Since the invention of the wireless internet connection in 1997, the entire concept of communication has changed and we have gone so far in the last decades, that Wi-Fi has now become an essential component of our daily lives and activities.
Many people use Wi-Fi without fully comprehending what makes it so distinctive and quick, as it does not require any cable connections. However, even the strongest and fastest wireless connection, such as the well-known 5GHz, is ineffective if you are unable to use it.
This is why we will investigate why you can’t connect to the 5GHz network and how to resolve the issue as soon as possible.
Why can’t I connect to 5GHz Wi-Fi?
Several circumstances might occur and prevent you from connecting to the 5GHz. While we are accustomed to flawless and quick wireless internet connections, they occasionally fail to connect or work at poor speeds.
Here are a few possible explanations:
- Your internet service provider has restricted your access to Wi-Fi – Although most ISPs are searching for methods to increase customer numbers, others may limit traffic on the 5GHz band. Furthermore, the ISP’s equipment may not be suitable for this sort of connection.
- Your router is not transmitting 5GHz – Another possibility is that your router is outdated and does not even support 5GHz. This is typical for some older models, so make sure to check it before proceeding with the troubleshooting.
- Network drivers are a problem – Some devices have connectivity issues because the network drivers are not working properly. This can be caused by out-of-date drivers, but it can also be caused by a problem in the most recent version.
- The device you are trying to connect is the problem – Certain devices just aren’t capable of creating a 5GHz connection. The issue might be connected to firmware or software, but in any event, it is unable to identify and connect to this frequency.
Are there alternatives to the 5GHz frequency?
Now that we know why sometimes you cannot connect to 5GHz Wi-Fi, you might be wondering if you can skip the issue and simply connect to another frequency that is just as good as 5GHz.
Unfortunately, that’s not really a possibility. The 5GHz frequency is the fastest, therefore it is used by the most demanding users.
All of the new routers operate on two frequencies. One is in the lower 2.4GHz range, while the other is in the upper 5GHz band. They are both crucial and slightly different.
If you want a faster internet connection and are closer to the router, go for 5GHz.
However, if you are further away from the router or in another room, the 2.4GHz band will be more effective. This frequency is a little slower, but it covers more ground and provides a stronger Wi-Fi signal in the far corners of your home or office.
How to fix the problem and connect to 5GHz Wi-Fi
When attempting to connect to a wireless network, the faster 5GHz band should be the obvious and optimal choice. But what if you can’t connect to 5GHz Wi-Fi or even identify this frequency?
We’ve just stated that the alternative would be the slower and outdated 2.4GHz frequency, which is not even supported by many new gadgets.
That’s why we’ve compiled a list of fixes you can try out to solve the problem.
Before we start, it’s a good idea to answer a few questions:
- Is there internet access in the house?
- Is it possible for any device to connect to the 5GHz band?
- Is a 5GHz band even available?
By answering these few questions you will be one step closer to solving this problem, as it might be caused by various things.
When all devices but one can connect to the 5GHz Wi-Fi, the issue is with the one device. If, on the other hand, none of your devices can connect to the 5GHz band, the issue is with the router.
Let’s have a look at your options.
1. Contact your ISP
The first thing you should do is contact customer service and your Internet service provider. This is needed to rule out the possibility that the internet connection is restricted or non-existent.
They should be able to tell you if there are any network issues or if there are any 5GHz data limits.
If your internet service provider is not the source of the problem, we can proceed to more local issues and solutions.
2. Check the router
When your computer won’t connect to 5GHz Wi-Fi, the first thing you should check is your router.
There are three things you can do with your router to secure a 5GHz connection.
Check if your router supports 5GHz
The first step is to check to see if your router supports 5GHz bandwidth. Many older routers lack this frequency, which was just recently introduced as a standard.
Open your networks panel from your taskbar and click on the wireless connection symbol to verify. After that, you should see a tab with properties on it. This will allow you to check which network bands are accessible.
The second alternative is to go to the router’s interface and see what frequencies are accessible and whether there is a 5GHz option.
If there is one, that’s fantastic. We may now go on to the second point of the router-related challenge, which is the location.
Check the placement of your router
If you can see the 5GHz network on the device but cannot connect to it, the router may not be properly positioned.
Because the 5GHz frequency cannot travel long distances and through thick walls, the signal may be too weak for your device to connect.
You can address this by either elevating your router and moving it away from walls and other devices, or by bringing the device you’re attempting to connect closer.
This is typically the easiest and most efficient way to solve this problem.
Upgrade your router firmware
The final method is to upgrade the router’s firmware. Although probably this is not causing the issues, you should double-check.
Routers are often updated automatically, although the user might have to manually download the most recent version of the firmware.
This is especially true if you purchased the router on your own and connected it to your internet service provider’s modem.
The manual update entails downloading and installing the most recent version of the firmware from the router’s manufacturer’s website. This takes only a few minutes to finish and generally resolves even the most difficult connection issues.
3. Check the device you are trying to connect
If the previous recommendation did not fix the problem and you are still unable to connect to the 5GHz network, you should check into the equipment you are using.
Just like certain routers do not support the 5GHz band, some devices are incompatible with this frequency. This implies that even if your network is transmitting the 5GHz signal, your device isn’t getting it.
This can happen with some older devices that were built when 5GHz connections were not accessible. You have the option of connecting to the 2.4GHz or switching to another device.
Keep in mind that certain gadgets will automatically select the best connection.
This implies that if you are too far away from the router, your phone or computer will automatically switch to the 2.4GHz frequency to stay connected. Most devices allow you to disable automatic optimization.
4. Set up the 5GHz
Now that the most common issues have been resolved, we can turn our attention to more complicated and uncommon circumstances.
It is possible that the 5GHz signal is present, but your devices or router are not correctly configured, resulting in connection problems. Both the computer to which you are attempting to connect and the router must be configured.
This is easy to do if you follow these steps:
- Press Windows and X key
- Select Device Manager
- Click on the Network Adapters and expand the menu
- Select the Wireless Adapter and Properties
- Look for 802.11n mode and select it
- Enable and save the settings
You may need to restart your computer for these changes to take effect. Reconnect once you’ve rebooted your computer.
Furthermore, under the same menu, you should be able to select whether you wish to connect to the 5GHz or 2.4GHz band.
5. Update Network Drivers
Network drivers are essential bits of software to connect to a wireless network. Even if a 5GHz band is accessible, they may be out of date and have connectivity issues.
You must either automatically or manually update the drivers. Both choices may be found in the previously mentioned Device Manager tab.
However, upgrades can occasionally cause issues.
If you discover that you are unable to connect to the 5GHz frequency after an upgrade, you may choose to roll back the update or, better said, return to the prior version that worked.
This option can also be found under the Device Manager and Driver tabs. For this action to be entirely successful, the device must be restarted once more.
F. A. Q.
Can I use 5GHz Wi-Fi on a 4G phone?
Yes, these two parameters have nothing to do with each other.
The 4G is a radio mode that transmits your speech and mobile data. This is not the wireless connection and 5GHz frequency that most people assume it to be.
As long as your device supports 5GHz wireless, you may connect to it.
Does 5GHz mean 5G?
This looks like the right time to point out that 5GHz and 5G have nothing in common other than the number 5.
As previously stated, 5GHz Wi-Fi is just a frequency at which the signal is sent.
5G, on the other hand, merely refers to the fifth generation, and it’s related to mobile devices. Although many people mix up the two, you now know that using 5GHz Wi-Fi is the best option.
What is the maximum speed of 5GHz Wi-Fi?
The 5GHz frequency may deliver up to 1.300Mbps under optimal conditions.
While this is way faster than the typical speed of a 2.4GHz band (450 Mbps or 600 Mbps), you must be quite near to the router and configure your devices to have use of the full speed.
To summarize, if you can’t find a 5GHz network, you should first test your router and computer. By following our advice, you will be back online and at maximum speed in no time.
