Panasonic has a NiCad battery in it. Those don't last at all

[Sicklid]

I have a 5.8 after having a 2.4. I can walk across the street to a neighbor's house and still have good reception with the 5.8, but I could not with the 2.4

[Keiths_Reefs]

As far as phone brand. I have had unidens for years and they are awesome. I actually have the uniden 2.4 ghz with 3 handsets and it's a great phone system. I've had plenty of other phones that have gone to the trash after a short few months (I find that the keys on panasonics go bad after a year or so).

I also have wireless G with no problems on it. Your WAP should have a channel setting. If you have issues, pick a different one.

[oz]

According to Consumers Reports on CORDLESS PHONES;

For single handset phones;
Panasonic KX-TC1486B (900 Mhz) is best $30, second is Uniden EXI 5160 ( 5.8 Ghz) $40, 3rd is GE 26938GE1 (900 Mhz) at $20.

For Multiple Handsets phones;
Uniden DXI 986-2 CR Best Buy 900 MHz at $35 is best.
2nd; Uniden DXI 7286-2 2.4 GHz/900 MHz at $50
3rd; VTech ev 2625 $70 2.4 GHz DSS

SINGLE-HANDSET PHONES WITH AN ANSWERER
1st; Uniden CXAI 5198 5.8 GHz/900 MHz Analog $75
2nd; AT&T 1465/1445 2.4 GHz/900 MHz Analog $40
3rd; GE 25898GE3 5.8 GHz/900 MHz Analog $65

MULTIPLE-HANDSET CAPABLE PHONES WITH AN ANSWERER
AT&T E2600B 2.4 GHz DSS $165
VTech i5867 5.8 GHz/2.4 GHz DSS $110
AT&T E5965C 5.8 GHz/2.4 GHz DSS $135

[oz]

Newer phones use higher frequencies, namely 2.4 or 5.8 GHz. They aren't necessarily better than the older ones, but they may provide more calling security and a wider array of useful capabilities and features.

The current trends include phones that support two or more handsets with one base, less expensive 2.4- and 5.8-GHz analog phones, and full-featured 2.4 and 5.8-GHz digital phones. Some of the multiple-handset-capable phones now include an additional handset with a charging cradle. About a third of the cordless phones sold include a digital answering machine.

A main distinction among cordless phones is the way they transmit their signals. Here are some terms that you may see while shopping and what they mean for you:

Analog. These phones are the least expensive type available now. They tend to have the better voice quality and enough range to let you chat anywhere in your house and yard, or even a little beyond. They are also unlikely to cause interference to other wireless products. But analog transmission isn't very secure; anyone with an RF scanner or comparable wireless device might be able to listen in. Analog phones are also more likely than digital phones to suffer occasional static and RF interference from other wireless products. Price range: $15 to $100.

Digital. These offer about the same range as analog phones, but with better security and less susceptibility to RF interference. And, like analogs, they are unlikely to cause interference to other wireless products. Price range: $50 to $130.

Digital spread spectrum (DSS) . A DSS phone distributes a call across a number of frequencies, providing an added measure of security and more immunity from RF interference. The range may be slightly better than that of analog or digital phones. Note that some DSS phones--usually the 2.4-GHz or the multiple-handset-capable phones with handset-to-handset talk capabilities--use such a wide swath of the spectrum even in standby mode that they may interfere with baby monitors and other wireless products operating in the same frequency band. Price range: $75 to $225 (for multiple handset systems).

Frequency. Cordless phones use one or two of the three available frequency bands:

• 900-MHz. Some manufacturers still make inexpensive, 900-MHz phones, usually analog. They are fine for many households, and still account for about one-quarter of the market.

• 2.4-GHz. The band most phones now use. Unfortunately, many other wireless products--baby monitors, wireless computer networks, home security monitors, wireless speakers, microwaves ovens--use the same band. A 2.4-GHz analog phone is inherently susceptible to RF interference from other wireless devices, and a 2.4-GHz DSS phone may cause interference in other products. However, DSS phones billed as "802.11-friendly" are unlikely to interfere with wireless computer networks.

• 5.8-GHz. The band that newer phones use. Its main advantage: less chance of RF interference because few other products currently use this band. Some phones are dual-band, but that only means they transmit between base and handset in one band and receive in another; you can't switch to or choose one band or another.


HOW TO CHOOSE

Decide how much hardware you need. The basic options are a stand-alone phone, a phone with a built-in answerer, or a phone that supports multiple handsets from one base. A stand-alone phone is best suited for small families or people in a small apartment with little need for more than one phone. The built-in answerer, a common choice, adds a big measure of convenience. A multiple-handset phone is good for active families who need phones throughout the house; this type of phone lets you put handsets in a room that doesn't have a phone jack.

Select the technology and frequency band. A 900-MHz phone should suit most users, but that type may be hard to find because 2.4- and 5.8-GHz models dominate. You're likely to find the widest range of models and prices with 2.4-GHz phones. But if you want to minimize problems of interference with other wireless products, look to a 5.8-GHz or 900-MHz phone. Analog phones, apt to be less expensive than digital, are fine for many people. But if privacy is important, choose a DSS or digital phone.

To be sure you're actually getting a DSS or digital phone for its voice-transmission security, check the packaging carefully. Look for wording such as "digital phone," "digital spread spectrum (DSS)" or "frequency-hopping spread spectrum (FHSS)." Phrases such as "phone with digital security code," "phone with all-digital answerer," or "spread spectrum technology" (not digital spread spectrum) all denote phones that are less secure.

Phones that use dual-band transmission may indicate the higher frequency in a larger print on the packaging. If you want a true 2.4- or 5.8-GHz phone, check the fine print. If only the frequency is prominently shown on the package, it's probably analog.

Settle on the features you want. You can typically expect caller ID, a headset jack, and a base that can be wall-mounted. But the features don't end there for both stand-alone phones and phone-answerers. Check the box or ask to see an instruction manual to be sure you're getting the capabilities and features that matter to you. As a rule, the more feature-laden the phone, the higher its price.

Performance variations. tests show that most new cordless phones have very good overall voice quality. Some are excellent, approaching the voice quality of the best corded phones. In our latest tests, most fully charged nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd) or nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) batteries handled eight hours of continuous conversation before they needed recharging. Most manufacturers claim that a fully charged battery will last at least a week in standby mode. When they can no longer hold a charge, a replacement battery, usually proprietary, costs about $10 to $25, and may be difficult to find. Some phones use less-expensive AA or AAA rechargeable batteries. (To find a store that will recycle a used battery, call 800-822-8837.)

Give the handset a test drive. In the store, hold the handset to your head to see if it feels comfortable. It should fit the contours of your face. The earpiece should have rounded edges and a recessed center that fits nicely over the middle of your ear. Check the buttons and controls to make sure they're reasonably sized and legible.

Don't discard the corded phone. It's a good idea to keep at least one corded phone in your home, if only for emergencies. A cordless phone may not work if you lose electrical power, and a cell phone won't work if you can't get a signal or the circuits are full. A corded phone draws its power from the phone system and can function without household AC power.


Message Centers and Answering Machines

Digital answering machines come as stand-alone devices or as part of a phone/answerer combo unit. The main advantage of a combo unit--less clutter--has to be weighed against the loss of one part of the combo if the other goes bad. Answerers usually have standard features and capabilities such as a selectable number of rings and a toll-saver, answerer on/off control, call screening, remote access from a touch-tone phone, and a variety of ways to navigate through your messages. Most have a message day/time stamp, can delete all messages or just individual ones, allow you to adjust the speaker volume, and can retain messages and greeting after a momentary power outage.

Other answerer features you may want to consider are the number of mailboxes, advanced playback controls, remote handset access, conversation recording, a message counter display that indicates the number of messages received, and a visual indicator or audible message alert that lets you know when you have new messages.

In tests, most answerers delivered very good voice quality for recorded messages and good quality for the greeting. Phones that let you record your greeting through the handset (i.e., using the remote handset access) usually sound better. Some let you listen to your greeting through the handset, as opposed to listening though the base speaker; that gives you a better indication of how the greeting will sound to the calling party. Price range: $20 to $80 (stand-alone units); $30 to $240 (combos).

[oz]

Many wireless products, such as cordless phones, home networks, and baby monitors, share the 2.4-gigahertz (GHz) radio frequency bands. As a result, they're likely to interfere with each other. Interference can cause static on a cordless phone, a baby monitor, or wireless speakers; it can disrupt a wireless computer network or the video on a home security or baby monitor.

Here's what you need to know to minimize interference in your household:

Make sure you can return it. Before you buy a wireless product, be sure the store will let you exchange it, just in case you can't get rid of interference problems.

Choose a cordless phone that uses the 5.8-GHz or 900-megahertz (MHz) band. These frequency bands are not as widely used as 2.4-GHz and, therefore, are less likely to cause or receive interference. If you want a multiple-handset-capable cordless phone with handset-to-handset talk capability, choose one that uses only the 5.8-GHz band. By contrast, nearly all phones using 2.4-GHz digital spread spectrum (DSS) technology and those that allow handset-to-handset talk may create interference in other products, some even in standby mode. DSS phones billed as "802.11-friendly" are unlikely to interfere with wireless computer networks, but they may interfere with other wireless devices. Keep a 2.4-GHz analog phone out of the kitchen, if possible. It can pick up interference from a microwave oven that's running.

Change the channel. Most wireless products allow you to change their channels to solve interference problems. Cordless phones, baby monitors, and wireless speakers make this as easy as pushing a button or sliding a switch. Changing channels on a wireless router requires using your computer. Avoid the router's uppermost and lowest channels if you have a 2.4-GHz analog phone.

Keep your distance. If channel changes don't work and product replacement is not an immediate option, try keeping the conflicting wireless devices as far away from each other as possible, such as in different rooms.

[VoidRaven]

WOW! Thanks for all that info oz....it's very much appreciated!

I currently have a Uniden 5.8GHz with answering machine base and extra handset & base....but the wife left one of the handsets outside overnight this past summer and it got soaked. So it's shot. Hence I am looking at a new set because it's like $50 just to replace 1 handset.

[DHyslop]

2.4-GHz. The band most phones now use. Unfortunately, many other wireless products--baby monitors, wireless computer networks, home security monitors, wireless speakers, microwaves ovens--use the same band.[/B]

I honestly wonder how many people know that. Cell phones are microwaves too, ~2.5?

Dan

[Wilafur]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6216556#post6216556 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by beerguy
2.4 will hose your WiFi.

I used to use it to knock my kid offline when he was supposed to be doing something else. :)

I've never had a problem with the 5.8 not necessarily. i have 2.4gig phones and my wifi has not had a glitch in over a year.

[Wilafur]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6219903#post6219903 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by CrystalAZ
We got Panasonic and they suck for battery life (and always give us the "move closer to base" message). :rolleyes:

I'm not too impressed with them.

Crystal agreed, panasonic oem battery suck donkey balls. the panasonic oem batteries would last @ 8mins then die.

i replaced all mine with aftermarket energizer rechargable batteries and they last almost 2hours.