How to Fix 5GHz WiFi Not Showing in Windows PC or Laptop, by NetCast on WebTech Zone on YouTube. 3 min 47 s.
- Video length
- 3 min 47 s
- Time to do it
- 15 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Open a browser and log into your router admin page, usually at 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1. In the wireless settings, confirm the 5GHz band is switched on and its SSID is not hidden.
Right-click Start, open Terminal or Command Prompt as administrator, and type netsh wlan show drivers. Look at Radio types supported for 802.11a, 802.11ac or 802.11ax, which mean 5GHz works.
If only 802.11b and 802.11g appear, your adapter is 2.4GHz only and no setting will change that. A USB dual-band adapter is the cheap fix.
Open Device Manager, expand Network adapters and double-click your WiFi card. On the Advanced tab, select Preferred Band and set it to Prefer 5GHz band, then click OK.
Still in Device Manager, right-click the adapter and choose Update driver, then Search automatically. If nothing new appears, download the latest driver from your laptop maker's support page and install it.
In the router's 5GHz wireless settings, set the channel manually to 36, 40, 44 or 48, or to 149 and above. Avoid the DFS channels in the middle, which some adapters cannot see.
Check the router's region or country setting matches where you live. A wrong region can hide channels your adapter is allowed to use.
Restart the router and the PC, then click the network icon in the taskbar. If the 5GHz name still does not appear, move within a few metres of the router and scan again.
Click the 5GHz network, choose Connect, type the password and tick Connect automatically. If it fails, right-click the entry and choose Forget, then try once more.
Tips and common mistakes
5GHz has a much shorter range than 2.4GHz, so a network that vanishes in one room may appear fine next to the router.
Give the 5GHz band a different name from the 2.4GHz one so you can tell which network you are joining.
Do not switch off 2.4GHz on the router, since older devices and smart plugs often need it.
Windows sometimes hides the band setting until the driver is current, so update the driver before changing anything else.
Questions
My phone sees the 5GHz network but my laptop does not. Why?
The laptop adapter is probably limited to 2.4GHz, or it cannot see the channel the router is using. Run netsh wlan show drivers to check the radio types, then set the router to channel 36 or 149.
Will changing the Preferred Band setting speed up my WiFi?
It only nudges Windows to pick 5GHz when both bands are available. Real speed gains come from a closer router, a wider channel and a current driver.
Do I need to reinstall Windows to fix this?
No. Almost every missing 5GHz case comes down to adapter support, the router channel or an old driver, and all three are fixed without touching Windows itself.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
