Solved My laptop can't access the 5.0 GHz band in its usual location


BruceUK

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Windows 11
I have a new laptop, which I use plugged in and in a different room from my Wifi router. I've discovered that it is using the 2.4 GHz band with a speed of only 144/144. If I switch it on in the same room as the router, it uses the 5.0 GHz band with a much higher speed, and keeps that band if I then bring it back (while still switched on) to its usual location!

Is there any way I can make it use the 5.0 band when switched on in its normal location? Any suggestions gratefully received!
 
Windows Build/Version
Version 23H2 (OS Build 22631.4037)

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 16 5640
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel
    Screen Resolution
    HD
    Mouse
    A4 Tech
    Browser
    Google Chrome
    Antivirus
    McAfee
Go into the WiFi adapter settings and check for a setting called "Preferred band". Set this to 5GHz.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Win11 Pro 24H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Kamrui Mini PC, Model CK10
    CPU
    Intel i5-12450H
    Memory
    32GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    No GPU - Built-in Intel Graphics
    Sound Card
    Integrated
    Monitor(s) Displays
    HP Envy 32
    Screen Resolution
    2560 x 1440
    Hard Drives
    1 x 2TB NVMe SSD
    1 x 4TB NVMe SSD
    1 x 4TB 2.5" SSD
    PSU
    120W "Brick"
    Keyboard
    Corsair K70 Mechanical Keyboard
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1Gb Up / 1 Gb Down
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
  • Operating System
    Win11 Pro 23H2
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo ThinkBook 13x Gen 2
    CPU
    Intel i7-1255U
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel Iris Xe Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek® ALC3306-CG codec
    Monitor(s) Displays
    13.3-inch IPS Display
    Screen Resolution
    WQXGA (2560 x 1600)
    Hard Drives
    2 TB 4 x 4 NVMe SSD
    PSU
    USB-C / Thunderbolt 4 Power / Charging
    Mouse
    Buttonless Glass Precision Touchpad
    Keyboard
    Backlit, spill resistant keyboard
    Internet Speed
    1Gb Up / 1Gb Down
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    WiFi 6e / Bluetooth 5.1 / Facial Recognition / Fingerprint Sensor / ToF (Time of Flight) Human Presence Sensor
Most routers allow you to split 2.4 and 5 GHZ band as separate SSIDs.

Then connect to 5GHZ SSID setting auto connection.

You may need to forget 2.4GHZ connection.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro + Win11 Canary VM.
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS Zenbook 14
    CPU
    I9 13th gen i9-13900H 2.60 GHZ
    Motherboard
    Yep, Laptop has one.
    Memory
    16 GB soldered
    Graphics Card(s)
    Integrated Intel Iris XE
    Sound Card
    Realtek built in
    Monitor(s) Displays
    laptop OLED screen
    Screen Resolution
    2880x1800 touchscreen
    Hard Drives
    1 TB NVME SSD (only weakness is only one slot)
    PSU
    Internal + 65W thunderbolt USB4 charger
    Case
    Yep, got one
    Cooling
    Stella Artois (UK pint cans - 568 ml) - extra cost.
    Keyboard
    Built in UK keybd
    Mouse
    Bluetooth , wireless dongled, wired
    Internet Speed
    900 mbs (ethernet), wifi 6 typical 350-450 mb/s both up and down
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    TPM 2.0, 2xUSB4 thunderbolt, 1xUsb3 (usb a), 1xUsb-c, hdmi out, 3.5 mm audio out/in combo, ASUS backlit trackpad (inc. switchable number pad)

    Macrium Reflect Home V8
    Office 365 Family (6 users each 1TB onedrive space)
    Hyper-V (a vm runs almost as fast as my older laptop)
This tutorial may help to set which Wi-Fi band is "preferred"--> Change Wi-Fi Network Connection Priority Order in Windows 11 Tutorial

However, since this is radio, one must consider the environment's effect on radio propagation through the walls, surfaces, et cetera in your home. The 2.4 GHz band will penetrate walls and go further in distance than the 5GHz band signal.

It can be helpful to use a wi-fi signal strength application to determine what is going on in your environment. Look in the Microsoft Store for Wi-Fi Analyzer. This tool can provide a diagram of the radio signal fabric within your home.

Hope this helps.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Home Built
    CPU
    Ryzen 5 5600G
    Motherboard
    ASUS X470 Prime Pro
    Memory
    32GB
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Alienware 2518HF
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    Boot: NVME WDC WDS500G; ASUS M.2 Riser card with 3 additional NVME drives
    Various Internal SDD (Samsung and WDC) and HDD drives mostly Western Digital
    PSU
    Seasonic Focus Gold 650W
    Case
    Corsair 200R
    Cooling
    Noctua PWM fans x 3
    Keyboard
    Corsair K60 SE Pro
    Mouse
    Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro SE
    Internet Speed
    500/500
    Browser
    MS Edge
    Antivirus
    Malwarebytes Premium
Thanks for all the suggestions. In fact when I switched the laptop on this morning, I found it's using the 5 GHz band! So I'm quite puzzled. Can it vary from day to day, depending on prevailing environmental factors?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 16 5640
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel
    Screen Resolution
    HD
    Mouse
    A4 Tech
    Browser
    Google Chrome
    Antivirus
    McAfee
Yes, environmental factors regarding radio signal can vary from day to day. One other thing to mention is that some home routers actually have a setting which allows the client device, in tandem with the routers RF signal strength readings, to select the most appropriate radio band based upon what is best at the time. This setting is known as "Smart Connect" on my router (see image). One can enable or disable this behavior as desired.
 

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My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Home Built
    CPU
    Ryzen 5 5600G
    Motherboard
    ASUS X470 Prime Pro
    Memory
    32GB
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Alienware 2518HF
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    Boot: NVME WDC WDS500G; ASUS M.2 Riser card with 3 additional NVME drives
    Various Internal SDD (Samsung and WDC) and HDD drives mostly Western Digital
    PSU
    Seasonic Focus Gold 650W
    Case
    Corsair 200R
    Cooling
    Noctua PWM fans x 3
    Keyboard
    Corsair K60 SE Pro
    Mouse
    Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro SE
    Internet Speed
    500/500
    Browser
    MS Edge
    Antivirus
    Malwarebytes Premium
If you're keen on using only 5Ghz band - you can even prioritize 2.4 Ghz

Win + R > ncpa.cpl

Right Click on Wi-Fi -> Properties -> Configure -> Advanced and set 802 11a/b/g Wireless Mode -> 5 Ghz 802 11a (instead of Dual Band - which is Default)

You could also set it as priority: Preferred Band - > 5 Ghz Band

5 Ghz obviously has higher speeds - but not as good as 2.4 Ghz in terms of coverage (especially if you have thick walls and you move to a different room - than the one where the Rooter is in). If you can access the Router (if it's private that is - or depends on ISP) - you can also increase the Strength of the Signal (tho, depends where you life - if in an apartment - i wouldn't recommend it, if in a house with a large enough yard/distance from your neighbors - then sure). Modern routers also come with features like Beamforming+ which can help in this regard as well.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7 SP 16 (or Windows 11 SP 2 or Sun Valley 2)
    Computer type
    Laptop
    CPU
    Intel & AMD
    Memory
    SO-DIMM SK Hynix 15.8 GB Dual-Channel DDR4-2666 (2 x 8 GB) 1329MHz (19-19-19-43)
    Graphics Card(s)
    nVidia RTX 2060 6GB Mobile GPU (TU106M)
    Sound Card
    Onbord Realtek ALC1220
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    1x Samsung PM981 NVMe PCIe M.2 512GB / 1x Seagate Expansion ST1000LM035 1TB
Thanks for your suggestions, but I'm afraid my router doesn't have the features you are describing!

Also I can't find any option called 'Preferred band' in the settings.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 16 5640
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel
    Screen Resolution
    HD
    Mouse
    A4 Tech
    Browser
    Google Chrome
    Antivirus
    McAfee
Also I can't find any option called 'Preferred band' in the settings.
That setting is not a router setting. It is a setting for the WiFi adapter itself.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Win11 Pro 24H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Kamrui Mini PC, Model CK10
    CPU
    Intel i5-12450H
    Memory
    32GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    No GPU - Built-in Intel Graphics
    Sound Card
    Integrated
    Monitor(s) Displays
    HP Envy 32
    Screen Resolution
    2560 x 1440
    Hard Drives
    1 x 2TB NVMe SSD
    1 x 4TB NVMe SSD
    1 x 4TB 2.5" SSD
    PSU
    120W "Brick"
    Keyboard
    Corsair K70 Mechanical Keyboard
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1Gb Up / 1 Gb Down
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
  • Operating System
    Win11 Pro 23H2
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo ThinkBook 13x Gen 2
    CPU
    Intel i7-1255U
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel Iris Xe Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek® ALC3306-CG codec
    Monitor(s) Displays
    13.3-inch IPS Display
    Screen Resolution
    WQXGA (2560 x 1600)
    Hard Drives
    2 TB 4 x 4 NVMe SSD
    PSU
    USB-C / Thunderbolt 4 Power / Charging
    Mouse
    Buttonless Glass Precision Touchpad
    Keyboard
    Backlit, spill resistant keyboard
    Internet Speed
    1Gb Up / 1Gb Down
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    WiFi 6e / Bluetooth 5.1 / Facial Recognition / Fingerprint Sensor / ToF (Time of Flight) Human Presence Sensor
Thanks for your suggestions, but I'm afraid my router doesn't have the features you are describing!

Also I can't find any option called 'Preferred band' in the settings.
You have to go to device manager, click on network settings for your network card and the on properties you can change network properties accordingly.

Anyway as I said earlier, your laptop behaviour is typical of a router that uses smart wifi as it always tries to select strongest signal. However the strongest signal is not always the fastest.

Most routers have the ability to send separate SSIDs for the 5 and 2.4 GHZ bands.

I always turn off smart wifi (I call it thick as a plank wifi), separate the ssids, then auto connect to 5GHZ only. I do not enter a password for 2.4 ghz on laptop, so my pc always connects to 5GHZ band.

This is easier than messing around with network settings which are not always as effective as one would like.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro + Win11 Canary VM.
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS Zenbook 14
    CPU
    I9 13th gen i9-13900H 2.60 GHZ
    Motherboard
    Yep, Laptop has one.
    Memory
    16 GB soldered
    Graphics Card(s)
    Integrated Intel Iris XE
    Sound Card
    Realtek built in
    Monitor(s) Displays
    laptop OLED screen
    Screen Resolution
    2880x1800 touchscreen
    Hard Drives
    1 TB NVME SSD (only weakness is only one slot)
    PSU
    Internal + 65W thunderbolt USB4 charger
    Case
    Yep, got one
    Cooling
    Stella Artois (UK pint cans - 568 ml) - extra cost.
    Keyboard
    Built in UK keybd
    Mouse
    Bluetooth , wireless dongled, wired
    Internet Speed
    900 mbs (ethernet), wifi 6 typical 350-450 mb/s both up and down
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    TPM 2.0, 2xUSB4 thunderbolt, 1xUsb3 (usb a), 1xUsb-c, hdmi out, 3.5 mm audio out/in combo, ASUS backlit trackpad (inc. switchable number pad)

    Macrium Reflect Home V8
    Office 365 Family (6 users each 1TB onedrive space)
    Hyper-V (a vm runs almost as fast as my older laptop)
OK, I found the 'Preferred band' setting for the Wifi adapter. It's currently set to 'No preference' with options to change it to '5 GHz first' or '2.4 GHz first'. I've kept it at 'No preference' for now but at least I know how to set the other options if necessary. My laptop is using the 5 GHz band again this morning so I'll continue to monitor my website access speeds.

Thanks for all your help, guys. :-)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 16 5640
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel
    Screen Resolution
    HD
    Mouse
    A4 Tech
    Browser
    Google Chrome
    Antivirus
    McAfee
OK, I found the 'Preferred band' setting for the Wifi adapter. It's currently set to 'No preference' with options to change it to '5 GHz first' or '2.4 GHz first'. I've kept it at 'No preference' for now but at least I know how to set the other options if necessary. My laptop is using the 5 GHz band again this morning so I'll continue to monitor my website access speeds.

Thanks for all your help, guys. :-)
Remember, that setting is merely a preference. It in no way limits the ability to connect to the other band. It simply says that if both bands are available, then give preference to the band you select.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Win11 Pro 24H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Kamrui Mini PC, Model CK10
    CPU
    Intel i5-12450H
    Memory
    32GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    No GPU - Built-in Intel Graphics
    Sound Card
    Integrated
    Monitor(s) Displays
    HP Envy 32
    Screen Resolution
    2560 x 1440
    Hard Drives
    1 x 2TB NVMe SSD
    1 x 4TB NVMe SSD
    1 x 4TB 2.5" SSD
    PSU
    120W "Brick"
    Keyboard
    Corsair K70 Mechanical Keyboard
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1Gb Up / 1 Gb Down
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
  • Operating System
    Win11 Pro 23H2
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo ThinkBook 13x Gen 2
    CPU
    Intel i7-1255U
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel Iris Xe Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek® ALC3306-CG codec
    Monitor(s) Displays
    13.3-inch IPS Display
    Screen Resolution
    WQXGA (2560 x 1600)
    Hard Drives
    2 TB 4 x 4 NVMe SSD
    PSU
    USB-C / Thunderbolt 4 Power / Charging
    Mouse
    Buttonless Glass Precision Touchpad
    Keyboard
    Backlit, spill resistant keyboard
    Internet Speed
    1Gb Up / 1Gb Down
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    WiFi 6e / Bluetooth 5.1 / Facial Recognition / Fingerprint Sensor / ToF (Time of Flight) Human Presence Sensor
I have discovered that in some routers and access points setting the country to EU automatically limits the signal strength due probably to some regulations. If you lie and set it to USA then it gives you the maximum possible signal. Also performance is affected by the wireless drivers. Have you updated the drivers from manufacturer's site? If you just let Windows Update take care of it, then a less appropriate driver can limit performance. I always prefer the official driver in all my devices to maximize performance and compatibility. I never trust Windows Update to update them.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro 23H2 (build 22631.4249) test laptop, Windows 11 Pro v24H2 (build 26100.2161) main PC
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Extensa 5630EZ
    CPU
    Mobile DualCore Intel Core 2 Duo T7250, 2000 MHz
    Motherboard
    Acer Extensa 5630
    Memory
    4GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Mobile Intel(R) GMA 4500M (Mobile 4 series)
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC268 @ Intel 82801IB ICH9 - High Definition Audio Controller
    Monitor(s) Displays
    1
    Screen Resolution
    1280x800
    Hard Drives
    Samsung SSD 850 EVO 250GB SATA Device (250 GB, SATA-III)
    Internet Speed
    VDSL 50 Mbps
    Browser
    MICROSOFT EDGE
    Antivirus
    WINDOWS DEFENDER
    Other Info
    Legacy MBR installation, no TPM, no Secure Boot, no WDDM 2.0 graphics drivers, no SSE4.2, cannot get more unsupported ;) This is only my test laptop. I had installed Windows 11 here before upgrading my main PC. For my main PC I use everyday see my 2nd system specs.
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro v24H2 (build 26100.2161)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom-built PC
    CPU
    Intel Core-i7 3770 3.40GHz s1155 (3rd generation)
    Motherboard
    Asus P8H61 s1155 ATX
    Memory
    2x Kingston Hyper-X Blu 8GB DDR3-1600
    Graphics card(s)
    Gainward NE5105T018G1-1070F (nVidia GeForce GTX 1050Ti 4GB GDDR5)
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD audio (ALC887)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Sony Bravia KDL-19L4000 19" LCD TV via VGA
    Screen Resolution
    1440x900 32-bit 60Hz
    Hard Drives
    WD Blue SA510 2.5 1000GB SSD as system disk, Western Digital Caviar Purple 4TB SATA III (WD40PURZ) as second
    PSU
    Thermaltake Litepower RGB 550W Full Wired
    Case
    SUPERCASE MIDI-TOWER
    Cooling
    Deepcool Gamma Archer CPU cooler, 1x 8cm fan at the back
    Mouse
    Sunnyline OptiEye PS/2
    Keyboard
    Mitsumi 101-key PS/2
    Internet Speed
    100Mbps
    Browser
    Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Windows Defender
    Other Info
    Legacy BIOS (MBR) installation, no TPM, no Secure Boot, WDDM 3.0 graphics drivers, WEI score 7.4

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Win11 Pro 24H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Kamrui Mini PC, Model CK10
    CPU
    Intel i5-12450H
    Memory
    32GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    No GPU - Built-in Intel Graphics
    Sound Card
    Integrated
    Monitor(s) Displays
    HP Envy 32
    Screen Resolution
    2560 x 1440
    Hard Drives
    1 x 2TB NVMe SSD
    1 x 4TB NVMe SSD
    1 x 4TB 2.5" SSD
    PSU
    120W "Brick"
    Keyboard
    Corsair K70 Mechanical Keyboard
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1Gb Up / 1 Gb Down
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
  • Operating System
    Win11 Pro 23H2
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo ThinkBook 13x Gen 2
    CPU
    Intel i7-1255U
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel Iris Xe Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek® ALC3306-CG codec
    Monitor(s) Displays
    13.3-inch IPS Display
    Screen Resolution
    WQXGA (2560 x 1600)
    Hard Drives
    2 TB 4 x 4 NVMe SSD
    PSU
    USB-C / Thunderbolt 4 Power / Charging
    Mouse
    Buttonless Glass Precision Touchpad
    Keyboard
    Backlit, spill resistant keyboard
    Internet Speed
    1Gb Up / 1Gb Down
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    WiFi 6e / Bluetooth 5.1 / Facial Recognition / Fingerprint Sensor / ToF (Time of Flight) Human Presence Sensor

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