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Even if I "hide" the 5ghz, and "forget" the SSID on my android phone
These steps will not work for me for some reason. Even if I "hide" the 5ghz, and "forget" the SSID on my android phone, when it then shows the available networks, it is still a 5ghz network. I also tried lowering the 5g power to 25%, etc. Is there anything else I can do aside from buying a dedicated 2.4ghz access point just o configure the stupid Mitsubishi app and my new mini-splits?
16 Replies
NEVER MIND. I just tried this on Orbi RBR50 with Samsung Galaxy S24. Verified that Broadcast SSID was working correctly using WiFi Info View (free for Windows from Nirsoft). "Forgot" Orbi SSID. Powered off phone and restarted it. Selected SSID from those showing, and the phone connected at 5G.
What worked perfectly on the RBR50 several years ago no longer works. Maybe the Orbi now has some "band steering" feature? Maybe the Samsung phone tries 5G even though there is no SSID being broadcast on 5G. Maybe the Samsung phone 'remembers' SSIDs even when told to forget them? Annoying. (Sort of academic because Netgear removed the SSID broadcast option when Orbi WiFi6 systems were introduced.)
Which Netgear router is this?
When disabling SSID broadcast, 'forgetting' the WiFi SSID, and then selecting it from the list of available networks, entering the password to connect, how is it determined that the phone is connected at 5G?
Thank you. Good to know. I just have a hard time justifying another thousand dollars on a new Orbi Mesh (I have three satellites) when the one I purchased isn't that old yet and supports everything else in our home fine. Though it would be nice if you could have a dedicated band and name it with the 50, it isn't so much an Orbi issue as a Mitsubishi App / configuration design issue.
I did hide the 5.0 SSID (which is obviously the same name as the 2.4), power down the 5.0 to 25% and try standing far away outside the house to get the 2.4 connection on my phone, but it didn't work - still got 5. After repeatedly telling it to forget the network and trying different spots, in the end, I just ordered the access point. I get them using 2.4 on an ongoing basis due to the range, but just don't understand the incompatibility with dual band during set up, etc. I appreciate all the input from the community!
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
- turn off the Orbi
- set up a hotspot with the same name/password as the orbi network on one phone
- do the install on a different phone.
Once paired, you can turn on the orbi and disable the hotspot.
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.
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.
Good suggestion on the hot spot. Apparently Verizon requires you to subscribe to make your phone a hotspot on mobile data vs. sharing your home WiFi. I think it would have worked though. Along those lines, I think I can connect the access point, turn off the Orbi, and set up the access pont WiFi to the same SSID/PWD as the Orbi, configure the two mini split heads and the central heat pump WiFi adapter, then disconnect the access point and turn the Orbi back on after I finish setting up the zones. Does that sound like it would work? At least I wouldn't have to keep the access point set up and running that way.
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.
Are you able to discover the Mitsubishi adapter via bluetooth?
OMG. Really??? Smartphone apps that use Bluetooth to set up the IoT device are generally not affected by the "2.4G Dilemma". The situation exists because while the vast majority of smartphone apps for IoT devices are well-written, there are some apps that go out of their way to fail. either
- They detect that the smartphone is connected to WiFi at 5G and simply refuse to continue, or
- They try to be helpful and communicate the MAC address of the 5G WiFi access point to the IoT device, which cannot find it because it has only a 2.4G radio capability.
All the "workarounds" for these defective apps are attempts to compensate for poorly written apps.
I forgot to ask the obvious question: "how is the smartphone app failing?" or, have you even tried the app?
Smartphone apps that use Bluetooth to set up the IoT device are generally not affected by the "2.4G Dilemma".
Agreed. And the difficulties I had weren't linked to the 2.4 ghz radio, so I suspect something else is going on.
MLewisCT - if you used an installer then you should reach out to them, as they have access to Mitsubishi support. There is also a reset button on their wifi module that you might need to use (more than once).
FWIW, the app is buggy. If I had a do-over I wouldn't have purchased the wifi modules, and just controlled my system using their thermostats.
Thank you. I did use an installer and both they and I were on the phone with Mitsubishi support. The app requires a dedicated 2.4ghz network connection on your phone in order to configure the adapters in the units. It won't work with dual band. Really poor app design. They just had me order a TP Link access point in order to get Mitsubishi Comfort to work (formerly Kumo Cloud). It's even printed in the mini split manuals.
Is there anything else I can do aside from buying a dedicated 2.4ghz access point just o configure the stupid Mitsubishi app and my new mini-splits?
Do you mean the "Comfort" app?
That is running for me over my Orbi wifi. There were some challenges pairing it with the heat pumps (though this was a few years ago, so I was installing the earlier"Kumo Cloud"). I don't recall what we needed to do get it working, but I don't think I had to do anything special with 5 ghz.
Are you able to discover the Mitsubishi adapter via bluetooth?
p.s. lowering the 5G Transmit Power is based on the concept that 2.4G WiFi is stronger over distance and through obstacles than 5G WiFi. This tactic needs to have the smartphone that is configuring the IoT device so far away from the WiFi access point that the 5G signal is unusable and the smart phone connects at 2.4G because it is the only usable connection. This means that both the smartphone and the IoT device have to be located far away from the WiFi access point. Most smartphones prefer 5G connections if they are at all possible, conditions have to be "just right" for this tactic to work. For example, if the IoT device is fixed in place close to the WiFi access point, even a 25% Transmit Power level may be enough to make the smartphone connect at 5G.
Which Netgear router is this?
Another tactic is to use a cell phone Hot Spot. i.e.:
- Power off the WiFi router (temporarily, when no one is around to scream at you)
- Configure a 2.4G Hot Spot on a cell phone with exactly the same WiFi credentials as the primary router.
- Use a different smart phone to connect the Mitsubishi product.
- Connect that smart phone to the cell phone Hot Spot.
- Bring up the Mitsubishi app.
- Use the app to connect the product to the cell phone Hot Spot.
- Once the product is working correctly, power off the Hot Spot.
- Power the WiFi router back on.
- When the WiFi router come up, every device in the house will connect to it, including the Mitsubishi product
