How to Configure a Dual Band Modem?

Steve C · May 9, 2023

I've built a new PC using an Asus Z790 motherboard having Wi-Fi 6E (2x2 Wi-Fi 6E (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax)) which supports the 2.4/5/6GHz frequency bands. I also now have a new fibre to cabinet 75Mbs broadband service supplied with a Zyxel DX3301-TO
dual-band DSL modem covering both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands.

Is there a way of configuring Windows to use both bands simultaneously or do I have to choose whichever band gives the best signal? The modem can be configured to use the same or different networks names for each band. Which should be used?

wiganken · May 9, 2023

As you say it is the router software that performs the switching between the GHz bands or the bands can be split but I don't think it is possible that Windows can be configured to tell the router what to do.

I think you are limited to leaving the router to do the switching or split the SSIDs. Forget about using Windows to control Wi-Fi bands.

cereberus · May 9, 2023

Steve C said:
I've built a new PC using an Asus Z790 motherboard having Wi-Fi 6E (2x2 Wi-Fi 6E (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax)) which supports the 2.4/5/6GHz frequency bands. I also now have a new fibre to cabinet 75Mbs broadband service supplied with a Zyxel DX3301-TO
dual-band DSL modem covering both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands.

Is there a way of configuring Windows to use both bands simultaneously or do I have to choose whichever band gives the best signal? The modem can be configured to use the same or different networks names for each band. Which should be used?

Personally, I split the router bands so I get 2 SSIDs so I choose whichever to use. I always choose 5GHZ for my pc.

It rather depends on your signals. 2.4 GHZ has a longer distance penetration so may be preferable if further away.

Steve C · May 9, 2023

cereberus said:
Personally, I split the router bands so I get 2 SSIDs so I choose whichever to use. I always choose 5GHZ for my pc.

It rather depends on your signals. 2.4 GHZ has a longer distance penetration so may be preferable if further away.

The new service hasn't turned on yet but I can see I get a strong 5GHz signal and that band is uncluttered whereas I also get a decent 2.4GHZ signal but that band is very congested in the vicinity of my house.

jimbo45 · May 9, 2023

Steve C said:
The new service hasn't turned on yet but I can see I get a strong 5GHz signal and that band is uncluttered whereas I also get a decent 2.4GHZ signal but that band is very congested in the vicinity of my house.

Some modems also have "concurrent" working possible so maximizing traffic. Also ensure that the NIC in the computer has Full Duplex option if available. Again that will maximize traffic through a network. IPV6 also good option if your system and ISP support it -- saves any unnecessary overhead from the "public Internet" in needing IPV6->IPV4 translation -- Ipv4 is OK for home LAN's of course.

Concurrent working is ideal when using a Wifi extender to which you've connected a LAN type of cable directly to one of its ports. Most wifi NIC cards don't support 5 / 2.4 GHZ concurrent working though but on LAN cable works beautifully --.

I have 6 devices in a Shed (a somewhat loose description !!) including a large screen smart TV around 100 Metres from the main house -- use lan cable into a cheap 8 port switch and from the switch run a single lan cable to a port on the wifi extender (NightHawk type). Still getting around 500 Mbps over the connection. Plenty fast enough for me when I'm banished to the shed !!!

For some reason I can't fathom -- maybe some network guru could answer : why the throughput done this way is far superior than by connecting those devices to the wifi extender with individual cables. I'm only using a cheap switch -- so no high quality pro grade stuff - bog standard "el cheapo" domestic Amazon product from Netgear.

My guess and this is a guess so could be 100% B/S is that the switch is capable of receiving the stream from the extender in "concurrent mode" whereas the individual devices attached by their own cables would only get a single stream from the extender and probably the 2.4 GHZ one as it's the strongest signal. However as I said that could be complete B/S but I'd love to know the answer, The effect is repeatable so not a 1-off fluke.

Cheers
jimbo

Helmut · May 9, 2023

The Modem is the functional part that accesses the Internet.

The Wireless Access Point/Router are the parts that define whether both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz can be used concurrently as defined by the specs. See the manual for configurations.

Nothing to do with Windows.

"I also get a decent 2.4GHZ signal but that band is very congested in the vicinity of my house."

It is in my house as well, but it is the relative levels that really matter. If your signal is say 20 dBm more than the others, no problem.

wiganken · May 9, 2023

Steve C said:
Is there a way of configuring Windows to use both bands simultaneously

The OPs original question (Shown here) has not been addressed by the answers except mine? Have I misunderstood the original question?

FreeBooter · May 10, 2023

Automatically switch to strongest WiFi in Windows 11/10

Learn how to automatically switch to the strongest available WiFi network in Windows 11/10 by configuring the Wireless Properties.

www.thewindowsclub.com

NavyLCDR · May 10, 2023

wiganken said:
The OPs original question (Shown here) has not been addressed by the answers except mine? Have I misunderstood the original question?

Your answer did not address the OPs original question. The router will simply provide WiFi signals on 2.4 Ghz and 5 Ghz bands. That is all the router does. It is the network adapter in the computer that determines which band to connect to, not the router. All the router does is provide the signal, there is no switching between channels that the router performs. @Steve C's question was not about what bands the router provide, that is already settled, the router provides both 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz bands simultaneously. His question was about what bands the network adapter in the computer can use. And the answer to that question is that the vast majority of network adapters can only access one band at a time - and that can be configured to allow the network adapter to choose which band it connects to, or the user can set the network adapter to prefer one band over the other, or the user can force the network adapter to only connect to the desired band.

Winuser · May 10, 2023

NavyLCDR said:
Your answer did not address the OPs original question. The router will simply provide WiFi signals on 2.4 Ghz and 5 Ghz bands. That is all the router does. It is the network adapter in the computer that determines which band to connect to, not the router.

If I'm not mistaken my Comcast router combines the two bands. With the new router I got from Comcast I no longer have a choice of what band I want to use. On my Wi-Fi extender I still have the option of 2.4G or 5G.

wiganken · May 10, 2023

My Plusnet Hub Two also combines the two bands and the band selection is done by the router, not by Windows. It is called 'Band Steering' and is part of the router software. Example here: - Changing the Band Steering options on the Linksys Max-Stream MU-MIMO Tri-Band Routers and Band steering | D-Link UK .
Dual band devices will get connected to whichever band the router decides is best even if the device has Windows OS.

NavyLCDR · May 10, 2023

Again, @Winuser and @wiganken, you are not answering the OP's question. First of all, the routers are not combining the two bands. The routers are still broadcasting on two, distinct, separate bands (or three). There is no combining them. Yes, you can assign the same SSID to the two separate bands. Yes, if the network adapter in the client device allows it, the router may assign that network adapter to ONE of the two bands, either 2.4 or 5 Ghz. But they are not combined - they coexist which is completely different than combining.

Steve C said:
Is there a way of configuring Windows to use both bands simultaneously or do I have to choose whichever band gives the best signal? The modem can be configured to use the same or different networks names for each band. Which should be used?

Steve,
No, you cannot configure Windows to use both bands simultaneously. If you have steering enabled on the router, and you have the same SSID assigned to both bands in the router, then you will only see a single SSID in your list of available WiFi connections. If you have your network adapter set to auto, the router will assign the client network adapter to either the 2.4Ghz or 5Ghz bands - they are not combined, it is one or the other. You have two alternatives if you want to choose which band to use. 1. Use the hardware settings for your network adapter in device manager to disable the band you do not want to use, and also tell it how to connect to the band that you do want to use. OR 2. Assign separate SSIDs to the different bands on the router. Steve24 and Steve5 for example. Then you can choose which band you are connected to by simply choosing the corresponding SSID. But neither a standard router nor a standard network adapter will allow you to combine the bands and use them both simultaneously - the simply coexist with each other and someone or something must make the choice which band to connect to.

Winuser · May 10, 2023

NavyLCDR said:
First of all, the routers are not combining the two bands.

I only checked on one google link and according to the second answer they are combined. https://forums.xfinity.com/conversa...4ghz-and-5ghz-access/602db028c5375f08cd24431e

NavyLCDR · May 10, 2023

Winuser said:
I only checked on one google link and according to the second answer they are combined. https://forums.xfinity.com/conversa...4ghz-and-5ghz-access/602db028c5375f08cd24431e

In the real world, the network adapter will connect to the 2.4Ghz band, the 5 Ghz band, OR the 6 Ghz band only. It will not connect to anything but one band at a time. The same network may appear on all three bands, but only one band can be connected to at time.

Winuser · May 10, 2023

NavyLCDR said:
In the real world, the network adapter will connect to the 2.4Ghz band, the 5 Ghz band, OR the 6 Ghz band only. It will not connect to anything but one band at a time. The same network may appear on all three bands, but only one band can be connected to at time.

I don't think I'm making myself clear. I'm not saying that the router is combining the two bands and that the devices will use both of them at the same time. I'm saying that it's up to the device to choose which one to use and not the user unless they split them in the router settings. On my old router I could choose what band I wanted to use. On my new router I can't with out changing the settings on the router. Windows has no control over what band my devices use.

NavyLCDR · May 11, 2023

Winuser said:
I don't think I'm making myself clear. I'm not saying that the router is combining the two bands and that the devices will use both of them at the same time. I'm saying that it's up to the device to choose which one to use and not the user unless they split them in the router settings. On my old router I could choose what band I wanted to use. On my new router I can't with out changing the settings on the router. Windows has no control over what band my devices use.

Absolutely false. I posted in post #9 examples of how to disable bands in the device settings for the network adapter in device manager. The setting I have highlighted below will lock out the 2.4 Ghz band:

With the setting below, I can lock out either the 5 Ghz and/or 6 Ghz bands:

With this setting, I tell the network adapter which band to try to connect to first:

If I have the 2.4 Ghz band locked out on the network adapter in Windows, the router cannot move that network adapter to the 2.4 Ghz band and it must connect to either the 5 Ghz or 6 Ghz band. If I lock out the 2.4 Ghz band, and the 5 Ghz band on the network adapter, the only networks that will show in the WiFi list are those that are on the 6 Ghz band, and if the router only has 2.4 Ghz and 5 Ghz bands, the SSID will not even show up in the list.

MisterEd · May 11, 2023

Winuser said:
If I'm not mistaken my Comcast router combines the two bands. With the new router I got from Comcast I no longer have a choice of what band I want to use. On my Wi-Fi extender I still have the option of 2.4G or 5G.

I have a Comcast XB8 gateway. If is Wi-Fi 6E so it has 2.4, 5, and 6 GHz bands. By default, it has all three bands combined into one SSID. That is what they recommend.

Comcast says that which band is used is best picked by the hardware involved. However, using the Xfinity App I can change that to Split bands so I am using a different WiFi name (aka SSID) for each band. This way for each device I can pick which band to connect to. You can see that in the screenshot of the Xfinity app on my phone.

Note, I used to be able to configure my router through my login in a web browser. That ability is no longer available so I am forced to use the Xfinity phone app. Even then the only things I can change are combined or split SSID, SSID name(s), and Wi-Fi pasword(s). Everything else is locked out.