Knowing about WiFi frequency bands is kind of weird, but important if you want better speeds. Basically, modern routers operate on three main bands — 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz. The higher the frequency, the faster the speed, but don’t expect much range. Most new routers support the 5GHz band, and if your Windows 11 machine is up to date, there usually aren’t any compatibility hiccups. The trick is just to force Windows to connect to 5GHz only, which can make your internet way faster especially if your router and device support it.
How to Force 5GHz WiFi on Windows 11
If your WiFi speed feels sluggish and you’re sick of waiting for the buffer wheel, here’s a quick way to push your PC to stick with 5GHz networks. Not sure why it works, but on some setups, it’s a lifesaver. Basically, this forces Windows 11 to prefer the 5GHz band whenever it can, which usually means faster speeds but less range. Expect your connection to be more stable than before, especially if your router has a strong 5GHz signal. Just a heads up — sometimes you might need to tweak a few other settings if it doesn’t work immediately, but these steps are usually enough.
Open Device Manager and locate your WiFi card
- Type
Device Managerinto the Windows 11 search bar and open it. It’s under Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Device Manager if you’re doing it manually. - Expand the Network adapters section. This is where your WiFi hardware lives. Usually, it has the name of your WiFi card or adapter — like Intel, Broadcom, Killer, or Realtek.
Access your WiFi device’s properties and tweak advanced settings
- Right-click on the WiFi device and select Properties. It’s kind of weird, but on one setup it worked immediately, on another I had to restart the PC before changes kicked in.
- Go to the Advanced tab. This is where all those hidden settings are tucked away.
- Find Preferred Band or sometimes called Band Selection.
- Set it to Prefer 5GHz band. If that option isn’t available, look for something like 802.11ax (WiFi 6), 802.11ac, or similar—these usually ensure your device favors 5GHz. Sometimes, you might need to change Wireless Mode to match a 5GHz-compatible standard, especially on older hardware. To do that, look for options like Wireless Mode and select
802.11ax or 802.11ac. - Hit OK to save.
Important: If your device or router is really old, it might not support 5GHz properly. In that case, it’s worth updating drivers or even considering hardware upgrades.
Windows 11 Not Showing 5Ghz WiFi connections?
So, sometimes Windows 11 just refuses to show 5GHz networks. There are a few common culprits. Usually, it’s either driver issues, your router doesn’t broadcast the 5GHz band correctly, or hardware just isn’t compatible anymore. For example, if your PC’s WiFi driver is outdated, Windows might not see the 5GHz network at all. Occasionally, the router might be misconfigured, or the 5GHz network isn’t enabled in the router’s admin panel.
Double-check these points:
- Your router actually supports 5GHz and it’s enabled in the admin settings.(Check your router interface — usually accessible via on your browser, by entering the router’s IP like 192.168.1.1 or similar.)
- Your WiFi driver is up to date. To do that, go back to Device Manager, right-click your WiFi device, and select Update driver. Or, visit your device manufacturer’s website for the latest downloads.
- The hardware supports 5GHz. If it’s really old, maybe it’s time to upgrade it or use a compatible USB WiFi adapter that does support 5GHz.
This guide is about forcing 5GHz WiFi on Windows 11, so if your setup doesn’t show the network, fixing that driver or updating your hardware might be necessary before the preferences work.