Why can't my client device detect the 6 GHz wireless band of my Wi-Fi 7 router?
Wi-Fi 7 is a recently introduced Wi-Fi standard with specific hardware requirements. Older client devices built for Wi-Fi 6 or older Wi-Fi standards are not compatible with Wi-Fi 7. That means that Wi-Fi 7 enhancements like the 6 GHz wireless band and MLO won’t provide any tangible benefits to those older client devices. If you have a D-Link Wi-Fi 7 router but your client devices can’t detect or connect to the 6 GHz band, please follow any of the troubleshooting steps below:
1. Make sure your client devices are compatible with 6 GHz Wi-Fi
- Apple devices: https://support.apple.com/en-ca/guide/deployment/dep268652e6c/web
- Android devices: https://www.wi-fi.org/product-finder-results?sort_by=company&sort_order=asc&categories=3&certifications=1335
- Windows devices: Contact the manufacturer to see if your network adapter supports Wi-Fi 7. Additionally, you must upgrade the operating system to Windows 11 or later, as 6 GHz Wi-Fi is not supported on Windows 10 or earlier versions.
2. Make sure 6 GHz Wi-Fi is available in your region
The 6 GHz wireless band may still be unlicensed in some regions. Make sure the region where you live supports the 6 GHz wireless band.
3. Wi-Fi security compatibility (WPA3)
When an SSID is enabled with 6 GHz band, the SSID security must use WPA3 through all bands (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz and 6 GHz). Client devices that support WPA2 or older versions, such as some IoT devices and printers, will not be able to connect to the MLO SSID.
4. Out of coverage
The 6 GHz band has a shorter range than the 5 GHz band, so your client devices may not be within coverage of your 6 GHz Wi-Fi network. Try moving closer to your D-Link Wi-Fi 7 router for a better connection or deploy more D-Link Wi-Fi 7 devices for complete 6 GHz coverage.
Besides, some mobile devices might roam within wireless coverage and disconnect from the 6 GHz band to the 5 GHz band when they are out of the 6 GHz range and might not instantly or automatically re-connect to the 6 GHz band when they are back in range. This is dependent on the individual client device, not the D-Link Wi-Fi 7 router.
5. Reset your client device’s network settings
Some client devices may not connect to the 6 GHz band for the first time due to previously configured and saved network settings. If your client devices can’t detect or connect to the 6 GHz band, try resetting its network settings to the default faction values and then connect to your Wi-Fi 7 router’s Wi-Fi network again.