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Forum Discussion
Calling Netgear Out
So, i just read though a thread related to people needing to turn off 5g so that some 2.4g devices can connect. Telnet? really? The earlier version of the os permitted the user to just turn it off and reboot (which also seems to be missing) from the web page. So not only can we not turn off 5g by clicking a button, we have to telnet in and try to ramp it down for a determined number of minutes?
I had this problem 2 years ago when I set up a Rachio sprinkler controller. That was a major PIA but at least I could turn off 5g, reboot and only 2.4g was available. When I was complete with the connection, I could go back into the page and turn 5g back on and reboot. Call me silly, that that was a simple answer to a significant problem. Now, I am trying to set up smart switches that either don't like 5g at all or the 5g signal is bleeding all over the 2.4g keeping the switches from making a connection.
I understand updates. I understand the need to keep this systems secure. However, to remove a capability that is still needed? Really? I used to talk highly of the Orbi. I am really thinking twice about that now.
12 Replies
I have had my Orbi since Fall, 2016 and do not remember ever seeing a 'button' to turn off the 5G WiFi. The solution that has worked for many users is to temporarily disable the SSID broadcast of 5G WiFi, connect the smartphone to Orbi at 2.4G, set up the device, and be done. I personally use two devices because it makes things easier, but it can be done on one device.
The specific steps are:
- Connect to the Orbi web interface, Advanced Tab, Advanced Settings and uncheck the box "Broadcast SSID on 5G" and "Apply"
All devices that are already connected to Orbi at 5G will remain connected. - On the smartphone holding the device "app", go into Network settings and "Forget" the Orbi WiFi.
- Search for WiFi and connect to Orbi. The connection will be at 2.4G, but the Orbi Attached Devices screen takes ages to update and may continue to show the phone connected at 5G.
- Open the app and configure the device.
- Once the device is connected to Orbi (and it has to be at 2.4G because it has no 5G radio), reverse the steps.
- On the Orbi web interface, check the box "Broadcast SSID on 5G" and "Apply".
- On the smartphone, either leave it connected as is or go through the "Forget" and "Connect" process again.
In practice (a) this is superior to killing the 5G signal because other device connections are not disrupted, and (b) it takes about the same length of time.
I agree completely that Netgear could have eliminated half the posts on the community forum if they had allowed customers to do whatever the hell they wanted with the Orbi WiFi. Turn radios on/off. Split SSID's. Whatever. But, they didn't, haven't, and probably never will.
Thank you for the reply, but no bueno. I found this setting under Advanced, Advanced Setup, Wireless Settings. I tuned off the SSID Broadcast and even reduced the power to 25%. Forgot both ssids on my phone, turned the network off and back on and it still finds both ssids. Even after I reconnected to the guest network which is where I want to load these IOT items, I still can't get it to connect and I have three stitches in two different modes. None of them can be found. Oh, and yes, I have rebooted the router and disconnected the satellites.
Be sure that you distance your wifi device from the RBR, even though you may have disaable the SSID broadcast and turned down the 5Ghz power to 25%, your device, if if it's close enough can still connec to 5Ghz. So you'll need to put more distance between the device and the RBR to make sure it connects to 2.4ghz as 2.4Ghz travels farther then 5Ghz. Again, this is a IoT software issue which they should fix.
- Connect to the Orbi web interface, Advanced Tab, Advanced Settings and uncheck the box "Broadcast SSID on 5G" and "Apply"
Not to be the bad person here but I've stated this before and it comes from personal experience. If people would do some research or homework before hand on what a mesh system does and does not , then made the choice to purchase it, you may not see posts like this. if you then realized that the mesh has only one SSID would you have made the purchase?
Don't feel bad or angry it happened to me , but I dealt with it and at the time while my options were limited. I ended performimg a work around. Minor inconvenience in my book.
Do the other makers of a mesh system have the same single SSID?
I understand the singular SSID and the benefit to using it. My last router permitted me to set a separate SSID for 5g and 2.4g. I like the ability to set two different SSIDs on the orbi as one is just a guest node which blocks traffic back to my primary network. However, the ability to turn off 5g was there at some time in the last 2+ years ago.
As I mentioned, my first experience with this issue was with a RACHIO sprinkler system. I couldn't figure out why it would not connect and contacted the support team at RACHIO as I thought it was a problem with the system. They were the ones that first identified the 2.4g issue and walked me though the process.
Along those same lines, I have been unable to find the reboot function on the web page, Yes, it used to be there under Advanced, ??? However, i can't find it now. I had to go to my phone which has the reboot capability, but non of the advanced settings and is stupidly slow when connecting since this recent firmware update.
Lastly, Does anyone track the cpu usage on your Orbi? during all these attempts i came across the cpu usage and it was running at 50%. I'm not sure if these are designed to just run at that level or something it pushing it.
mellokevt wrote:I understand the singular SSID and the benefit to using it. My last router permitted me to set a separate SSID for 5g and 2.4g. I like the ability to set two different SSIDs on the orbi as one is just a guest node which blocks traffic back to my primary network. However, the ability to turn off 5g was there at some time in the last 2+ years ago.
As I mentioned, my first experience with this issue was with a RACHIO sprinkler system. I couldn't figure out why it would not connect and contacted the support team at RACHIO as I thought it was a problem with the system. They were the ones that first identified the 2.4g issue and walked me though the process.
Along those same lines, I have been unable to find the reboot function on the web page, Yes, it used to be there under Advanced, ??? However, i can't find it now. I had to go to my phone which has the reboot capability, but non of the advanced settings and is stupidly slow when connecting since this recent firmware update.
Lastly, Does anyone track the cpu usage on your Orbi? during all these attempts i came across the cpu usage and it was running at 50%. I'm not sure if these are designed to just run at that level or something it pushing it.
I believe your challenge (if I'm reading your post correctly) is getting your phone on 2.4? If so, until you do that all these other great questions are useless
