Intel Wi-Fi AX200

"in my case I set different SSIDs for the different radios and frequencies."

In essence just press the disconnect button in Windows 11 dialogues for the 2.4 GHz SSID, as you use different ones easy to do.

Settings > Home > WiFi > Show available networks > Disconnect the SSID for 2.4 GHz. Leaving the SSID for 5 GHz connected.

You can still connect to Printers and other devices that are 2.4 GHz single band, the WAP/router sorts that out.

The Wireless Card (Intel AX211) properties on mine are set to 1. No preference.

This makes it only connect with 5 GHz to the WAP(router).

It is not a fault as a lot of Routers can use both 2.4 and 5 GHz at the same time. Likewise a slightly lower than max Wireless signal strength won't affect speed much.

"Why does my Intel Wi-Fi AX200 keep switching from 5 Ghz to 2.4 Ghz on Windows 11 23H2"
How do you know that ? maybe it is using both.

Helmut said:

"in my case I set different SSIDs for the different radios and frequencies."

In essence just press the disconnect button in Windows 11 dialogues for the 2.4 GHz SSID, as you use different ones easy to do.

Settings > Home > WiFi > Show available networks > Disconnect the SSID for 2.4 GHz. Leaving the SSID for 5 GHz connected.

You can still connect to Printers and other devices that are 2.4 GHz single band, the WAP/router sorts that out.

The Wireless Card (Intel AX211) properties on mine are set to 1. No preference.

This makes it only connect with 5 GHz to the WAP(router).

It is not a fault as a lot of Routers can use both 2.4 and 5 GHz at the same time. Likewise a slightly lower than max Wireless signal strength won't affect speed much.

"Why does my Intel Wi-Fi AX200 keep switching from 5 Ghz to 2.4 Ghz on Windows 11 23H2"
How do you know that ? maybe it is using both.

Click to expand...

His router doesn't have enough midichlorians to support different SSIDs.

My router is Technicolor CGM4331COM modem/router combo rented from Xfinity.

The simplest solution for cases where the router cannot split the ssids is to connect a second router that can split ssids as follows.

1) give 2nd router a static ip address on same subnet as main router

2) disable dhcp on second router

3) set up wifi ssids on 2nd router with unique ssids for 2.4 ghz and 5 ghz (disable 2.4 ghz optional)

4) connect routers with a cat6 or higher ethernet cable.

5) So connect pc to 2nd router ssid, everything else to 1st router ssids.

I had a lot of issues and interference when I added a Netgear router set up as an access point to my network. My main router is TP Link Archer. Everything finally fell into place and worked like it was supposed to when I set up each band of each router to broadcast its own name.
Every device I have will automatically connect to whichever of the 4 SSIDs I want it to. From what you guys are saying, it seems sometimes, the old stuff handles the traffic better than the new, huh? I've never dealt with any mesh setup yet and as old as I am, I probably never will.

I use my Asus AiMesh 2.0 system in AP (Access Point) mode. My main router is the built-in router function of my gateway, or HGW (Home Gateway) that is rented from the ISP. On the cardboard packaging, the ISP also refers to this specific HGW as a "wireless modem", it's a typical all-in-one device that combines both a cable modem and a WiFi router (that also has two landline phone jacks) into just a single device. I have disabled the WiFi of the HGW, which was enabled by default in the ISP settings. The main benefits/improvements of adding the mesh were the typical whole-house range/coverage with strong performance and signal stability in every corner also including outside in the garden space, smoother roaming compared to alternative solutions and extra connectivity features, because, despite that I use it in AP mode, each node is still a true WiFi router, i.e., with five Gigabit Ethernet ports on each and a decent performing USB3 port, also on each.

The option to choose wired backhaul (which is what I use) makes this particular WiFi 6 mesh system I have (Asus RT-AX92U 2-Pack) perform quasi on par with a traditional-old Gigabit Ethernet home network (minus the network cable dangling off of the laptop or phone). Cat 6 cabling isn't a strict necessity with such a (wired backhaul) setup, as properly shielded Cat 5e doesn't slow down Gigabit Ethernet connections more than just a tiny little bit. It means that, if you already have installed good Cat 5e cabling, like, many years ago maybe, and replacing the cabling would require you to break apart and rebuild/redecorate your home interior when you don't want to (yet), then no need to worry. With the Intel AX200/AX201 it fetches way up and above 900 Mb/s on average and peaks at ~960 Mb/s, no problemo... IME the old RT-AX92U 2-Pack still has plenty of midichlorians left so, it's not completely obsolete.

Why does my Windows 11 23H2 computer sometimes only connect at 2.4 GHz instead of 5 GHz? The 2.4 GHz band is very slow and limits download speed to about 50 mbps or less. The same SSID is used for both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands.

SSID: Home
Protocol: Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)
Security type: WPA2-Personal
Manufacturer: Intel Corporation
Description: Intel(R) Wi-Fi 6 AX200 160MHz
Driver version: 23.10.0.8
Network band: 2.4 GHz
Network channel: 1
Link speed (Receive/Transmit): 115/146 (Mbps)
IPv6 address: 2601:88:200:5d50::b0a9
2601:88:200:5d50:3f7e:7a51:cf0a:fb28
Link-local IPv6 address: fe80::d6e9:edc7:f45c:5525%14
IPv6 DNS servers: 2001:558:feed::1 (Unencrypted)
2001:558:feed::2 (Unencrypted)
IPv4 address: 10.0.0.200
IPv4 DNS servers: 75.75.75.75 (Unencrypted)
75.75.76.76 (Unencrypted)
Physical address (MAC): 14-F6-D8-9C-41-BD

Keith Weisshar said:

Why does my Windows 11 23H2 computer sometimes only connect at 2.4 GHz instead of 5 GHz?

Click to expand...

Open device manager as Administrator (devmgmt.msc), expand "Network Adapters" and double click your wireless adapter to open properties.
Under advanced tab find "Bandwidth" option (hopefully it's called so), and then change from Auto to 20mhz or 2.4

When I reboot it connects at 5 GHz initially but after a while it changes to 2.4 GHz using default settings.

@Keith Weisshar

What is the make and model of your wifi router? Can you separate the 2.4GHz and the 5GHz into two wifi networks with unique names?
If your computer switches to 2.4GHz, it is because the 5GHz signal is too weak. Can you move the router and computer closer together? Or use a Powerline repeater?

Keith Weisshar said:

When I reboot it connects at 5 GHz initially but after a while it changes to 2.4 GHz using default settings.

Click to expand...

Sorry for my mistake in previous post, I should have said to set your adapter to operate on 5ghz band.

My iPad still remains at 5 GHz but the computer keeps switching to 2.4 Ghz. This problem started occurring after 23H2.

Keith Weisshar said:

My iPad still remains at 5 GHz but the computer keeps switching to 2.4 Ghz. This problem started occurring after 23H2.

Click to expand...

You have set bandwidth option in adapter properties to 5ghz and it's still switching to 2.4?

I tried preferred band to 5 GHz but it's still switching to 2.4 GHz. At 2.4 GHz it would take many hours to download and install large games such as Forspoken which is over 100 GB. The only way to lock in 5 GHz is to use 802.11ac mode instead of 802.11ax mode.

In your wireless adapter properties -advanced tab change wireless mode to IEEE 802.11an/ac. Will be a similar setting to this,

Keith Weisshar said:

I tried preferred band to 5 GHz but it's still switching to 2.4 GHz. At 2.4 GHz it would take many hours to download and install large games such as Forspoken which is over 100 GB. The only way to lock in 5 GHz is to use 802.11ac mode instead of 802.11ax mode.

Click to expand...

Since it's forcing you to use 2.4GHz you can see if there is channel interference with other wi-fi's in your hood.

Press start button, type CMD, right click on Command Prompt and open CMD as Administrator.
copy\paste or type the following command into console and press enter:

netsh wlan show networks mode=Bssid

In the output take a look at your wi-fi name and note the "Channel" value.
Then in the output also see if other wi-fi networks use channel that is same as yours or up to 2 values away from it.

if other networks are close or on same channel as your wi-fi you want to change channel to some other value in your router, one that is as far away from other wi-fi's as possible.

Maybe you missed my earlier post but I had similar problems when I was with BT as their router would not allow ssids to be separated.

I solved this by simply connecting a second router (which would allow 2 ssids) to ISP router via an ethernet cable.

Then I connected pc to 5GHZ band on second router - problem solved.

cereberus said:

Maybe you missed my earlier post but I had similar problems when I was with BT as their router would not allow ssids to be separated.

I solved this by simply connecting a second router (which would allow 2 ssids) to ISP router via an ethernet cable.

Then I connected pc to 5GHZ band on second router - problem solved.

Click to expand...

Which BT router was it? I've had two models and they both allowed the splitting of bands!

kelper said:

Which BT router was it? I've had two models and they both allowed the splitting of band

Click to expand...

Homehub 6 - had a firmware update that did not alllow splitting.
Many complained on BT isp site.

Keith Weisshar said:

I tried preferred band to 5 GHz but it's still switching to 2.4 GHz. At 2.4 GHz it would take many hours to download and install large games such as Forspoken which is over 100 GB. The only way to lock in 5 GHz is to use 802.11ac mode instead of 802.11ax mode.

Click to expand...

Technicolor CGM4331COM seems to auto choose the best band. So fiddling with the settings for the Wireless Card won't work.
You may be able to organise a better 5 GHz signal over the 2.4 GHz by aerial positioning and using an App like WiFi Analyzer to monitor the levels.

Another solution is either get a different compatible Modem/Router/WAP, or add in a second Router/WAP with no auto-switching and separate SSIDs for each band.

Nothing really to do with Windows updates or the Wireless Cards. It is basically the WAP feature of auto-switching bands.

The Wireless Card (AX211) in my laptop is set to triple Band 2.4/5/6 GHz but it only connects/uses 5 GHz with a separate SSID.

What is your Internet download speed ?
Depending on that it may not matter much whether you are connected with 2.4 GHz and/or 5 GHz.
If it is say 80 Mbs it does not matter which.