NETGEAR is aware of a growing number of phone and online scams. To learn how to stay safe click here.
Forum Discussion
Disable 5GHz
My printer only supports 2.4 GHz WiFi, but my Orbi system keeps steering it to 5 GHz. This causes the printer to go offline, fail to wake, and requires the Canon app to reconnect. My Orbi model does not show options to:
- split 2.4/5 GHz bands
- disable 5 GHz
- create a second main SSID
- force IoT devices to 2.4 GHz
The only workaround I see is creating a Guest SSID and limiting it to 2.4 GHz. Before I do that, does my Orbi model have any hidden or advanced settings that allow:
- forcing a device to 2.4 GHz,
- disabling band steering, or
- creating a dedicated 2.4 GHz network for IoT devices?
If not, is the 2.4 GHz Guest Network the recommended solution.
Thank you.
9 Replies
My printer only supports 2.4 GHz WiFi, but my Orbi system keeps steering it to 5 GHz.
Band steering "encourages" clients to choose 5 ghz (or 6 ghz), but the decision is made by the client. It doesn't prevent the printer from joining the 2.4 ghz network, so the connection drops must be due to something else.
My own printers (and several other devices I have) are 2.4 ghz only, and they aren't experiencing this problem with my own Orbi mesh.
creating a dedicated 2.4 GHz network for IoT devices?
What model Orbi do you have?
Model: RBR50
My printer supports 2.4 and 5.0. But, 5.0 is very unreliable and the printer does not wake up when connected to 5.0. I am told this is a common issue with Canon printers. It sounds like my only solution is to use the Guest band for my printer and limit SSID Guest to 2.4. I would like to dedicate an IP address for my printer - as that would make it more responsive. But, that does not appear to be an Orbi option.
As StephenB pointed out, a device containing only 2.4G WiFi capability cannot be "steered" to a different frequency. It is just not possible.
Does this printer ever work, even for a few minutes?
p.s. In Orbi systems, the primary WiFi and the Guest WiFi broadcast both 2.4G WiFi and 5G WiFi and there is no method to disable any of the channels.
My printer works. When it goes into error mode, I launch diagnostics. I only print 2-3 times a week. But, every time I print requires 20 minutes of set up. I am told this would not be an issue if the printer was connected via 2.4 instead of 5.0.
See if you can get the printers configuration page and set it for 2.4Ghz only. I know some printers you can force the printer to only use one or the other frequency.
Does the printer have an ethernet port? if it does, could connect it this way.
Make sure the printers FW is up to date.
Contact the printers Mfr for additional help and information regarding there printer products.
It might be worth spending under $20 (Amazon) to purchase a TP-Link RE220 WiFi Extender. Locate it close to the printer, but where it still gets a good signal from the Orbi system (router or satellite). i.e. don't hide it near the floor behind massive furniture or a metal desk.
This provides two choices:
- Connect the printer to the Ethernet port on the extender. WiFi on the printer is no longer relevant. or...
- Define a 2.4G network on the extender which has a unique name so that when the printer is connected to that unique WiFi network the only thing it can find is the extender.
p.s. The Orbi system provides a way to assign an IP address to devices in the web management interface. Advanced Tab. LAN Setup menu. Sometimes WiFi extenders create pseudo MAC addresses for devices that are connected through the extender, so be careful to record the MAC address that appears in Attached Devices.
Thought about that.......... Unfortunately, my Canon printer has no ethernet port - WiFi only option. Canon techsupport helped me to download a program that appears to have forced their printer to setup on my network via 2.4GHz. Will need to test this out over the next few days - primarily let the printer and computer sleep and then see if they wake up properly. If that doesn't work, will look at assigning a unique IP address. I looked into doing that and I thought it was not an option. More in a few days. Thanks!!!
Can set a IP address reservation for the printer on the RBR unit:
https://kb.netgear.com/25722/How-do-I-reserve-an-IP-address-on-my-NETGEAR-router
