The 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz numbers refer to two different “bands” that your Wi-Fi can use for its signal. Some PC users that install a modem with two bandwidths, 2.4GHz and 5GHz, which the product manual indicates that the device is compliant, might notice after installation that the Windows computer detects only the 2.4Ghz and not 5GHz WiFi bandwidth. In today’s post, we will attempt to describe why some users might encounter this issue.
Windows 11/10 detects only 2.4Ghz & not 5GHz WiFi bandwidth
The primary differences between the two frequencies are the range (coverage) and bandwidth (speed) that the bands provide. The 2.4 GHz band provides coverage at a longer range but transmits data at slower speeds. The 5 GHz band provides less coverage but transmits data at faster speeds.
The range is lower in the 5 GHz band because higher frequencies cannot penetrate solid objects, such as walls and floors. However, higher frequencies allow data to be transmitted faster than lower frequencies, so the 5 GHz band allows you to upload and download files faster.
Your WiFi connection on a particular frequency band can also be faster or slower because of interference from other devices. Many WiFi-enabled technologies and other household devices use the 2.4 GHz band. When multiple devices attempt to use the same radio space, overcrowding occurs. The 5 GHz band tends to have less overcrowding than the 2.4GHz band because fewer devices use it and because it has 23 channels for devices to use, while the 2.4GHz band has only 11 channels.
5GHz WiFi not showing up on Windows 11/10
This issue is caused by two main reasons.
- You might experience this due to driver issues. So before you do anything else, it’s suggested that you update the modem driver first.
- The other possible reason is that your computer may not have 5GHz bandwidth capability. You can check it by following the steps below.
Launch Command Prompt (press Windows key + R. In the Run dialog box type cmd and hit Enter).
In the Command Prompt window, copy and paste the command below and hit Enter.
netsh wlan show drivers
Look for the Radio types supported section.
If the output shows 802.11n 802.11g and 802.11b network modes as highlighted in the image above, it means the computer has 2.4GHz network capability only.
Also, if it shows that the network adapter supports 802.11g and 802.11n network modes, it means that the computer has 2.4 GHz network capability only.
But, if it shows that the adapter supports 802.11a and 802.11g and 802.11n network modes, it means that the computer has 2.4 GHz and 5GHz network capability.
Hope this post was informative.
