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Orbi TriBand Whole Home Mesh WiFi System (RBK23) - Can I temporarily disable the non-2.4 ghz network
Orbi TriBand Whole Home Mesh WiFi System (RBK23) - Orbi AC2200 - Does anyone know, is it possible to temporarily disable the 5 ghz networks on this router? I love the router, and how it works, but...
RhondaK9 wrote:
But, the plug will only allow set up on a 2.4 ghz negwofk, so the set up fails.
This is because the plug is made by people who do not know what they are doing. I have installed IoT things that use 2.4 GHz and can happily set them up with a phone on 5 GHz. It is the same network after all.
If you can find the name of the plugs, then it may be possible to run a search here and to see if someone has worked out how to get it to cooperate.
The "move away to lose the 5GHz" trick seems to work for some people. You can leave the plugs connected to the electric, but move the phone down the road until 5 GHz fails. After all, 2.4 Ghz has better range at slower speeds.
It is a pity that all phone makers don't allow users to pick their bands.
Other users dig out an old wifi repeater, or something else that they can force on to 2.4 GHz, and then to set up using that. Once set up, these things tends to stick.
Agree, that the manufacturer should develop devices and apps that allow for both networks, and there are more expensive devices that works with both, but I usually buy the less expensive "four for the price of one" smart devices, and I have always been able to set them up, until recently. I don't know why it is a problem now, but this is definitely a common complaint, according to my research online.It is probably the growth of Mesh system. Netgear is not alone in hitting this brick wall.
RhondaK9 wrote:
During set up, my iphone grabs onto the 5 ghz network, and the setup fails.
No way to force it to use 2.4 GHz?
.... I am running into trouble trying to set up some of my smart devices (lights, cameras, plugs, etc.) that will only work on a 2.4 ghz network.
What devices?
It is up to the device maker to tell you how to connect and to write apps that can handle Mesh wifi.
What are you doing and what happens? If you are just seeing a prompt that says "connect to 2.4 GHz" ignore it and see what happens. If the device can't see 5 GHz, then it won't try to connect to it.
This Orbi Router doesn't separate the 2.4 ghz network from the 5 ghz network, and the iPhone will connect to whatever is strongest. Which, when I am trying to set up a smart plug in my house, will be the 5 ghz network. But, the plug will only allow set up on a 2.4 ghz negwofk, so the set up fails. There is no error message (just trying to set up a smart plug, when I ran into this problem). The setup just doesn't work - the device's app on my iphone just says that the device wasn't found.
Agree, that the manufacturer should develop devices and apps that allow for both networks, and there are more expensive devices that works with both, but I usually buy the less expensive "four for the price of one" smart devices, and I have always been able to set them up, until recently. I don't know why it is a problem now, but this is definitely a common complaint, according to my research online.
Some people advise to take your phone and your device farther from your network, so that the 5 ghz network drops off, and you are only left with the 2.4 ghz network, and then do your setup. But, that's really not convenient to do, and almost impossible if you are trying to set up a device that needs electricity.
RhondaK9 wrote:
But, the plug will only allow set up on a 2.4 ghz negwofk, so the set up fails.
This is because the plug is made by people who do not know what they are doing. I have installed IoT things that use 2.4 GHz and can happily set them up with a phone on 5 GHz. It is the same network after all.
If you can find the name of the plugs, then it may be possible to run a search here and to see if someone has worked out how to get it to cooperate.
The "move away to lose the 5GHz" trick seems to work for some people. You can leave the plugs connected to the electric, but move the phone down the road until 5 GHz fails. After all, 2.4 Ghz has better range at slower speeds.
It is a pity that all phone makers don't allow users to pick their bands.
Other users dig out an old wifi repeater, or something else that they can force on to 2.4 GHz, and then to set up using that. Once set up, these things tends to stick.
Agree, that the manufacturer should develop devices and apps that allow for both networks, and there are more expensive devices that works with both, but I usually buy the less expensive "four for the price of one" smart devices, and I have always been able to set them up, until recently. I don't know why it is a problem now, but this is definitely a common complaint, according to my research online.It is probably the growth of Mesh system. Netgear is not alone in hitting this brick wall.
Thank you so much for everyone's time and trouble. It has been most helpful. I understand now that I can leave the plug plugged in, and just move farther away with my iPhone, until it drops off the 5 ghz network, and then finish the set up.
Thank you all again!
Be sure to save off a back up configuration to file for safe keeping. Saves time if a reset is needed.
https://kb.netgear.com/000062080/How-do-I-back-up-the-configuration-settings-on-my-Orbi-WiFi-System
Enjoy. 📡
So you might want to also change the power output of the 5Ghz radio to 25%. Turn OFF any RBS. Then connect your mobile device at a distance from the RBR to ensure the mobile phone keeps connected to the 2.4Ghz radio. After you get the IoT device connected, re-configure the system back to where it was.
