How to Fix Asus Router 5G Not Working? – Complete Guide

Are you wondering how to fix Asus router 5G not working? Let us share with you how we were able to fix it.

Asus routers are among the most popular networking devices, with around 24% of the market.

We created this guide with proven solutions so you can get your router working in no time.

Let’s find out!

To fix your Asus router’s 5G WiFi frequency, you want to ensure it’s activated. You can also configure your router’s settings, such as Channel Bandwidth and Control Channel. Finally, you can update your router’s firmware since your device can suffer from issues with outdated software.

Let’s take a closer look at where this particular issue is coming from. We can then move on to the full fix guide to resolve the error.

Why 5G Band Asus Router Not Working

There are several issues that your router is suffering from when its 5G WiFi stops working.

We recommend you take a closer look at the settings and configure them accordingly.

If that doesn’t work out, you also want to check if your router’s firmware needs updating.

Here are the possible issues that could have occurred to your router if your 5G WiFi doesn’t work:

1. Device Does Not Support 5G Wifi

Your receiving device, like your phone or computer, needs to be able to use the 5G WiFi signal.

If you’re using a device that doesn’t support it, you won’t be able to connect to the router.

2. Router Is Set To 2.4 Ghz

If you have devices that support 5G WiFi and cannot use it and cannot see it, your router causes the issue.

Your 5G WiFi setting is not turned on and is set to the older 2.4G frequency.

3. Using The Wrong Configuration

Your router comes with settings that you can play around with. A certain mix of settings can cause 5G WiFi to stop working.

4. Outdated Router Firmware

Incompatibilities can occur that can prevent your router’s 5G WiFi from working. If this happens, you want to ensure that your router runs the latest software.

These are the major issues you will face with your Asus router.

Let’s now move to the proven troubleshooting solutions so you can connect to 5G WiFi as soon as possible!

How to Fix Asus Router 5G Not Working

There are a few solutions you can do to resolve this issue.

However, before you jump to any of those, we recommend taking care of the easier ones first, like rebooting your Asus router.

Doing this should take care of any temporary issues. In the case where a reboot doesn’t resolve your issue, you can always proceed to the rest of the solutions:

Solution #1: Check If Your Device Can Use 5G WiFi

If you’re using a brand-new Asus router for the first time, you first need to check if your devices can connect to 5G WiFi. Not all devices can use 5G WiFi.

Newer phones, laptops, and TVs can connect without any issues. However, smart home devices like security cameras and thermostats might not be equipped to take advantage of it.

If your device is not 5G-WiFi capable, there’s nothing much you can do about it since the cause is incompatible hardware.

Although it can still connect to the older 2.4G WiFi frequency, you will be missing out on the stability and speed of 5G.

Here’s how to check if your device can connect to 5G WiFi:

1. Check your device specifications.
2. It needs to have an 802.11a or 802.11n WiFi adapter.
3. Check your connection speeds.
4. If it goes beyond 300 Mbps, you’re connected to 5G WiFi.

Tip: Most smart home devices are not 5G WiFi-compatible.

Solution #2: Activate Your Router’s 5G WiFi Band

Even though your Asus router should come with 5G WiFi built-in, it may not be activated.

It could be a defect that it’s not set, or you may have turned it off accidentally while setting up your router.

Either way, you’ll only need to activate your router’s 5G WiFi feature to get it back up and running.

You’ll have to access your router’s administrator settings to turn it on and connect your devices to your router.

Here’s how to activate your router’s 5G WiFi:

1. Log in to your router’s admin panel.
2. Select Wireless under Advanced Settings.
3. Go to the General tab.
4. Select 5GHz in the Band dropdown menu.
5. Click on Apply to save the changes.

Note: Your 5G WiFi is turned on, and your devices will automatically connect.

Solution #3: Configure the Channel Bandwidth to Default

Your router can have 5G WiFi, but it’s possible that it will not use it for several reasons. One of the most common ones is network congestion.

All WiFi networks, even though they’re named differently, all use the same frequency.

If you live in an area with lots of WiFi users, you will experience lots of interference and congestion.

The best way to combat this is to set the channel bandwidth on your Asus router.

It can affect the performance and speed of your WiFi. If it’s not set properly, it can even cause your router’s 5G to stop working.

Here’s how to configure your router’s channel bandwidth:

1. Go to your router’s Wireless settings.
2. Select the General tab.
3. Navigate to Band and select the 5 GHz option.
4. Under Channel Bandwidth, set it to 20/40 MHz.

Note: You can also select the 20/40/80 MHz option as it’s your router's default channel.

Solution #4: Change to a Different Control Channel

If your 5G WiFi is still not working after changing the channel bandwidth. You’ll want to look at the control channel that your router is using.

This limits interference as other WiFi users and routers can mess up your signal.

Your router’s frequency is also separated into channels. You can think of these as lanes on a highway. Selecting a different channel allows your router to move all its bandwidth traffic to a more open lane.

Here’s how to change your Asus router’s control channel:

1. Go to your router’s Advanced Settings, then Wireless.
2. Click on the General tab.
3. Set the Band to 5GHz.
4. Under Control Channel, select a different value than the current.
5. Click on Apply to save the changes.

Note: We recommend trying out 40, 44, and 161 as these are not default values.

Solution #5: Disable Your Router’s Smart Connect Feature

The Smart Connect feature automatically connects devices to the most appropriate band.

It’s certainly a useful feature that will distribute your devices based on their hardware and proximity to the router.

There are instances when the Smart Connect feature can malfunction, especially if your router is not optimally positioned.

There is a tendency for your router to connect all of your devices to the 2.4G since it’s more stable.

Here’s how to disable Smart Connect on your Asus router:

1. Log in to your router’s admin panel.
2. Select Wireless, then General.
3. Toggle the Enable Smart Connect switch to off.
4. Click Apply at the bottom of the screen.

Note: You can also create different Smart Connect rules if you don’t want to disable the feature outright.

Solution #6: Update Your Router’s Firmware

If your router continues to disconnect its 5G WiFi connection, you’ll want to look at the firmware. Outdated firmware can cause your device to malfunction.

It may not manifest as a major issue. It can be as simple as your router can randomly disconnect from your devices.

You’ll want to update your Asus router to the latest firmware to resolve this issue. The good news is that Asus routers are incredibly easy to update.

Unlike other devices where you need to download the latest firmware files from their website, Asus routers can do it automatically.

Here’s how to update your Asus router:

1. Log in to your router’s admin panel via a web browser.
2. Check the top-right for a pop-up message for a new firmware version.
3. Click on Update Now.
4. Scroll down and select Firmware Upgrade.
5. Wait for the upgrade to finish.

Tip: After the upgrade process is complete, go to Administration, then the Restore menu, and click on Restore.

If you’re still experiencing issues with your Asus router, you can always contact Asus customer support. They can assist you and recommend if your device needs repair or replacement.

Read Next: Asus RT-N66U Not Getting Full Speed?

Bottom Line

Now that you know the cause of your Asus router 5G not working and how to fix it, you’ll be able to get yours working in no time.

Using 5G on your enabled devices gives you a better connectivity experience overall, so it helps you get it up and running as quickly as possible.