Wi-Fi networks use radio signals in the 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz frequency bands. All modern Wi-Fi devices support 2.4 GHz connections, while some devices support both. Home broadband routers with both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz radios are called dual-band wireless routers.

An important distinction to make is between a Wi-Fi network and a mobile phone’s wireless network. These are two different technologies and it can be confusing to talk about 5GHz Wi-Fi frequency bands and 5G mobile network technology, the replacement for 4G.

Here is an explanation of Wi-Fi networks that can be set up at home using a router, the two frequency bands used, and how to set up a dual-band home network to take advantage of both frequencies. This does not cover mobile network technology for smartphones and other devices.

Wi-Fi networks come in a few varieties. These Wi-Fi standards define improvements in networking technology. The standards are (in order of release, from oldest to newest):