Network and Internet Check Wi-Fi Network Band in Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to check what frequency band (6GHz, 5GHz, or 2.4GHz) your Wi-Fi network is currently connected to in Windows 11.

Wi-Fi is a wireless local area network (WLAN) technology and standard that uses high-frequency radio waves to provide wireless Internet and network connections to your Windows device.

When you connect to a Wi-Fi network with multiple bands, Windows 10 and Windows 11 will automatically connect to a supported band with the strongest signal by default. This may not always be ideal if you get connected to the slower 2.4GHz band instead of a faster 5GHz or 6GHz band. You can set a preferred band to force your Wi-Fi adapter to prioritize one supported band over the other when available.

Knowing the band (6GHz, 5GHz, or 2.4GHz) your Wi-Fi network is currently connected can help you troubleshoot and determine if you need to change it.

2.4GHz

• The 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi spectrum is 70 MHz wide, and devices are typically limited to three 20 MHz channels.
• 2.4 GHz can deliver a typical over-the-air max speed of up to 100 Mbps.
• Old and slower, but has the longest range and wall-penetration capability of available bands

5GHz

• The 5 GHz Wi-Fi spectrum is approximately 500 MHz wide, and devices can use up to six larger 80 MHz channels for faster speeds. However, only two of the six channels are always readily available as four channels may be restricted from use at times due to weather or airport radar.
• 5 GHz can deliver up to 1 Gbps.

6GHz

• The 6 GHz Wi-Fi spectrum is 1200 MHz wide (more than double the size of the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz spectrums) and supports up to seven even larger 160 MHz channels. These channels are only accessible to new Wi-Fi 6E devices, and they enable gigabit Wi-Fi speeds and allow operations free from legacy Wi-Fi interference.
• 6 GHz can deliver up to 2 Gbps.

Reference:








1 Open Settings (Win+I).

2 Click/tap on Network & internet on the left side. (see screenshots below)


3 You will see the current Wi-Fi network connection band (6 GHz, 5 GHz, or 2.4 GHz) under Properties at the top.

You can also click/tap on Properties to see the Network band (channel) and more Wi-Fi network connection property details.

1 Open Quick Settings (Win+A).

2 Click/tap on the Manage Wi-Fi connections arrow on the Wi-Fi quick setting button. (see screenshot below)


3 Click/tap on the information (properties) button on the current Wi-Fi connection. (see screenshot below)


4 You will now see the current Network band (channel) (6 GHz, 5 GHz, or 2.4 GHz) in Settings for this Wi-Fi network connection. (see screenshot below)






1 Open Windows Terminal, and select either Windows PowerShell or Command Prompt.

2 Copy and paste the command below into Windows Terminal, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)


3 You will now see the current Band (6 GHz, 5 GHz, or 2.4 GHz) for each Wi-Fi connection (ex: "Brink-WiFi").




That's it,
Shawn Brink