Using Wi-Fi in busy areas such as homes or offices may slow down the connection speed. This is usually because everyone uses the same frequency to communicate with the router, causing congestion. However, using different frequencies can provide you with a more reliable connection. Most modern devices offer two frequency bands: 2.4GHz and 5GHz. You can switch between them as needed.
##What is the difference between 2.4GHz and 5GHz?
These frequencies work slightly differently, which means they will complement each other when offered on the network. There are technical reasons for this, but for the purposes of this article, you only need to know three things:
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The 2.4GHz band is slightly slower, but the signal can pass through walls better.
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5GHz is faster, but usually in the same room, it works better at a shorter distance.
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Electronic devices and appliances (including microwave ovens and baby monitors) use the 2.4 GHz frequency, and if you also use this frequency, it will interfere with your connection.
##How do I know if I am using 2.4GHz or 5GHz?
There is an easy way to check the frequency bands connected to your Mac.
Hold down the Option key and click the Wi-Fi icon in the menu bar at the top of the screen.
Now, the drop-down menu will contain more information normally displayed, including various details about the connection.
##How to enable 5GHz on Mac?
The last part of the puzzle is to put the new 5GHz network at the top of the list of networks that the Mac automatically connects to. This is easy to do:
Open the system settings and select the network option.
In the lower right corner, you will see the "Advanced" option. Click this.
When trying to connect to Wi-Fi, the system will provide you with a list of all preferred networks the Mac looks for. These are in order, so the one at the top is the first one found by your device. To connect to a 5GHz network when your Mac opens, just click and hold the network name, and then drag it to the top of the list.
