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Beehaw technology can you help explain like I'm five, 5g vs 4g? (beehaw.org)

submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by Wigglet@beehaw.org to c/technology@beehaw.org

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I kinda understand it has to do with frequencies and the speed they can send information but I don't know enough to have a productive conversation with those that think it's mind altering cancer rays. Thats also what i keep running into online when I'm trying to find a dummy version for how it all works. I know I'll probably never be able to have a truly productive conversation with those types but i would like to have a better understanding myself.

It would be helpful to explain and frame it with radio and public broadcasting as well. to me, these are all happy information rays that send me thing i like but i don't full understand the technology behind it.

Thanks everyone this has been super helpful! Might try and make an info graph for to hang in my post box since I've gotten some crazy anti 5g flyers recently

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[–] DarkwinDuck@feddit.de 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

The part about beamforming also has another side effect that all the conspiracy theorists won't like. Although they can likely spin this in some other sinister way. Beamforming allows for essentially less electromagnetic pollution than previous Generations. Because it directs the energy more directly where it's needed instead of just broadcasting it everywhere. Way more efficient. Although I can already see how the Conspiracy nuts start shouting that this will be used to shoot concentrated beams of 5G on the enlightened people...

[–] jlh@lemmy.jlh.name 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

The funny thing is that beamforming isn't some laser that the tower can aim at people with.

The technique for tuning a beamforming signal is to see which antennas a signal is coming on (on your 100 antenna array), and then boost the gain/match the phase on those antennas to match. It's just linear algebra, not a cannon.

Also most wifi routers do beamforming, and apparently it's not new to 5g either. I think the new antennas are just better at it, using more antennas to make it more directional, and using better algorithms to make it faster and avoid interference better.