time capsule 2.4 network stopped working

i power cycled, that alone did not work. then i did a reset by unplugging power, holding the reset button, plugging power in, then releasing the reset button. then i created a [2.4] network

If you performed a Factory Default Reset or a Hard Reset on the Time Capsule, the setup utility will configure the Time Capsule to create simultaneous dual band network that uses the same wireless network name, security setting and password for both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. So, you created both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz signals that use the same wireless network name. This is the way that Apple wants you to use the Time Capsule WiFi.

and it seemed to work until i created the 5ghz network. once i did that, the 2.4 stopped working.

You did not create a 5 GHz network, since the 5 GHz network signal was already being broadcast as part of the simultaneous dual band network. What you did was assign a separate name to the 5 GHz signal, so the 2.4 GHz network had one name and the 5 GHz network had another name.

Things are more complicated now because you must manually choose whether you want a device to connect to 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz. If you then connected a device to the 5 GHz network name, the device would no longer connect to the 2.4 GHz signal.

Things would be tons easier if you used the default settings on the AirPort Extreme.....the way that Apple sets up the Time Capsule and other dual band AirPorts. Since the Time Capsule is broadcasting both a 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz signal that uses the same wireless network name, devices will automatically choose the best connection based on their capabilities and distance in relation to the Time Capsule.

This is by far the easiest way to use the WiFi, rather than try to guess which separate network to connect to. I've used this setting since Apple introduced simultaneous dual band AirPorts over 10 years ago. Others may disagree, but in most cases, I see no advantage to setting up separate 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz network names.

i can still see the 2.4 in my network options though. when i select it, it says "the network requires a password" which i enter. the password is correct, but it does not accept it. i changed the password and it won't accept that one either. the 5.4 network has worked fine throughout. what else should i check/try?

Start over again and get the AirPort working correctly as a dual band router that uses the same wireless network name for both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz signals. Do not use the 5 GHz network name option for now.

To avoid confusion with previous network names, set up a different wireless network name and use a different password. Jot things down. Once things are working correctly this way, you can rename the 5 GHz network, but first I'm going to try to convince you not to do this, assuming you want the best performance with the least amount of confusion.

The device .. no matter what brand or type.. as long as it is wifi will join the best signal assuming the two bands have the same name.

Unfortunately this is NOT faster per se .. it might be but only manually switching will prove it.

Within a normal house 5ghz on a modern wireless router or mesh system will give faster speeds even with much lower signal. Clients cannot figure this out for themselves.

It is one reason why naming bands differently is sometimes needed.

i'd like the MacBook to go to the faster one when possible, does it do that automatically?

That's the theory, and it works well most of the time. One thing that a lot of users are not aware of though.......5 GHz is capable of faster speeds......but......5 GHz signals are much weaker than 2.4 GHz signals.

So 5 GHz works well when a Mac is in close proximity the router.....the same room or an adjacent room. But, if the Mac is several rooms away from the router, the 5 GHz signal will be much weaker (and probably slower) than the 2.4 GHz signal at that location.

If I log onto the WiFi in my office, where I have an AirPort router, the Mac will connect to 5 GHz. If I walk the Mac down the hall, it will switch over to connect to the 2.4 GHz network.......because the 2.4 GHz signal is stronger at that location. When the Mac moves back close to the office, it connects to the 5 GHz signal again.

None of this would happen if you have assigned separate names to the 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz networks. For example if I set things up this way and connected my Mac to the 5 GHz signal in the office, when I moved the Mac a few rooms away, the Mac would continue to try to stay logged on to the 5 GHz network........even though the 2.4 GHz signal would be a stronger and likely faster connection at that location.

i believe i only created a separate network name because i have Lifx wifi bulbs and they only operate on the 2.4, so at some point their support told me to rename one of the networks so i could make sure i was onboarding them to the correct one. i will leave it with the same name, i prefer it that way. hopefully no problems arise from the bulbs.

I think what the support folks likely meant to say was that the bulbs cannot connect to a 5 GHz network. But, if you have the AirPort set up as a simultaneous dual band router using the same name for both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, the bulbs should connect to the 2.4 GHz. band......because they cannot connect to a 5 GHz signal.

I have several devices here........a camera controller and garage door opener, for example.......that can only connect to a 2.4 GHz signal. They connect to my simultaneous 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz dual band network just fine. Chances are, your 2.4 GHz devices will connect to a simultaneous dual band network just fine as well as long as they are not really old products.

For users who might want their devices to always connect to the 5 GHz signal because the devices will all be close to the router, it might make sense for them to name the 2.4 GHz and 5 Ghz networks separately. That way, they can "force" the devices to connect to the 5 GHz network. But, if the devices are going to be close to the router, they should connect to 5 GHz anyway if the AirPort is set up to use the same name for both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands.

So the bottom line......at least in my opinion.......if devices will connect to your network when you use the same name for both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, things will be a lot simpler that way. Somehow, the simpler networks always seem to have fewer problems than the complicated networks, but it's your call.

This all depends on what you mean by "today's Internet speeds".

Some users are now getting 1,000 Mbps Internet connections, also known as Gigabit from their providers.

As a router, the Time Capsule tops out at about 325-350 Mbps on this type of connection. So, if your current Internet plan is less than say about 300 Mbps, the Time Capsule should provide pretty good service.

The "tower" shaped Time Capsule was introduced in 2013, meaning that it was designed in 2012 with technology that available at that time. Apple never improved the hardware on the Time Capsule up until the time is was discontinued a little over 2 years ago. So technology wise, it is probably accurate to say that the Time Capsule (and AirPort Extreme) are getting long in the tooth at this point.

Good luck!