Connecting to each of these networks offers a different type of experience using the phone, as it will make our lives much easier when we surf the Internet. But, there is a key reason why you cannot find 5 GHz networks on mobile, and unfortunately it is something that has no solution. Therefore, we will explain what it is, how you can find out and all the advantages offered by this wireless connection that we surely have at home.
It is not compatible
So raw and direct. If you do not find the 5 GHz networks when you search for new networks, and the phone next to you does, it is that your mobile is not compatible with them, the same happens if we are looking for a Wi-Fi 6. For that reason, It is basic that before buying a new mobile check phone specsfor example, in the mobile comparator on our website.
Once there, in the Wi-Fi section you should check that it is compatible with these networks. For example, as you can see in the attached image, we have compared two phones, the Realme 6i and the Realme X50 Pro 5G. And the difference can be clearly seen, why one is compatible with these networks and why the other is not.
Basically, if it does not support Wi-Fi 802.11a, 802.11ac or 802.11ax it will not be able to see those 5 GHz or 6 GHz networks. Therefore, it is a key feature that you should look at before buying a mobile. In fact, most mobile phones that move in the entry-level range or the most affordable mid-range do not have this wireless connectivity.
That is why, if your mobile does not have it, you can no longer do anything to change it, and if you have not bought it yet, look for one that is compatible, probably the price difference is worth itbecause in the long run you will get much more out of your mobile.
However, if we go back to a/ac mode, it is supported by most smartphones today. The only ones that do not, as a general rule, are entry-level ranges or mobile phones prior to the year 2019 that are lower than the average range. In addition, the 802.11ax standard is more likely to be found in high-end mobiles that were launched on the market after 2020. Although, over time, it has been extended to other phones.
ways to check
Although it is a simple and direct way to see the characteristics of our phone to see if it is compatible with dual-band Wi-Fi, there are also different ways to know. That is why we leave you some methods with which you can get rid of doubts in a matter of seconds.
From settings
The first alternative will be from the terminal settings themselves. Next, we must enter the Networks and Internet section of the smartphone, or directly, in the Wi-Fi section. Once inside, we can see the closest connections. If you look closely, there will be some networks that directly put a 5G icon. This means that it is a 5 GHz network, however, in which nothing appears, it will mean that it is a 2.4 GHz network. Therefore, if we see both options, it will mean that our mobile has dual band.
In addition, if we connect to a specific network, and click on the icon in the form of a gear, a section will appear where it will say Frequency. There we can quickly see what type of connection we are connected to from the terminal.
Check it from the router
Another of the ways that we find to do this check to know if a mobile has Wi-Fi 5 GHz will be if we are connected to the dual-band network of our router. Basically, because in some devices, like the iPhone, we don’t have the possibility to see exactly what type of connection we have connected to. As much as we go into the details of the wireless network.
Each router has its own panel, in addition to which we will need to know the IP address of the device. However, this IP address is usually standard, the most used by commercial routers being the following address: 192.168.1.1.
Once we write this in the URL browser, we must log in with the username (which can be by default as soon as we enter that website) and the password that will come from the home router itself. When accessing, you will have to go directly to the Wi-Fi section and the devices that are connected. In that section, we will have to look at the name of the device and the band that it is using at that moment.
What do we lose without 5 or 6 GHz?
The Wi-Fi networks that we currently use at home work on two different frequencies. Speaking colloquially and without great technicalities, basically each one has strengths and weaknesses. In the case of 2.4 GHz networks, these offer us greater coverage, your signal reaches further. Although, the browsing speed is much more limited.
In addition, another negative point that must be added to this connection is that, leaving aside that distance is not its strong point, architectural barriers will also make the connection signal somewhat worse. Although, we will continue to gain a better mobile connection speed, as is the case with 6 GHz networks. In addition, this latest standard is capable of achieving better network management when we have different devices connected to the same connection, that is, , there will be better network congestion.
In fact, on average, the maximum speed connected to these networks is usually not much higher than 50mbps. And as we told you before, 5 GHz Wi-Fi networks offer us much more limited scope, you have to be closer to have all its speed. But in return when the connections are optimal and the phone has the latest technology, they can reach much more speedup to 500mbps.