How to Change WiFi Standard via cmd in Windows

It is impossible to change the WiFi standard (for example, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax) directly through the Windows command line using netsh, as these parameters are usually managed by the network adapter driver and its hardware capabilities. However, through the command line, you can manage various aspects of the wireless network, including enabling/disabling the adapter, managing connection profiles, and configuring network parameters.

Contents

• Basic netsh commands for wireless network management
• How to change adapter mode
• WiFi profile management
• Alternative methods for changing WiFi settings
• Practical examples and scripts
• Limitations and capabilities

Basic netsh commands for wireless network management

Windows provides a powerful command line tool called netsh (Network Shell) for managing network adapters. For wireless networks, the netsh wlan context is used.

Basic commands include:

netsh wlan show interfaces
netsh wlan show profiles
netsh wlan show networks

These commands allow you to view information about available wireless interfaces, saved connection profiles, and visible networks.

As noted on Microsoft Learn, netsh wlan provides a wide range of capabilities for managing wireless networks without needing to use a graphical interface.

How to change adapter mode

Although you cannot change the WiFi standard itself (802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax) through netsh, you can manage the adapter’s state and connection parameters:

Enabling and disabling WiFi

# Disable the wireless adapter
netsh interface set interface "Wi-Fi" admin=disable

# Enable the wireless adapter  
netsh interface set interface "Wi-Fi" admin=enable

These commands require administrator privileges. The interface name may vary - you can find it using the netsh interface show interface command.

Resetting network settings

If you encounter connection problems, you can reset network settings:

netsh int ip reset

This command rewrites the TCP/IP registry, which can resolve many network issues, as explained by Microsoft Support.

WiFi profile management

Through the command line, you can manage wireless network profiles:

# Show all saved profiles
netsh wlan show profiles

# Show parameters of a specific profile
netsh wlan show profiles name="ProfileName"

# Set profile priority
netsh wlan set profileorder name="ProfileName" interface="Wi-Fi" priority=1

# Change connection parameters of a profile
netsh wlan set profileparameter name="ProfileName" connectionmode=auto

As demonstrated by Windows Central, these commands allow you to automate wireless connection management.

Alternative methods for changing WiFi settings

Since directly changing the WiFi standard through netsh is impossible, there are other approaches:

Using PowerShell

PowerShell provides additional capabilities for managing network adapters:

# Get information about the wireless adapter
Get-NetAdapter -Name "Wi-Fi" | Select-Object *

# Set adapter speed (if supported by the driver)
Set-NetAdapterAdvancedProperty -Name "Wi-Fi" -DisplayName "Speed & Duplex" -DisplayValue "Auto Negotiation"

Registry editing

Some WiFi settings can be changed through the Windows registry, but this requires deep knowledge and can be dangerous:

reg add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E972-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10181}" /v Channel /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

Warning: Changing the registry may cause system problems. Before making changes, create a backup of the registry.

Practical examples and scripts

Script for quickly enabling/disabling WiFi

Create a bat file with the following content:

@echo off
netsh interface show interface "Wi-Fi" | find "Connected" >nul
if %errorlevel% equ 0 (
    echo Disabling WiFi...
    netsh interface set interface "Wi-Fi" admin=disable
) else (
    echo Enabling WiFi...
    netsh interface set interface "Wi-Fi" admin=enable
)
pause

Automatic script for switching between networks

@echo off
set profile1=HomeNetwork
set profile2=WorkNetwork

netsh wlan connect name="%profile1%" ssid="%profile1%"
echo Connecting to %profile1%...
timeout /t 5 /nobreak >nul
netsh wlan disconnect
echo Disconnecting from %profile1%...
timeout /t 2 /nobreak >nul
netsh wlan connect name="%profile2%" ssid="%profile2%"
echo Connecting to %profile2%...

As shown in discussions on TenForums, these scripts can significantly simplify wireless network management.

Limitations and capabilities

What CANNOT be changed through netsh

• Wireless communication standard (802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax)
• Frequency range (2.4GHz/5GHz)
• Channel width
• Modulation and transmission speed
• These parameters are determined by the driver and hardware

What CAN be changed through netsh

• Enable/disable the adapter
• Manage connection profiles
• Change network priorities
• View network information
• Export/import profiles
• Configure security parameters

As explained in the article about netsh WLAN, this tool is designed for network administration, not for low-level hardware management.

Conclusion

Changing the WiFi standard (802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax) through the Windows command line using netsh is impossible, as these parameters are controlled by the network adapter driver and its hardware capabilities. However, the command line provides powerful tools for:

1. Managing adapter state - enabling/disabling WiFi
2. Working with connection profiles - automating switching between networks
3. Diagnosis and monitoring - viewing information about networks and adapters
4. Resetting settings - resolving connection issues

To change the WiFi standard, you need to use:

• Device Manager (right-click on the adapter → Properties → Driver → Update driver)
• Specific utilities from the adapter manufacturer
• BIOS/UEFI settings on some laptops

The command line remains an effective tool for automating routine network operations and remote administration, despite limitations in managing hardware parameters.

Sources

1. How to manage wireless networks with Command Prompt on Windows 10 | Windows Central
2. netsh wlan | Microsoft Learn
3. How to control Wi-Fi networks from Command Prompt on Windows 11 | Windows Central
4. Using Netsh Commands for Wi-Fi Management in Windows 11 | ServerWatch
5. How To Use Netsh WLAN Commands — LazyAdmin
6. How To Manually Reset a Wireless Adapter on Windows 10 & 11 | WikiHow
7. Is there a simple script to reset the wi-fi adapter Solved - Windows 10 Forums
8. Netsh WLAN Commands for Windows 10 - Find Wifi Key & More! | WebServerTalk
9. Resolved: How to toggle Wi-Fi in Windows 11 via the command line / powershell? - Microsoft Q&A
10. How to enable or disable Wi-Fi and Ethernet network adapters on Windows 10 | Windows Central