Even if I "hide" the 5ghz, and "forget" the SSID on my android phone

The compatibility issues seen like this are due to the IoT mfr. They have 2.4Ghz only devices and only program there setup software to connect on 2.4ghz. They either don't realized or fail to understand or maybe don't wan't to understand, that for any phone, pad or wireless laptop, these are dual band or tri band supporting devices in which all frequencies are on the same network when connected to a dual or triband MESH system or wifi router that has Smart Connect enabled and all frequencies are connected at one SSID name. The IoT mfr seems to limit how there setup software interacts with mobile devices, wifi routers and there IoT devices. I would presume that if they allowed there setup software to work on dual/tri band mobile devices, recognizing that the wireless network, regardless of frequency, is all on the same side of the network and could be configured to setup a 2.4Ghz IoT device while the setup mobile device is on say 5Ghz or even 6Ghz, would and should connect with out having the setup mobile device on the same 2.4Ghz frequency. 

However not all IoT mfrs are limiting. Have set up some newer smart bulbs on my mesh system and never had to use the IoT work or configure anything on 2.4ghz. Maybe some IoT mfrs are getting better in the compatibility arena with one SSID named networks. Maybe there making some progress here. 

MLewisCT wrote:

I get them using 2.4 on an ongoing basis due to the range,

It's also cheaper (and more power efficient).  A lot of IoT devices are 2.4 ghz only.

There is another path, which is to 

1. turn off the Orbi
2. set up a hotspot with the same name/password as the orbi network on one phone
3. do the install on a different phone.

Once paired, you can turn on the orbi and disable the hotspot.

MLewisCT wrote:

try standing far away outside the house to get the 2.4 connection on my phone,

My wifi modules require bluetooth during the install, so I did need to be fairly close to the modules to get the pairing process to work.

FURRYe38 wrote:

The compatibility issues seen like this are due to the IoT mfr.

Sure.  But unfortunately the workarounds require messing with the wifi, since you can't force the phone to join the 2.4 ghz network.

While the IoT network does solve the problem in the newer kit, I do wish there were on/off controls for each of the client networks.  It would be handy to have those controls when troubleshooting.