Arduino boards and most IoT devices can only be used with 2.4 GHz band networks. The 2.4 GHz band offers better range and signal strength through obstacles compared to 5 GHz.

In this article:

• How to check if your network is 2.4 GHz
• Creating a 2.4 GHz network with a hotspot

How to check if your network is 2.4 GHz

Follow these steps to identify the frequency band of your Wi-Fi network.

Windows

1. Open the settings menu in Windows and select the Network and Internet section.

2. Under the wireless network settings, click on the Hardware properties link.

3. A properties page will open. Here, you can find details about the wireless network, including the network band (GHz).

macOS

1. Connect to the Wi-Fi network.

2. Click on the Wi-Fi icon on the right side of the top navigation bar while holding down the Option/Alt key.

3. Look for the entry starting with Channel. This will specify if the network is in the 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz band.

Creating a 2.4 GHz network with a hotspot

If your network operates on the 5 GHz band, a quick solution is to create a 2.4 GHz network using the hotspot feature on an Android or iPhone device.

Android Devices

1. Open the hotspot settings on your Android device.

2. Look for an option similar to Band and select 2.4 GHz.

For more information about sharing a mobile connection using a hotspot on Android, see this guide.

iPhone

1. Open Settings and tap Personal Hotspot.

2. Toggle Personal Hotspot on.

3. If this option is displayed, tap on Maximise Compatibility to use a 2.4 GHz connection (iPhone 11 and earlier models automatically prioritize the 2.4 GHz band for hotspot connections).

4. Edit the “Wi-Fi Password” if needed.

For more information about using a personal hotspot on iPhone, see this guide.