If your Wi-Fi connection isn’t as good as you’d like, there are a few options available.
You may have considered switching broadband providers, but it may cost you more and there’s no guarantee of a faster connection. A Wi-Fi extender or mesh Wi-Fi system can help, or you can get close enough to the router for a faster wired connection.
But there is another potential solution that is much simpler. Most routers have what’s called “dual-band” Wi-Fi, which means they broadcast two separate Wi-Fi networks at the same time.
2.4GHz is usually the default, as it offers decent speeds over a longer distance. However, if you’re unhappy with your current connection, it’s worth considering upgrading to 5GHz. Here’s everything you need to know.
What is the difference between 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi?
Essentially, it comes down to reliability versus speed.
2.4 GHz can pass through walls and floors much more easily, making it a more reliable option for any room in the house.
However, if you are close to the router or have few obstacles, switching to 5 GHz will likely result in a much faster connection.
Does my router have 5 GHz Wi-Fi?
Unless you already know for sure that your router is a dual-band model and definitely has a 5 GHz radio, it’s worth checking that out first. There is no point in enabling 5 GHz Wi-Fi on your laptop if your router does not support it.
The easiest way to do this is to check its specs online, check the manual, or log into the router itself and check the settings available in the Wi-Fi section.
It is quite common to combine the two bands and use a single network name (SSID) for 2.4 and 5 GHz. This has advantages and disadvantages. For starters, if combined, it is not possible to force your laptop to use only the 5 GHz band, so it is worth splitting them into two separate Wi-Fi networks if your router offers this option. The new BT home hubs have the parameter:
When you have separate networks, you can rename them (with 5 GHz at the end of 5 GHz, for example) so that you can easily identify each network from your laptop, phone or tablet and know which one you are connected to.
If your router doesn’t support it, almost all the best routers do.
Does my laptop support 5 GHz Wi-Fi?
Wi-Fi specs aren’t the first thing you think of when buying a new laptop, and manufacturers don’t always quote them.
But if you already have a Windows 10 or Windows 11 laptop, it’s easy to find out, and the method is the same on both.
- Using the search bar next to the start menu, find and open Device Manager
- Expand the “Network adapters” section
- Find the make and model of your laptop’s Wi-Fi – “Wi-Fi” or “Wireless Networking” is usually mentioned in its name
- Search for his specific name online
This laptop, for example, has a Qualcomm Atheros AR9285 adapter. Searching for this brand and model online yields many results for its specifications which show that it only works on 2.4 GHz. If your adapter supports Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) or Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), it will almost certainly support 5 GHz. In most cases, 802.11n adapters will also support 5 GHz.
You can also check directly from Device Manager:
- Right click on the adapter and choose “Properties”
- Select the “Advanced” tab, then find the “Property” list
- If it supports 5 GHz, you should see it mentioned here. If not (as in the example below), either your adapter does not support it or the wrong drivers are installed
But even if it’s bad news, there is an easy solution. You can add 5 GHz Wi-Fi to any laptop that doesn’t have it by adding a dongle. These are relatively inexpensive and there are many great options.
How to connect to 5 GHz Wi-Fi from your laptop
This is the easy part. If you can see the name of your router’s 5 GHz wireless network in the list of available Wi-Fi networks, you can click on it and then click “Connect”. Enter the password and that’s it.
Here’s what it looks like on Windows 10, although the process on Windows 11 is very similar.
In the image above you can see that there are two separate networks being broadcast from a BT Home Hub 5 router. Click the Wi-Fi icon on your Windows laptop (then the right arrow next to it on Windows 11) to see all the wireless networks in range.
The switch to 5GHz is not having the desired effect for your connection? Learn more ways to speed up Wi-Fi.
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