Is New Wi-Fi 6 Switchable between 2.4 and 5 ghz

old_texan
old_texan Posts: 56 Contributor
edited September 2023 in Internet 2023 Archive

My old RAC2V1K actually had 2 network settings -- and names -- for 2.4 and 5 ghz.


The new Wi Fi 6 that replaced it (SAX2V1R) does not. One technician told me it could be set up for 2 network IDs, 2.4 and 5.0, but on my last service phone call, the tech told me it was always automatic, picking the best signal.

So -- which is it? If it's possible to set up 2, I can't find that anywhere in the set-up guide.

I only ask because on occasion one of my fire sticks would run slow, and I'd switch to the other network.

??

Answers

  • Tyleen_Z
    Tyleen_Z Posts: 660 ✅ Verified Employee Moderator

    Hello,

    I do apologize for any confusion. The new routers we have are advanced wireless. This means that the router has both 2.4 and 5gHz networks. They are not broadcast separately though. The router itself determines what network would work best for each device. If you prefer to be able to choose the network you would need to purchase your own router as these are the only types of routers we are offering going forward at this time.

    -Tyleen

  • old_texan
    old_texan Posts: 56 Contributor

    Thank you, Tyleen Guess the Tech Support agent confuesed it with the older switchable models

  • Tyleen_Z
    Tyleen_Z Posts: 660 ✅ Verified Employee Moderator

    You're welcome!

  • HT_Greenfield
    HT_Greenfield Posts: 666 Contributor
    edited April 2023

    Dual-band-capable devices are presumably reliably steered to the 5-GHz band as long as they’re not to far away and not too materially obscured from the router. 

    🔗https://www.spectrum.net/support/internet/adaptive-steering

    🔗https://www.spectrum.net/support/internet/connect-to-wifi-network

    You might be able to verify that via the My Spectrum app (by tapping on the device in the connected devices list) and/or the Fire TV Network Status Tool or Fire TV Network Status Advisor. Whichever way, see if you can find the connected RF band for the device, explicity. If not, look for the nominal “link rate” aka “Tx rate”. If you can’t find either the RF band or nominal link rate and the device does specifically have the Network Status Advisor, then use that to run a speed test. Without going into any of the “why”’s and “wherefore”’s, if a Fire TV Stick has a nominal link rate or download speed greater than 144.4 Mbps, then it’s operating in the 5-GHz band. Otherwise, it’s most probably (albeit not definitely) operating in the 2.4-GHz band. 

    🔗Spectrum WiFi 6 Router User Guide

    🔗Fire TV Network Status Tool/Advisor

    If the device seems to be inexplicably stuck on 2.4 GHz, you presumably can disable 2.4 GHz on the router and see if the device moves to 5 GHz and stays there even after you re-enable 2.4 GHz.

    🔗https://www.spectrum.net/support/internet/slow-wifi-speeds

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