Fix Mobile Hotspot Stuck on 2.4 GHz on Windows 11

Your Windows 11 mobile hotspot is stuck broadcasting on the slower 2.4 GHz band, even though your primary adapter supports 5 GHz or 6 GHz. This happens because Windows 11 defaults the hotspot to the 2.4 GHz band when the Wi-Fi adapter driver does not expose the band selection feature correctly. This article explains why the hotspot gets stuck on 2.4 GHz and provides three reliable methods to force it to 5 GHz or 6 GHz.

Why the Mobile Hotspot Stays on 2.4 GHz on Windows 11

The mobile hotspot feature in Windows 11 creates a virtual Wi-Fi adapter that shares your internet connection. By default, Windows 11 selects the 2.4 GHz band because it offers better range and compatibility with older devices. However, the band selection dropdown in Settings > Network & internet > Mobile hotspot > Properties may be missing or grayed out for two reasons. First, your Wi-Fi adapter driver does not expose the band selection capability through the Windows API. Second, the adapter is a single-band 2.4 GHz model. Most modern laptops and adapters support dual-band 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, but the driver may hide the band option. When the option is hidden, Windows 11 defaults to 2.4 GHz.

Steps to Force the Mobile Hotspot to 5 GHz or 6 GHz

You can force the mobile hotspot to use a higher band using one of three methods. Try Method 1 first. If the band dropdown is missing, use Method 2. If Method 2 does not work, use Method 3.

Method 1: Change the Band in Windows 11 Settings

1. Open Settings
   Press Windows + I to open Settings. Select Network & internet from the left sidebar.
2. Go to Mobile hotspot
   Click Mobile hotspot in the right pane. If the toggle is off, turn it on.
3. Find the Band dropdown
   Under the Properties section, look for Band. If you see a dropdown, click it and select 5 GHz or 6 GHz. If the dropdown is missing or grayed out, proceed to Method 2.
4. Save and test
   After selecting the band, the hotspot restarts automatically. Connect a client device and verify the band using a Wi-Fi analyzer app or by checking the connection properties on the client.

Method 2: Set Preferred Band in Device Manager

1. Open Device Manager
   Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager. Expand Network adapters.
2. Open Wi-Fi adapter properties
   Right-click your Wi-Fi adapter (usually named Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211 or Realtek RTL8822CE) and select Properties.
3. Go to the Advanced tab
   Click the Advanced tab. In the Property list, scroll to find Preferred Band or Band. If you do not see this property, look for Wireless Mode or 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax.
4. Set Preferred Band to 5 GHz
   Select Preferred Band and change the value to 5 GHz or Prefer 5 GHz. Click OK. If the property is missing, your adapter may not support band switching through this method.
5. Restart the hotspot
   Go back to Settings > Network & internet > Mobile hotspot. Turn the hotspot off and on again. Check if the band changed to 5 GHz.

Method 3: Use a Command Prompt to Create a Hosted Network

1. Open Command Prompt as administrator
   Press Windows + X and select Terminal (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin). Click Yes on the User Account Control prompt.
2. Check if the hosted network is supported
   Type netsh wlan show drivers and press Enter. Look for Hosted network supported. If it says Yes, proceed. If it says No, your adapter does not support this method.
3. Set the hosted network SSID and password
   Type the following command and press Enter:
   netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid=MyHotspot key=StrongPassword123
   Replace MyHotspot and StrongPassword123 with your own values.
4. Start the hosted network
   Type netsh wlan start hostednetwork and press Enter. The hosted network uses the same band as your primary Wi-Fi adapter. If your adapter is connected to a 5 GHz network, the hosted network broadcasts on 5 GHz.
5. Share your internet connection
   Open Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center > Change adapter settings. Right-click your internet connection, select Properties, click the Sharing tab, check Allow other network users to connect through this computer’s internet connection, and select the Local Area Connection adapter from the dropdown.

If the Mobile Hotspot Still Uses 2.4 GHz After Trying These Methods

Hotspot Band Option Is Missing or Grayed Out

If the Band dropdown in Settings is missing and Device Manager does not show a Preferred Band property, your Wi-Fi adapter driver likely does not support band switching. Update the driver to the latest version from your laptop manufacturer’s website. Do not use Windows Update for this. Download the driver from the Intel, Realtek, or Qualcomm support page for your specific adapter model. After updating, restart and check Settings again.

Hosted Network Command Shows Not Supported

Some modern Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E adapters do not support the legacy hosted network feature. If netsh wlan show drivers shows Hosted network supported: No, you cannot use Method 3. In this case, use a third-party hotspot application such as Connectify Hotspot or mHotspot, which can force the band to 5 GHz through their own driver stack.

Adapter Hardware Is Single-Band 2.4 GHz

Some budget laptops and USB Wi-Fi adapters are physically limited to 2.4 GHz. Check your adapter specifications by running netsh wlan show interfaces in Command Prompt. Look for Radio types supported. If it only shows 802.11b and 802.11g, the adapter is single-band 2.4 GHz. The only fix is to replace the adapter with a dual-band model that supports 5 GHz.

Mobile Hotspot Band Options: 2.4 GHz vs 5 GHz vs 6 GHz

Item	2.4 GHz	5 GHz
Speed	Up to 600 Mbps (theoretical)	Up to 1.3 Gbps (theoretical)
Range	Better through walls and obstacles	Shorter range, more attenuation
Interference	High from Bluetooth, microwaves, neighbors	Low, fewer overlapping channels
Compatibility	All Wi-Fi devices	Most modern devices (Wi-Fi 5 and newer)
Windows 11 hotspot behavior	Default band when driver hides the option	Available only if driver exposes band selection

You can now force your Windows 11 mobile hotspot to use the 5 GHz band using the Settings dropdown, Device Manager property, or a command-line hosted network. If your adapter does not support band switching through any method, update the driver or replace the adapter with a dual-band model. For heavy file transfers or gaming over your hotspot, 5 GHz provides lower latency and higher throughput. Try testing the hotspot with a Wi-Fi analyzer app to confirm the band change.