I have a Windows 7 laptop which does not show 5 GHz wireless lans in the wireless network settings.
How can I find out if the 5 GHz range is just not configured (i.e. switched on) or if this is not supported by the hardware?
The laptop has a Broadcom chipset. Hardware ID is PCI/VEN_14e4/DEV_3457. The Windows device manager lists the device as "Broadcom 802.11n-Netzwerkadapter" (this is a German Windows, translation would be "Broadcom 802.11n Network Adapter").
Best Answer
The 802.11n protocol does provide support for 5ghz networks, but it's not required that an N adapter support 5ghz. I believe MOST N adapters do NOT support 5ghz. If your adapter claims to support a/b/g/n, then it does support 5ghz (that's what "A" uses).
If your adapter isn't picking up 5ghz access points, then it doesn't support that band.
The most likely answer to your question is that your adapter is a 2.4ghz only adapter.