When connecting to a Wi-Fi network we can use both the 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz bands. The most modern routers and devices have this double option, something that allows you to take more advantage of the available resources in certain circumstances . Now, the normal thing is that our equipment connects automatically to one of these two bands. Can we connect to just one by default? We are going to explain how to connect only to the 5 GHz or 2.4 GHz band in Windows 10.
Dual band, essential in wireless connections
Currently, it is common for us to find two Wi-Fi networks from the same router. One of them operates in the 2.4 GHz band and the other in the 5 GHz band. This is important to achieve good speed and stability of the connection. It offers different options to always have the highest quality.
Broadly speaking, we can say that the 5 GHz band is the one that offers the highest speed. It is the best option if we are going to connect near the router and we do not have obstacles that could affect the signal. You can also avoid interference with other equipment that is connected to the same channel, as more options are available. The problem is that it is very sensitive to distance and possible obstacles.
On the other hand, the 2.4 GHz band is the best if we are going to connect from afar. It is less sensitive to distance and possible obstacles. However, the negative point is that it offers a lower speed.
There are also differences in terms of compatibility, and that is that older devices are not usually compatible with the 5 GHz band. This makes it very important to have a router that works in both bands.
But what if we always want to connect to a specific band? This can happen if for some reason one of the two bands does not work well in the router, if one is very saturated because there are many networks occupying channels or because we simply want it to always connect to that band, regardless of the circumstances.
Always connect to the same band in Windows 10
Windows 10 is today the most widely used operating system at the desktop level. This means that there are many tools available and when we show a tutorial to improve the networks in this system it can help many users.
This time we are going to explain what we have to do to always connect to the same band, whether it is 5 GHz or 2.4 GHz. To do this, we must carry out a series of simple steps that we are going to explain.
The first thing we have to do is go to Start , go into Settings , Network and Internet and click on Wi-Fi . Later we click on Change adapter options , which appears on the right.
After entering there you have to click on the Wi-Fi network card and right click with the mouse and access Properties . Then we click Configure.
When we are inside we must give Advanced Options and click on Wireless 802.11a / b / g mode . We will see that by default it will be configured as 6 Dual band 802.11a / b / g.
If we click, we can choose the option that interests us. We can make it connect only to the 5 GHz band or choose the 2.4 GHz band. Keep in mind that if we change to one of these two we will not be able to use the other, unless we reconfigure it as it was.
From that moment Windows 10 will only connect to the 5 GHz or 2.4 GHz bands, depending on what we have chosen. Networks of the other band that we have not configured will not appear. As we can see, it is a simple and fast process that we can reverse at any time.
In short, choosing the band we are going to connect to is important. Each of them can be positive at any given time. This helps us achieve higher Internet speed and have more stability. The objective is to navigate in the best possible conditions.