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Make 5GHz as default network on iPhone

Question: How to default connecting to the 5 GHz network of Airport on an iPhone?


My iPhone 5 always connect to the 2.4 GHz network by default and then again I have to manually connect to 5 GHz network. I read the other post on how to do this for mac but did not find any solution for iPhone.


https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2635589?answerId=12527155022#12527155022

AirPort Express 802.11N (2nd generation)

Posted on Mar 14, 2014 11:00 AM

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Posted on Mar 15, 2014 10:36 PM

Well thats what I have been doing now...


I have a airport express.


2.4 GHZ network in named HOME1

5 GHZ network is named HOME2


now my phone alway connect to HOME1 and I alway have to manully go and select HOME2. So that is way my question was to set HOME2 as defualt so that I do not have to select i manually.

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Question marked as Best reply

Mar 15, 2014 10:36 PM in response to turbostar

Well thats what I have been doing now...


I have a airport express.


2.4 GHZ network in named HOME1

5 GHZ network is named HOME2


now my phone alway connect to HOME1 and I alway have to manully go and select HOME2. So that is way my question was to set HOME2 as defualt so that I do not have to select i manually.

Mar 15, 2014 9:51 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Bob, he wants the 2.4 there as backup to the 5, that's why he's not happy having to delete the 2.4.


I'm sure when he's farther away from his router, the 5 isn't even showing up but the 2.4 still does, and this is how he gets stuck, once his phone has the 2.4 and even if he walks back right to the router, it will likely stay on the 2.4 (but OP wants it to switch back to 5).


If he deletes the 2.4 entirely, then he's now lost wifi in the further reachers where he likely has 2.4, but no 5, signal.

Mar 15, 2014 8:43 PM in response to rxrv

No, iOS devices are great for picking up networks not the best at letting them go, i.e. unlike a computer they don't seem to scan and grab the fastest network as quickly as you'd want. You can turn wifi on/off to force the phone to grab the faster connection (if it's available).


If it really bothers you, using a dual band router with the same network name for both 2.4 and 5 should mitigate the issue.

Mar 16, 2014 12:55 AM in response to rxrv

Thanks John, but isn't there any way to Defualt the 5GHz. It would still be good to have both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz and just default to 5GHz.


That's essentially how Apple designed it, but in practice the 2.4 GHz network tends to have the greater signal to noise ratio, and is the one that iPhones will grab first and hold on to the longest, despite the fact it isn't capable of as much bandwidth as 5 GHz. What it appears you're looking for is a way to assign a preference for 5 GHz and automatically fall back to 2.4 GHz if 5 GHz becomes unacceptable, and Apple simply doesn't provide a way for its users to do that.


In crowded areas it's common to see literally three or four dozen 2.4 GHz networks within reception range, and perhaps one or two 5 GHz ones. In such an environment it may be better to constrain your devices to 5 GHz even when 2.4 may have the stronger signal.

Mar 15, 2014 9:01 PM in response to rxrv

but isn't there any way to Defualt the 5GHz.


Yes, there is....and it works fine.....but no better than 2.4 GHz in my experience.


John has already provided you with the steps, which are repeated again below.


As the link indicates, you first have to assign a separate name to the 5 GHz band on the AirPort router, then connect the iPhone to that 5 GHz network name.


Then, forget the other 2.4 GHz connection on the iPhone and it will default to 5 GHz signal every time.


If you are telling us that you do not know how to assign a separate name to the 5 GHz band on your AirPort router, post back with the model number of the device that you have and what version of AirPort Utility that you are using.

Make 5GHz as default network on iPhone

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