How to Connect 2.4GHz WiFi on iPhone

An iPhone is inarguably one of the most innovative tech gadgets of the 21st century.

It’s fast, its battery lasts longer, and its camera is always better than most high-end smartphones.

iPhones are designed to be ‘Informative,’ as the ‘i’ in iPhone stands for ‘information,’ ‘internet,’ and ‘individual.’

So an iPhone without a fast internet connection is… well, not worth it.

Many WiFi internet users run into trouble connecting to a 2.4GHz WiFi network.

In this article, we’ll dissolve this puzzle and help you enjoy a stronger WiFi connection on the 2.4GHz band.

What are the ways to connect 2.4GHz WiFi to an iPhone?

1. Connect to 2.4GHz WiFi by Telnet Port Forwarding

Telnet is a software application on your PC that can create separate bands on your WiFi network.

The process is a bit technical but worth the whole trouble.

  • Download and install the Telnet application on your desktop and set up your profile.
  • On your desktop web browser, enter your WiFi IP address and hit enter to log in to your WiFi settings. The default IP is likely 192.168.1.1
  • Select ‘port forwarding.’ This can be ‘applications and games’ on another router/modem.
  • Select a preferred name for the new port and enter ’23’ at the ‘start port’ and ‘end port.’
  • Enter the Telnet server IP address and hit Enable to complete Port Forwarding.
  • Finalize by selecting ‘save.’
  • To view your current SSIDs (Service Set Identifier) for the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, enter these commands:

config get wl_ssid for 2.4GHz band
config get wla_ssid for 5GHz band

  • Hit enter to run each command.
  • You can change the SSID name for each brand to identify them separately. Enter and run the command:

config set wla_ssid=”Fast WiFi” (if you wish to name your 5GHz band ‘Fast WiFi’)
config set wl_ssid=”Strong WiFi” (This sets your 2.4GHz band to ‘strong WiFi’)

  • Reboot your system to refresh the setup. Restart your iPhone WiFi and reconnect with your WiFi router/modem to confirm this setup.
  • Don’t forget to disable Telnet after everything is all set up. Return to your router client area by entering the IP in your system’s browser.

2. Move away from the 5GHz router/modem

The 5GHz band is known to travel at a higher frequency than 2.4GHz, and the higher the frequency data travels, the lower its coverage.

For this reason, lower band 2.4GHz WiFi is known to have a different range than 5GHz.

Your iPhone is set by default to select the strongest network available.

You can use this to your advantage if you can’t find another more straightforward way to force your iPhone to connect to the 2.4GHz band.

By just moving away to a distance of 200-500 meters from the WiFi router, your iPhone is forced to drop to the 2.4GHz band.

The only downside to this is that your iPhone may return to the 5G band once you’re within its range.

3. Create separate bands on your router using different access passwords

If you’re on a dual-band wireless router that supports splitting data frequencies, you can create separate access passwords and SSIDs for the 5GHz and 2.4GHz bands.

Find out the make and model of your router and if it supports dual bands for both 5GHz and 2.4GHz.

  • For those using a Nighthawk Tri-band Mesh WiFi 6 or similar router, here’s how to go about it:
  • Open your PC web browser on the WiFi network, then go to this webpage.
  • Enter your login details
  • Head to Advanced > Advanced setup > Customize Wi-Fi network
  • Go to Customize your WiFi network, and follow the instructions.
  • Repeat the same process for the 2.5GHz band and ensure you’re using the same or an easy-to-remember password for both bands.
  • Restart your network.

Why should I opt for a 2.4GHz band on my WiFi when I can get a faster 5GHz band?

Well, the reality is that a faster 5Ghz band may not offer ‘faster’ internet speeds for your device for some reasons:

1. Distance from the WiFi router/modem

5GHz band on a WiFi router offers faster data speeds with a shorter range. So if you’re within close range to the router, your internet speed will be breakneck. However, moving away from the router (to other rooms or offices in the same building) results in poor internet speed.

2.4GHz offers a more reliable internet speed with a broader range (in miles).

2. Connect with IoT intelligent devices

You’ll need to be on this WiFi band to connect your iPhone with these gadgets.

3. Upgrading to 5GHz is quite expensive to set up

In some situations, the 2.4GHz can deliver up to 108mbps on the 802.11a band if supported with signal boosters. So you aren’t really missing out on anything if you choose to remain on a 2.4GHz WiFi band.