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. 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.

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