Why does my Time Capsule switch to the 5 GHz band and lose connection?
I have a 3 year old Time Capsule with the dual band 2.4/5 GHz wi-fi router. When I pull down the network list I see my "(network name)", which is the one I normally choose (check). Also available is the "(network name) 5GHz", which I normally NEVER select myself. But of course "known networks are joined automatically."
So, sometimes lately I will suddenly loose my interet connection while browsing or working online. The little fan icon on the task bar greys out and has a "!" on it.
Invariably, when that happens, if I pull down my network list, I will be connected (checked on) to "(network name) 5GHz". If I manually check "(network name)" (ie: the 2.4 GHz band), I immediately get my internet connection back. This will happen 1 to 3 times per day and always when located in the same place in my house (ie: I'm not moving around). This is happening with the wi-fi connection of my 3 yr. old MacBook Pro. My wife has occasionally been online with her 2 year old MacBook Pro and NOT had the same experience, so the band swithching/internet connection loss MAY be originating in my laptop, not the router. But the fact that she's stayed online suggests that this problem is coming from either the router or my laptop's wi-fi and not my dsl modem or dsl line signal.
Because of this, I have taken to checking my network selection periodically even when everything's working fine. Sometimes I will find that I am connected to the 5 GHz band unbeknownst to me, and my internet connection is just fine! It stays fine if I manually check the 2.4 GHz band network name, and also if I go back to the 5 GHz band.
So, in short, I'm not sure if I'm loosing my internet connection because my laptop/router are choosing to switch bands (I know reception properties are different on the two bands), or it this kind of spontaneous switching back and forth just goes on all the time and my loss of internet connection is due to something else entirely. I do have a phone co. supplied dsl over my landline and I suppose that COULD be the source of my problem, but I find it highly suspicious that ALWAYS when I lose my connection, I find I've been switched to the 5 GHz band, and my wife's laptop is not seemingly having the problem.
Maybe there's not enough information here for anyone to solve my problem. But could anyone fill me on on a likely explanation of what's going on here. A better understanding of how/why the Time Capsule router switched bands and the possible relation of that to me losing my internet connection....or not, is what I'm looking for. That information, or some suggested diagnostic steps perhaps, would help me sort this problem out.
Time Capsule-OTHER