The computer does not see the 5GHz network. For Wi-Fi to work well, you need the right router. The more antennas it has, the better

One of the main reasons why Wi-Fi is the most common standard today wireless communication, is due to the fact that this standard is fast, reliable and very easy to use.

When the first commercial Wi-Fi devices began appearing in the late 1990s, most users could choose between two main versions of the IEEE 802.11 protocol: a and b. Since the second one was more affordable from a price point of view, it gradually became a mass standard. And since it uses the 2.4 GHz frequency range to transmit information, a significant part of Wi-Fi devices today rely on it.

In the early days of the mobile revolution, this was not a big problem, since most homes rarely had more than one or two Wi-Fi devices. However, over the past decade the situation has changed dramatically. Today our houses and apartments are “densely populated” with laptops, tablets, mobile phones, digital cameras, and a significant part of them rely on the good old 2.4 GHz range. Moreover, a number of household electrical appliances, such as microwave ovens, and many peripherals, such as wireless mice and keyboards also use this frequency range. The next most common wireless consumer standard, Bluetooth, also relies on it.

The more devices use the same frequency to communicate at the same time, the more they interfere with each other. The reason for this phenomenon is called “interference”, which degrades the signal quality and leads to connection problems and reduced transmission speed.

In an attempt to solve this Wi-Fi problem Alliance (a commercial organization that tests and certifies equipment according to 802.11 series standards) has introduced a new frequency range - 5 GHz. It first became part of the n-version of the protocol, but was introduced as an option. In other words, an 802.11n certified device can either operate only in the 2.4 GHz band, or it can be dual-band, i.e. support both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz.

However, with the latest version of the standard, ac, all certified devices must only support the new frequency band, meaning any wireless product bearing the 802.11ac designation must use the 5 GHz operating band.

Why You Should Start Using 5GHz Wi-Fi

Since it has only recently been available (the 802.11n revision was officially introduced in 2009), the 5-GHz band is still relatively little used. This means that even in "overpopulated" wireless devices in your home or office, using the 5 GHz band guarantees minimum interference and maximum quality (speed plus stability) Wi-Fi connections.

Of course, both devices being connected must support such communication. In other words, the wireless router used for broadcasting must support the appropriate version of the 802.11 standard that provides 5 GHz communications. Wi-Fi signal, so Wi-Fi module devices.

How do you know if a device supports 5 GHz?

To do this, it is usually enough to read the router's instruction manual or check the model specifications on the manufacturer's official website. Additionally, if a router offers 5GHz support, it will be clearly stated on its packaging or case - this feature is new and very important, so the manufacturer is unlikely to be too lazy to mention it.

Alternatively, you can open the router settings panel and check the supported frequencies there. This is usually done by entering a specific address into the browser. To enter the settings panel, you also need to know your login name and password. As a rule, all manufacturers use the combination of admin and admin, or admin and password, as the default login and password.

Here is a short list of standard combinations used to enter the control panel Wi-Fi routers from popular manufacturers:

Address: http://192.168.1.1, login: admin, password: Admin

Address: http://192.168.0.1, login: admin, password: admin

Address EU: http://192.168.1.1, login: admin, password: Admin

Address: http://192.168.0.1, login: admin, password: password

But even if the 5GHz band is supported by your router, to take advantage of its benefits, your device's wireless module must also support it.

Again, you can find this out by checking the technical data sheet in the official documentation or on your device's web page, and if you have a Windows laptop or tablet, simply open Control Panel, then Device Manager, expand the section “Network adapters”, find the wireless adapter in it and go to its properties. On the "Advanced" tab you will find the information you are interested in.

As you can see in the image above, in our specific example Asus laptop GL552J has Intel adapter Dual Band Wireless-N, which supports and works with two Wi-Fi frequencies: 2.4 and 5 GHz.

Features of using the 5 GHz band

To take full advantage of the 5GHz bandwidth, it's important to have what's called a "dual-band" router. Devices of this class usually use the n-version of the 802.11 protocol, and most importantly, offer the ability to simultaneously transmit signals both in the widely used and widely used 2.4 GHz band and in the new 5 GHz band. That is, they provide backward compatibility with older Wi-Fi devices. If your router only supports 5 GHz, then any 2.4 GHz compatible device simply won't be able to work with it.

But what to do when the router supports 5 GHz, but the laptop/tablet does not? In such cases, you can purchase additional Wi-Fi adapter. Fortunately, such devices are not very expensive, and most of them are extremely compact. The only inconvenience associated with using such an adapter is that it will take up one of the USB ports on your computer.

Have a great day!

Bought today Tp-link router Archer C20i to test it and write some setup instructions. One is dual-band, broadcasts a Wi-Fi network at a frequency of 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. I turned it on and discovered that the laptop and my phone did not see the Wi-Fi network, which was broadcast at a frequency of 5 GHz. And here is the tablet iPad mini 2 easily detected this network and connected to it. New phone Meizu M2 Note also saw the new network without any problems.

Everything here is very simple and clear. Not all devices can connect to Wi-Fi networks that operate at 5 GHz. The adapter built into the laptop simply does not support these networks. Since dual-band routers appeared relatively recently, only new devices can work on these networks. And if you decide to switch to the 5 GHz frequency, then you need to make sure that your devices support it. True, dual-band routers broadcast two Wi-Fi networks, at 5 and 2.4 GHz. Therefore, devices that do not support the new frequency will be able to connect to the regular one. wireless network.

Briefly about Wi-Fi networks at a frequency of 5 GHz, the main advantage is that this frequency is freer and there is less interference. There are simply already places where it is simply impossible to use 2.4 GHz, due to large quantities networks and interference. And it doesn’t even always save. One of the disadvantages is the shorter coverage range of the Wi-Fi network compared to the 2.4 GHz frequency.

So I decided to make a short note and explain why some devices do not see Wi-Fi networks at the new frequency, and how to find out whether your laptop or other device supports 5 GHz networks.

One important point. If the device's characteristics indicate support, then it can definitely work with networks in the 5 GHz range. But if only 802.11a/b/g/ is indicated there n, this does not mean that there is no support for the new frequency, since the 5 GHz frequency works with the 802.11n and 802.11ac standard.

How do you know if a laptop supports 5GHz Wi-Fi?

First of all, look at the characteristics of your laptop, preferably on the official website. If it says support for 802.11ac, dual-band Wi-Fi, or just says 5 GHz, then everything is fine.

You can also go to Device Manager, open the Network Adapters tab, right-click on the Wireless adapter, and select Properties. Next, go to the Advanced tab, and information on 5 GHz support should be indicated there.

The very inscription “Dual Band” in the name of the Wi-Fi adapter indicates that there is support for networks in two bands.

On my laptop, there is no such support, and there is no information about this in the device manager.

And if you turned on a dual-band router, and the laptop sees only one network, then it’s clear that there is no support for networks at the 5 GHz frequency.

Wi-Fi 5GHz support on smartphones and tablets

As for mobile devices, all information on wireless modules is indicated in the specifications. If it says support for 802.11ac, dual-band, or 5 GHz, then everything is supported and will work.

What to do if there is no 5 GHz support?

Simply connect to networks at 2.4 GHz. And if you just need to switch to a new frequency, and the laptop does not support it, then in this case you can buy an external USB WiFi adapter that supports 5 GHz frequency. I wrote more about these adapters. True, this solution is only possible for laptops, and desktop computers. If you have mobile device, then you have to measure yourself.

The new frequency does not have any special or serious advantages. And the transition to new standards will happen automatically over time, even unnoticed by us. As I wrote above, the exception is places where it is simply impossible to use wireless internet at a frequency of 2.4 GHz, due to a lot of interference.

If your device supports 5 GHz networks but doesn't see them

If you are convinced that your adapter, laptop, or mobile device supports networks at a frequency of 5 GHz, but does not see them, you can try experimenting with the channel and channel width settings of the Wi-Fi network itself. You can change these parameters in the router settings in the section with wireless network settings. Try, for example, setting the channel width to 40 MHz, and some static channel from the list. Just don't set the channel too high. You can set it to 36th. Or leave the channel on auto and change only the channel width. I showed the example of a router from TP-Link.

After changing the settings, do not forget to save the settings and reboot the router.

As you know, some router models (mostly new ones) support the mysterious 5ghz wifi, that is, the same “5-GHz Wi-Fi”, which seems to automatically mean not only a “faster” Internet, but also a more stable connection.

In fact, this is approximately how it is (although not always), but that’s not what we’re talking about now. And then how to find out whether your laptop supports this same 5ghz wifi, and if so, how to turn it on.

The fact is that, unlike the ordinary “Wi-Fi” that is familiar to all users (when you just need to select the router name and enter the password), 5ghz wifi, figuratively speaking, is not just given to you, and to turn it on you need to take a little flex your favorite brain muscle.

But it's better in order.

how to know if your router supports 5ghz wifi?

This is in case you don’t really know how much band your router has, 1- or 2-band, and whether it supports 5-GHz WiFi at all. Because if it doesn’t support it, and there’s no other suitable one yet, then there’s no point in rushing to enable 5 GHz in the laptop. This means we find the packaging or user manual of the router and read its brief specification. Or open the router settings directly from the laptop and get acquainted with the Wi-Fi parameters.

By the way, since you have already found these settings, you can slightly correct a few things. The fact is that some 2-band routers have the same SSID (a unique network name that distinguishes one Wi-Fi network from another) for both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. If one is discovered, then it would be a good idea to change it so that in the future it will be easier to find the corresponding network, even from a laptop, tablet or smartphone.

What Wi-Fi standards work on 5GHz?

At 5GHz there are 802.11a, 802.11n and 802.11ac, 802.11n is optional. And since most of the current routers are models of the 802.11n standard, you have to check whether the device at hand provides support for 5 ghz wifi. In addition, not every router that supports 2ghz and 5ghz wifi can work in both bands at the same time. So, if yours is also one of those, then it’s possible that it’s 5ghz wifi is better don't run.

After all, if one of your mobile devices that you use every day does not support 5ghz wifi either (and many models do not), then switching the router to 5GHz is not entirely advisable. Of course, modern dual-band routers, as a rule, do not have such problems. But there are problems with devices connected to them, which can lose contact with each other, and then unnecessary chaos results. When, for example, an iPhone 7 connected to home network at 5GHz will suddenly stop seeing your MacBook, which is connected to the same network and through the same router at 2.4GHz.

how to find out if your laptop supports 5ghz wifi?

This is not easy either. The most accessible way for the average user is to go to “ device Manager " (through " Control Panel") and in the tab " Network adapters » find the exact name of the laptop’s built-in WiFi adapter. Next, you can google the detailed specification of this device by its name. If you read that the laptop’s WiFi adapter supports 802.11a and 802.11ac, then it definitely supports 5ghz wifi.

There is another option:

V " Device Manager "Right-click on the name of the WiFi adapter and select " Properties ", go to the tab " Additionally "and in the list of properties we look for a mention of 5GHz. If you couldn’t find the option to switch to 5ghz wifi mode, then either your laptop doesn’t support it at all, or you may have an incorrect WiFi adapter driver (this also happens).

However, if you really need 5ghz wifi, then the issue is guaranteed to be resolved by purchasing external WiFi adapter. Such a device is inexpensive and allows you to do without all the fuss described above.

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Nowadays the market offers a large selection of dual-band Wi-Fi routers, which can broadcast a Wi-Fi network at 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequencies. However, not all devices can see and connect to a Wi-Fi network operating at the frequency 5 GHz. Let's look at the case when a Windows 10 device does not see such a network.

Advantages of using a Wi-Fi network with a frequency of 5 GHz

What are the main advantages of a Wi-Fi network operating at a frequency of 5 GHz? This frequency is less congested and there will be less noise/interference on it (this advantage is especially important for residents of high-rise buildings, when a huge number of neighboring routers, telephones and microwave ovens operate at the 2.4 GHz frequency). Also, when operating at this frequency, higher throughput can be achieved and 23 separate transmission channels are supported (versus three channels on a 2.4 GHz network). Disadvantage: smaller coverage area compared to frequency 2.4.

How to find out if your device supports 5 GHz Wi-Fi networks

Does your computer, laptop or tablet support Wi-Fi networks at 5 GHz or not depends on the model wireless adapter installed in it. You can find your adapter model on the manufacturer’s website and get acquainted with its characteristics (the phrase “Dual Band” is often indicated in the name of such adapters). But there is an easier way.

Check support for various wireless standards Wi-Fi driver adapter in Windows can be done as follows:

1. Run command line with administrator rights
2. Run the command: netsh wlan show drivers
3. See what is stated in the section Radio types supported

This is a list of wireless standards that are supported by this driver.

Adapters supporting standards 802.11a, 802.11h, 802.11j And 802.11n can operate at both 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz.

Note. One caveat regarding the 802.11n standard. It defines support for the 5 GHz standard, but not all network adapters can work in two bands (the fact is that there are two standard 802.11n from 2006 and 802.11n Dual Band from 2009).

Standard 802.11ac means that the device can only operate at 5 GHz.

• Let's say the list of supported standards shows support for 802.11b and 802.11g, this means this driver only supports Wi-Fi networks at a frequency of 2.4 GHz.
• If the adapter says it supports 802.11a, 802.11g, and 802.11n, then both frequency bands are supported.

Thus, if the list of supported standards does not contain lines indicating support for the new range, it is worth checking on the manufacturer’s website network card whether it supports new standards. In some cases, to operate correctly at 5 GHz, it is enough to install the latest version of the driver downloaded from the manufacturer’s website.

If it is indicated that the driver supports 802.11ac/802.11n, but Windows does not see a Wi-Fi network operating at 5 GHz, open the driver properties wireless interface and in its settings, check whether only one range is manually selected.

For example, on Surface Pro 3 with the Marvell AVASTAR Wireless-AC Network Controller adapter, you can see that on the tab Advanced in property Band you can select which mode the adapter should operate in (Auto/2.4 GHz Only/5 GHz Only). Change the mode to Auto.

Windows 10 stops seeing 5GHz Wi-Fi after update

Some users complain that after upgrading Windows 10, the system stops seeing Wi-Fi networks with a frequency of 5 GHz. As a rule, the problem is solved by manually downloading and installing latest version drivers for your wireless adapter from the manufacturer's website. Automatic update drivers are desirable.

If the adapter does not support the 5 GHz network

If your network adapter Does not support 5 GHz Wi-Fi networks, just use a regular 2.4 GHz network. If you really want to work at a new frequency, you can purchase external USB Wi-Fi adapter supporting 5 GHz frequency (above we described the requirements for 802.11 standards that the device must comply with).