Basically, the problem is in the channels your 2.4g wireless router uses. Literally every electrical device in your house, and your neighbors house, and their neighbor's house, uses devices that compete on the 2.4 frequency (cordless phones, some cell phones, and of course other 2.4 routers ... even microwaves compete). There are two solutions to try, but both require accessing your router (there's also a 3rd option, but you're not going to like it). You have to gain access to your router somehow, (find out the password, reset it, ask the internet for details on how to gain admin access, etc.) . Anyways, here are the two solutions:
1) Splitting your 2.4g wifi band from your 5g band: You gotta create a different name for your 2.4g and 5g wifis ... for instance name one "Tom Hardeware's wifi" and the other "Tom Hardeware's 5g wifi". How you do this will differ for each router, but look around in your router's settings, and hopefully you'll find it (it'll be in the same page where you name your router and set its password). Setting up a separate wifi for both bands is the entire reason you get a dual-band router, because it allows devices that can access 5g to get the band with the least amount of interference (this includes mostly smart-phones, and certain laptops and wireless adapters). Making this little change will practically guarantee that your 5g wifi will be accessible, even if your 2.4g is being drowned out with interference.
2) Trying to get your 2.4g band to work. Solution #1 might fix your problem, and if it does, who cares if your 2.4g is getting drowned out by competition? But, alas, not all cell phones, wireless adapters, and laptops work on both bands. Getting a device that works on both bands is usually more expensive, just as is a router that works on both bands. Anyways, as mentioned before, the 2.4g frequency is CROWDED. Thankfully, there's a slight hope to get it to work by simply switching channels. 2.4g routers transmit through 11 channels, and you can select which one you want, in the hope of finding a channel that is less "crowded". Unfortunately, the way a router works is that it automatically transmits for that one channel, and a couple of channels above and below, which means a router in channel 1 can still interfere with a router in channel 2. It's widely advised that you try channels 1, 6, or 11, to ensure that you're putting as much distance as possible between your channel, and the other widely used channels. If you're unsure which channels to try, there's some pretty neat apps called something like "wifi analyzer" that can tell you what channel the other routers in you area are transmitting at, so that you can pick the open one. But again, trying the channels in between 1, 6, and 11 (such as 4, 8, or whatever), will likely interfere with routers transmitting at channels both above and below ... so even if it looks "free", it really isn't.
3) Your crazy ideas haven't worked ... what does this mean!?!? ....
... Well ... simply ... your screwed. Weather you know it or not, you're in a wifi war with your neighbors (who are likely eating up all available 2.4g channels) ... aaaaaand you're losing that war (this is especially likely if you live in a dense housing area). Their routers are more powerful, their handheld phones are newer, and they put more $$ than you did into the newest and best tech. Don't take it personally, they probably don't even know that there was a war, and that they won that war. Thankfully, there's still possible solutions. You could talk to your neighbors, and try to organize a plan on who takes which channels (1st floors get chan 1, 2nds get chan 6, etc.). If you really trust your neighbors and can get along with them well enough to share bandwidth, you could also try sharing wifis (you'll also save $$ because you won't need to buy internet, but I would highly suggest against this, since you'll be sacrificing control over your own internet security). But ya, when you're in a war, negotiations and sharing don't always work ... so there's always the obnoxious option. Buy a new router that transmits a 2.4g signal even louder and more powerful than theirs. You'll get your internet, and there's a good chance you block theirs out at the same time. Then they'll be the one's coming here and asking "why did my wifi suddenly stop working!?!?" while you watch your favorite netflix melo-drama, while laughing all the way. Ahh, revenge could be sweet ... if it works.
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram