When browsing the Internet we can use the 2.4 GHz band and also the 5 GHz band. As we know, each one is ideal for certain situations and even devices. Keep in mind that not all computers are compatible with both, and we will talk about this in this article. We will explain how to easily know if our network card is compatible with the 5 GHz band .
Why it is important to have a dual band card
First of all we want to explain why it is important that our network card is compatible with both bands . As we say, there are circumstances in which it may be better to navigate through the 2.4 GHz band and others through the 5 GHz band.
Being able to choose is essential if we want our team to function as well as possible and make the most of the conditions we have. When it comes to surfing the Internet, we all want the speed to be the best, as well as having good quality and stability.
The 2.4 Ghz band can be said to be the best for connecting from a considerable distance from the router. Also when there are possible obstacles such as walls. It is the least sensitive to these factors. However, it is not the one that offers the best Internet speed.
For its part, the 5 GHz band is the one that grants the highest speed. If we want to navigate as fast as possible, we must always connect to this band. However, it must be taken into account that it is more sensitive to possible obstacles and also at a distance. If we connect far from the router we can have problems.
In short, having the possibility of using the 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz band is important. Some devices allow us to connect only to the first one, but more and more people have the possibility of using both.
Let’s see that this can happen on a computer. Some network cards are compatible with both bands and others are not. Luckily we can easily find out in Windows .
How to know if the network card is compatible with the 5 GHz band
Let’s focus on Windows 10, which is the most widely used desktop operating system today. We will see how to know if the network card can work in both bands in a simple and fast way. You just have to follow a series of steps that we are going to explain.
To find out if the network card works in the 5 GHz band we have to go to Start, access the Command Prompt and run the Netsh WLAN show drivers command. Once we have reached this point we will see that it shows us different information related to the network card that we have installed.
We are interested in a specific section: Types of radio supported . This is where we can see if our network card works only in the 2.4 GHz band or also allows us to connect to the 5 GHz band.
In case we see that only 802.11g appears it would mean that our card only allows us to connect to the 2.4 GHz band. If instead more options appear, 802.11a, 802.11ac and 802.11n, that network card will also be able to work in the 5 GHz band.
As we see in the image, in this case the Wi-Fi network card that we are using allows to detect both the 2.4 GHz and the 5 GHz band. This would be ideal, since as we have seen each of the two Banding can be interesting in certain circumstances.
In short, knowing if our network card supports 5 GHz is easy if we use Windows 10. You just have to follow a series of steps as we have explained in this article. We will quickly have the necessary information to know all the details.