Are you wondering why your Firestick won’t connect to 5G WiFi? This guide is for you!
Firestick is one of the amazing streaming platforms full of functionalities and many outstanding features.
However, the reason why the Firestick won’t connect to a 5 GHz WiFi is not because of compatibility, hence there is another reason for this. Let’s learn more…
If your Amazon Firestick is not connecting or can’t see the 5 GHz network, then you need to move the router closer to the TV or vice versa.
In addition, you should also adjust the router’s WiFi channel settings and restart both involved devices to check if this helps.
Let’s first unwrap the essentials behind Firestick’s capabilities!
Why Firestick Can’t Find 5G Network WiFi?
To begin with, we should mention that modern routers are dual-band, basically meaning that they support 2 x WiFi networks simultaneously.
This works by sharing the same internet on two different frequencies – 2.4 GHz WiFi and 5 GHz WiFi.
Can Firestick Connect to a 5 GHz Network?
The Amazon Firestick supports dual-band WiFi, which means your TV can connect to both 2.4GHz and 5GHz wireless networks.
Connecting a Firestick to a 5GHz network can provide a faster and more stable internet connection, particularly in areas where WiFi is congested.
Why Can’t Firestick Find the 5 GHz WiFi?
- Bugs or issues with the Firestick TV or WiFi router.
- Amazon Firestick is running on outdated firmware.
- Congested 5 GHz thread WiFi channel on the router.
- Weak 5 GHz WiFi or many obstacles and obstructions.
- Temporal software-related glitch or bug with Firestick.
Now that we have all of the necessary information, let’s get started troubleshooting!
How to Fix When Firestick Won’t Connect to 5G WiFi?
1. Restart Your Amazon Firestick!
The first and most important step is to reboot the Firestick and test whether the device will be able to discover and connect to the 5 GHz thread.
Sometimes due to system bugs or glitches with the device, the Firestick may be able to connect to 2.4 GHz but not to 5 GHz frequency.
Here’s an advanced way to restart the Firestick called “power cycle”:
- Ensure that the Firestick is turned on and connected to the power.
- Press and hold the Select and Play/Pause buttons on the TV remote.
- Hold the button for 5 to 10 seconds until the Reset screen shows up.
- Navigate to the Restart option with the arrows and click on Select.
Alternatively: Unplug your Firestick TV from the power adapter, wait 5 minutes, and then reconnect the TV to the power adapter.
2. Power Cycle the WiFi Router
If restarting the Firestick TV does not solve the problem and your Firestick still does not connect to the 5 GHz network, you need to reboot the router/modem as well.
This will not only clear the temporary network glitches but will also re-establish the network’s WiFi to start fresh.
Here is how to power cycle the WiFi router with or without a modem:
- Unplug the WiFi router and modem from the wall socket.
- Leave the devices unplugged for about 2 to 3 minutes.
- In the meantime, disconnect the Ethernet cable link.
- Reconnect the router and modem to the electrical outlet.
- Reconnect the Ethernet cable between them and wait.
Wait for your router to completely restart until the lights illuminate, then test connecting Firestick to your 5 GHz WiFI by entering the correct password.
Also, ensure that your WiFi router has internet access from your ISP, by attempting to surf the web on a cable-connected computer.
If your Firestick still is not connecting to 5 GHz WiFi, continue with the solution methods below!
3. Close the Distance Proximity
Amazon Firestick TV can easily connect to a 5 GHz network, but this WiFi frequency bandwidth has less capacity to penetrate obstacles than the 2.4GHz WiFi.
That explains why your Firestick can’t connect to the 2.4 GHz WiFi but is not able to see or connect to the 5 GHz WiFi frequency.
There is a chance your Firestick TV is not connecting to a 5GHz network because of weak signal strength due to any physical obstructions between the WiFi router and the Firestick TV.
- Moving your Firestick closer to the Wi-Fi or vice versa solves the issue!
Walls, physical obstructions, furniture, wireless devices, and long distances can all affect the signal quality and prevent the Firestick from connecting.
When both instances are near each other, we can completely exclude this possibility, except if the Firestick still won’t connect.
Pro Tip: Test whether the 5 GHz WiFi is actually working by attempting to connect your phone!
4. Switch to Another WiFi Channel
The Firestick can only connect to a 5 GHz network if your home WiFi router is configured to share a 5 GHz thread.
Some routers even have a “Smart Connect” feature which combines both WiFi frequencies into one (universal) WiFi, for all devices to connect, regardless.
How to Adjust the 5G Network Channel Settings?
- Get access to your mobile or personal computer.
- Open a web browser (we recommended Chrome).
- Type your router’s IP in the browser’s address bar.
- If you don’t know the IP, open the Command Prompt.
- Then type “ipconfig”, hit Enter and copy the Gateway.
- Insert the IP or default gateway into your browser.
- Log in to your router by using admin/admin login.
- Locate and tap on the “Wireless Settings” section.
- Choose the 5 GHz network in the wireless settings.
- Find the “Channel Settings” for the 5GHz network.
- Set the channel settings between 36 to 48 or 149 to 165.
- Click on the Save to confirm your configured settings.
This way, you will switch from one WiFi channel to another.
The way this helps is if the current channel was overwhelming from the WiFi of your neighbors.
Now when you’re on a different channel, chances are that it’s not going to be overcrowded, hence the 5 GHz should now work!
5. Remove Your Network Security
Sometimes the Firestick won’t connect to a private or a hidden network due to any issues with the router settings.
In this case, the only solution is to change your home router’s network security to an open network and you can later reset the security when the Firestick connects.
Here is how to remove the 5 GHz network security:
Tip: Use the steps from the previous solution to open the router’s GUI.
- Locate and navigate to the “Wireless Settings”.
- Check for the “Security” or “Encryption Mode”.
- Change your security settings to “Open” or “None”.
- Then click on “Save” to confirm your changes.
After that, power cycle your WiFi router and connect your Amazon Firestick TV to your home 5 GHz network.
When your streaming stick connects to 5 GHz WiFi, go to your router’s wireless settings and change the security to “WPA2-PSK“ or “WPA3-PSK.“
6. Update Your Firestick Software
Amazon frequently releases new updates to address potential network-related issues, as outdated software can frequently cause connectivity issues.
So, go to your Firestick’s About section to see if your TV is running the most recent software or if an update is available.
How to Update the Firestick Software?
- Tap on the Home or Settings on the remote.
- Navigate to your Firestick TV Settings.
- Go to My Fire TV and then select About.
- Click on the Check for Updates to scan.
- If any update is available, select Install Update.
Reminder: When the Firestick is up to date, test connecting to the 5 GHz WiFi network!
7. Factory Reset the Firestick TV
If you have tried every solution in this guide and your Firestick TV is still not connecting to the 5 GHz WiFi network, then you need to perform the factory reset.
Resetting the Firestick to initial settings will most likely resolve the network connectivity issue by providing a fresh beginning!
Alert: Factory resetting the Firestick TV will delete all configurations and saved settings!
Here’s an easy way to perform a factory reset on your Firestick:
- Press the Home button from the TV remote.
- Navigate to the Settings on your Fire TV Stick.
- Click on My Fire TV under the Settings.
- Choose “Reset to Factory Defaults”.
- Click on Reset in the confirmation prompt.
When your Firestick TV is completely reset, then set up your Fire TV Stick from scratch and try connecting it to your 5 GHz network.
If you continue to experience the same 5 GHz WiFi issue, reach out to Amazon Support for further help.
Best of luck!
Quick Recap:
If your Firestick won’t connect to 5G WiFi, restart your Firestick and WiFi router, then close the proximity between both devices.
Next, adjust the 5 GHz WiFi channel settings between 36 – 48 or 149 – 165 and lower your network security until the Firestick connects.
Visit us for more Firestick troubleshooting guides!
Read Next: How To Setup Firestick Without Remote In Easy Steps?
Finn Wheatley holds a Master’s Degree in Computer Science from UCL, London. He helped small data science consultancy firms, helping large corporations to grow their data capabilities, deploy advanced machine learning-based analytics and troubleshoot tech-related issues. Check out more about him here.