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PC won’t connect to 5ghz WiFi, but will to 2.4

Anonymous
2020-11-19T05:25:44+00:00

Hello, 

im having an issue where i want my pc to connect to my 5ghz wifi channel for better download speeds etc, but it simply wont connect saying it cannot connect to this network. However, 2.4 works just fine and is reliable.

So, i went searching and tried multiple things like going into device manager and into network adapters and messing around with that, but nothing worked. I heard having an 802.11n/ac works fine with 5ghz, which i have both. 

My router is on the bottom floor of my house and my pc is on the 3rd floor, so there is a decent space between them. However, my laptop and phone work perfectly fine on 5ghz in my room (same room as desktop). I just dont understand why my desktop just wont connect to the 5ghz. In fact, my desktop used to connect to the 5ghz channel a few months ago but i could never get it to go back. 

i also unplugged my modem and router for minutes at a time to try to get it to work, but it all fell short. If someone can help with this i would greatly appreciate it, cuz ive been dealing with it for months. Obviously not a HUGE issue because 2.4 channel works fine, it has just been bugging me for the longest time and have found nothing to help me. 

If anyone has the solution to this or has the same problem let me know! Thanks

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Internet and connectivity

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  1. Anonymous
    2020-11-19T05:46:19+00:00

    Hi Smac. I'm Greg, an installation specialist, 10 years awarded Windows MVP, and Volunteer Moderator, here to help you.

    If your other device connect with a strong signal and the desktop doesn't then it points to the wireless adapter and it's driver.

    Update the WIfi driver from the PC or adpater maker's Support Downloads webpage for your exact model.

    If the newest driver doesn't work then try older ones since they worked before. Go into Device Manager > Network Adapters > Wireless adapter > Driver tab > Update Driver > Automatically first. Then if that doesn't help try Update Driver > Browse > Let Me Pick to try all previous drivers working backward.

    Go to Device Manager > Network Adapters, select Wifi adapter, then Power Management tab, clear the check box to "Allow the computer to turn off the device to save energy." Then on the Advanced tab disable any energy-saving options.

    Enable IPv6 in the network adapter settings:

    https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/90033-enabl...

    Run the fixit from https://support.microsoft.com/help/929852 (Re-enable IPv6 on all nontunnel interfaces) and reboot.

    Right click the network icon in System Tray at bottom right end of task bar to Troubleshoot Problems.

    Try all of these steps:

    Fix network connection issues in Windows - Windows Help

    https://www.kapilarya.com/how-to-reset-network-...

    Go to Settings > Network & Internet > WIfi > Manage Known Networks, highlight and remove the network having problems, restart PC to see if it shows up again.

    Try plugging in by ethernet cable to the router to compare, then plug the ethernet cable into the modem (if separate) to see if this might be an issue with the router.

    Try powering off modem, router and PC and then restarting in that order with 1 minute in between each. You may need to reset your router or even optimize it following these steps:

    https://www.lifewire.com/resetting-a-home-netwo...

    https://www.pcmag.com/article/258865/how-to-set...

    Your router manual is always available from the manufacturer's website for your exact model.

    You also are entitled to Support from your internet provider to get online on all devices. This is always included in the monthly bill. If your router is less than a year old they will also Support getting it connected and optimized.

    Another option is you could replace the wireless adapter with an inexpensive USB nano adapter like this one:

    https://www.amazon.com/OURLiNK-600Mbps-Wireless...

    If nothing else works then do a Repair Install, by installing Media Creation Tool, open tool and choose to Upgrade Now. This reinstalls Windows while keeping files, programs and most settings in place, and is also the most stable method to advance to the latest version. http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/m...

    I hope this helps. Feel free to ask back any questions and keep me posted. If you will wait to choose if I resolved your problem, I will keep working with you until it's resolved.

    ________________________________________________________

    Standard Disclaimer: There are links to non-Microsoft websites. The pages appear to be providing accurate, safe information. Watch out for ads on the sites that may advertise products frequently classified as a PUP (Potentially Unwanted Products). Thoroughly research any product advertised on the sites before you decide to download and install it.

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3 additional answers

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  1. Anonymous
    2020-11-19T07:07:55+00:00

    If theres anything i can do to upvote your account let me know!

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  2. Anonymous
    2020-11-19T07:05:43+00:00

    THANK YOU SO MUCH!! I have been using google and youtube to find anything and found nothing! Your detailed guide helped me to fix it so thanks a lot i appreciate it!

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  3. Anonymous
    2020-11-19T05:28:15+00:00

    This may be a hardware restriction  as it is on some of my laptops.

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