How to Fix Wrong Refresh Rate After a Wi-Fi 7 Router Upgrade

If a Wi-Fi 7 router is running below the refresh the screen supports, the cause is usually Windows defaulting low, a cable that cannot carry the rate, or a driver that did not apply the right mode. Worth restating for this exact case, since the details rarely transfer cleanly.

Quick Answer

Open Display settings, then Advanced display, and pick the panel's top rate from the refresh-rate menu. If only 60Hz appears, swap to a DisplayPort 1.4 or HDMI 2.1 cable, enable the high-rate mode in the monitor's own menu, and set the refresh again. A 144Hz panel that trains down usually has a cable or a stale GPU driver behind it. Stick with this for steady, repeatable results you can trust.

Reinstall the GPU driver cleanly

A driver that updated badly can drop the mode list to 60Hz only. Remove the current driver with DDU in safe mode, then install the latest stable build for your card. After the reinstall, set the refresh in both Windows and the GPU control panel so the two agree, then reboot and confirm the rate held. Keep a Wi-Fi 7 router simple here and the fix becomes obvious.

Confirm the source can feed the rate

Some devices cap output. A handheld docked over USB-C, for example, may only push 60Hz unless DisplayPort Alt Mode and a capable dock are in play. Check the device's display output spec, then match the dock, cable, and panel so the whole chain supports the same rate end to end. With a Wi-Fi 7 router in front of you, work the check before reaching for your wallet.

FAQ

Will a higher refresh rate hurt performance?

A higher refresh rate only shows frames the GPU already produces, so it does not reduce performance; it just removes the artificial 60fps ceiling. If frame rate is the limit, lower a few settings rather than the panel's refresh. Local buyers running a Wi-Fi 7 router get the steadiest result by following this order.

Why is my refresh rate option greyed out?

A greyed-out rate almost always means the cable cannot carry it or the panel's high-rate mode is off. Swap to a DisplayPort 1.4 or HDMI 2.1 lead, enable the OC mode in the monitor menu, then reopen Advanced display settings and the higher rates should appear. With a Wi-Fi 7 router, the proof is in repeating the same scene, not in guessing.

Does my device's output limit the rate?

It can. Handhelds and laptops over a dock may cap at 60Hz unless DisplayPort Alt Mode and a capable dock are used. Check the device's documented output rate and the dock spec before blaming the monitor. This is where a Wi-Fi 7 router owners most often go wrong, so take it slowly.