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Separate 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz on Orbi 50 (again)
I have WiFi cameras that require a connection to a 2.4GHz network. (Most do, near as I can tell). They also require the tablet/phone to be on the same network AND also the same speed network. A...
FURRYe38;
Thanks for the reply! As I mentioned in a previous post, your suggestion is how I eventually got the camera up.
But my original post was about the problem in general .. not being able to rename a network or disable a network .. with the camera config problem being just one example of why I wanted to. There's other times when this would be handy.
I was kinda wondering if there was an undocumented web page in the router that allowed any extra configuration, in the same way that
http://router.ip.address/debug.htm
offers additional debug info.
I have connected at least five different brands of 2.4G WiFi camera to an Orbi RBR50 system. In every case, the smartphone app created a QR code which I pointed the camera at, and the camera connected immediately.
Being curious, I opened a QR code reader app on another smartphone and 'decoded' the QR code. All the QR code contained was the WiFi SSID and password. Nothing about "2.4G vs. 5G".
Having only a 2.4G radio, the camera cannot detect or be 'confused by' a 5G WiFi signal (just like Black & White TV's could not display color signals).
The reason for asking the specific brand/model of camera was so I could look up the Installation Guide to
- Verify whether it also uses the QR code technique, and
- Ask which specific step in the setup fails.
Just now, I was trying to configure an ICSee camera using the Android app just downloaded.
Try as I might, it would not let me get past a particular page with the tablet connected to a 5G network. So I did the ugly thing; downed the Orbi and brought up an old router and all was well. Downed the old, brought up the Orbi, a few reboots and all remained well.
I'm sorry I can't supply a screenshot of the annoying page but I certainly remember the gist of it; "You must be connected to a 2.4 GHz network." (Frankly, I'm not about to reset this now working camera just to get a screenshot.)
This hasn't been a problem in the past because I'd always had different names for the networks. Although it seemed every time I bought a new camera and tried to configure it, I'd forget and have to disconnect from "Home5" and reconnect to "Home2". (You'd think I'd eventually remember, but no.)
However, the RBK50 (and slave) is a pretty recent purchase, and this is the first camera I've attempted to attach to it. And of course I forgot again about the network speed and was reminded, only this time, I didn't see a good way out, only an ugly way ...
Glad you had that old router on hand. I am tempted to buy one of these cameras to see what is going on, but not having much luck finding one on Amazon (USA). (I have an entire box of "IoT stuff" that requires 2.4G and have found only a couple that required a work-around. If one of these cameras is available from Amazon for under $30, I'd love to have another item for my 'box of stuff'.)
They weren't cheap cameras. Not expensive, by any means, but not cheap.
But my desire for this added functionality is not solely related to difficulty in setting up a camera, as there is a solution, albeit an annoying one.
There's occasions where I'd like to force a device to use one band or the other, particularly IoT things, if only to "unclutter" the 2.4 GHz band. I really can't do it the usual way (different SSIDs) with the stock Orbi capabilities, and most of the IoT devices I've bought or built have very limited configuration options themselves.
So, if the Orbi won't do it, it won't do it; I'll live with it. But I thought I'd ask, just in case I was missing something in a hidden, undocumented web page.
Something to give a try, find a separate 2.4Ghz supporting router. Set it up behind the Orbi system. I'd turn OFF all RBS's.
Setup the 2.4Ghz supporting router with same SSID name and PW used on the Orbi system. Set a manual channel far appart from the one used on the Orbi system. Use this separate 2.4Ghz router long enough to get the cameras connected to this router along with connecting the mobile device that maybe needed to effect this as well. Once you get all cameras connected. Just power OFF the separate router. The cameras should auto migrate and connect to the Orbi system on it's 2.4Ghz radio since it's using same SSID name and PW.
Something I've done with some smart bulbs when I first got them in when I had my Orbi system online. Its worked to get them connected to my Orbi system.
