Running a new SimpliSafe doorbell and it keeps dropping offline. Technician says it needs to be on 2.4 specifically and seperate passwords would help. Is this possible on this system?Thanks in advance.

Don't listen to Furrie. Everytime this is asked he keeps claiming its not possible even though its well known and documented that you can do it. Go here and follow the steps. A lot of IOT devices require seperate SSID to work and don't support band steering. https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/How-to-set-a-separate-SSID-for-the-5-GHz-network-on-your-Orbi/td-p/1396594

dan801 wrote:Everytime this is asked he keeps claiming its not possible even though its well known and documented that you can do it. It's neither supported nor endorsed by Netgear. And the results and effects vary with the Orbi models and firmware releases - and might change again following a reboot. That's why some senior community members don't believe in such a "solution". Yes, FURRYe38 - count me in here, too. dan801 wrote:A lot of IOT devices require seperate SSID to work ...Nope. Some crappy IoT require the discovery App to be run on 2.4 GHz for discovery of the 2.4 GHz IoC. At run-time, once configured, there is no such requirement.A 2.4. GHz IoT will never connect to a 5 GHz AP because it can't see it at all - so it does not care about it.The IoT devices should be configured to the "primary" and long-term single SSID - and not to a temporary "split" SSID config name. dan801 wrote:A lot of IOT devices ... and don't support band steering. An AP with band steering will delay the association of a 2.4GHz client connection attempt awaiting another connection attempt on 5 GHz. If this does not happen, the 2.4GHz association will be allowed. What should the IoT not support now here? It does not recognize that the AP does any band steering - just the initial connection takes slightly longer.And to round it up: Basic wireless clients as in place on many IoT don't care about neighbouring AP information coming over air from advanced APs (this is what the consumer wireless industry does understand under "Mesh" support). What can happen after a power failure? The primary AP (the Orbi router) can come up before the satellites do, so a "dumb" IoT will connect to the router - and stick - to that connection, even if a much better signal will come from on-air from the satellite after some delay. Lack of "Mesh" support, it will not learn about the neighbouring APs - and stick with the poor signal forever.Now we come back to the subject SimplySafe devices: Start reading here: https://simplisafe.com/forum/customer-support-forum/installing-and-using-simplisafe/simplicam-losing-connection - thier community is full with connection loss, separating 2.4 and 5 GHz does not cure, some have issues with some specific AT&T routers, others report that changing to Orbi fixed the Simplysafe device disconnection problems. Funny, isn't it?And then once more, please explain the interested reader why a configured wireless IoT (say one of these Simplysafe cameras and doorbells) which have "lost" the connection does not automatically re-connect to the wireless, and then to the cloud? That's very unlikely because of the 2.4 GHz wireless (again the only band the IoT does see and know about) has the same name like the 5 GHz ....So Navyav8r please share this information with the Simplysafe support engineer. I'm happy to read about thier explanation attempt.

All my IoTs work with a single SSID name and PW. Zero need to separate SSID. Orbi works with IoTs as designed. I say that it's NOT supported by NG!! Again, this is a IoT Mfr issue and not a NG issue. For users who want there IoTs to work with Orbi, Just follow this simpler method and you'll be fine. https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/orbi-20-cannot-connect-Swann-Camera/m-p/1822441/highlight/true#M75389https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/Kindle-Paperwhite-not-found-my-Orbi-RBR40/m-p/1712069/highlight/true#M53584 IoTs don't require separate SSIDs. 2.4Ghz only supporting IoTs don't even care or even SEE 5Ghz signals in the first place, so why would there be a need for a requirement or support band steering. It's not up to these device to bandsteer in the first place. The router does this. dual band devices may bandsteer since they have the ability to pick and choose which freqency to connect to since these dual band devices support both frequencies which are not seen on 2.4Ghz only IoT. You don't have to listen to me either. :smileywink: Good Luck. :heart:dan801 wrote:Don't listen to Furrie. Everytime this is asked he keeps claiming its not possible even though its well known and documented that you can do it. Go here and follow the steps. A lot of IOT devices require seperate SSID to work and don't support band steering.

Well, your comment may be "spot on". Certainly, every IoT device that I have purchased connected just fine. I'm hoping that somebody will produce specific instances where the only way to connect the device was to put a different SSID on the 5G network. When people described problems with some devices, such as a Teckin outdoor smart plug, I bought one on Amazon and found that it connected easily. (My Christmas lights are on it right now.) I'm not about to purchase a bunch of $200 things I don't need, but some $25 items, sure.

Jetdrive wrote: As far as I know there is no list. Where would that list come from? Possibly because the whole idea of a list doesn't make sense. We only have it on the word of one person that "a lot of IoT devices" demand separate SSIDs. That they cannot name even one device, and refuse to address that issue rather than something completely different, tells us a lot. Jetdrive wrote: Not sure one is needed either. It so easy to work around this issue that it's almost a non-issue. To me that sums it all up. Evidence doesn't work with some people, but until we have details of even one reluctant device, I think we can safely move on to more important things.

SEPERATE PASSWORDS FOR 2.4 and 5 | NETGEAR Communities

28 Replies

plemans
Guru
Dec 05, 2019
What most have had luck with is to turn down the broadcast power on the 5ghz signal during setup or you can try disabling the 5ghz ssid broadcast for setup. Once setup, you can turn it back up/on.
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/Kindle-Paperwhite-not-found-my-Orbi-RBR40/m-p/1711049/highlight/true#M53337

Also make sure your phone is on 2.4ghz during setup. Most of these systems will have issues if your phone is on 5ghz and you're trying to setup the device on 2.4ghz.
FURRYe38
Guru
Dec 05, 2019
No. Orbi doesn't support splitting of the SSID or PWs. If the device only supports 2.4Ghz, then it will never see or use 5ghz. This is not a 5Ghz issue.

What Firmware is currently loaded?
What is the Mfr and model# of the ISP modem the NG router is connected too?

What is the size of your home? Sq Ft?
What is the distance between the router and satellite(s)? 30 feet is recommended in between them to begin with depending upon building materials when wirelessly connected.

What channels are you using? Auto? Try setting manual channel 1 on 2.4Ghz.
Any Wifi Neighbors near by? If so, how many?

Try enabling Beamforming and MIMO(MIMO may or maynot be needed) and WMM. Under Advanced Tab/Advanced Settings/Wireless Settings
Try disabling the following and see:
Daisy Chain, Fast Roaming, IPv6 and Set 20/40Mhz Coexistence to 40Mhz only. Save settings and reboot the router and satellite(s).
- Jetdrive
  Luminary
  Dec 05, 2019
  Actually this is a 5ghz issue. If the phone or tablet is on 5ghz then some 2.4ghz devices cannot be set up. It's a very common issue where both the phone and device being setup must be on the same band. Getting off the 5ghz band temporarily is the fix.
  - FURRYe38
    Guru
    Dec 05, 2019
    No this is a IoT device Mfr software setup issue. There setup software limits or seems to require the setup mobile device to be connected to the 2.4Ghz radio. Mfrs forget that most mobile devices are dual band supporting devices. Thus the mobile devices prefer 5Ghz over 2.4Ghz and the Mfrs forget that 2.4 and 5ghz are on the SAME network. So if IoT Mfrs would take this into account and let there setup software work on 5Ghz for the setup mobile device, all this woudn't be a problem.
    
    Thanks to NG for helping these users out thought:
    https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/orbi-20-cannot-connect-Swann-Camera/m-p/1822441/highlight/true#M75389
    https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/Kindle-Paperwhite-not-found-my-Orbi-RBR40/m-p/1712069/highlight/true#M53584
    Jetdrive wrote:
    Actually this is a 5ghz issue. If the phone or tablet is on 5ghz then some 2.4ghz devices cannot be set up. It's a very common issue where both the phone and device being setup must be on the same band. Getting off the 5ghz band temporarily is the fix.
- dan801
  Apprentice
  Dec 06, 2019
  Don't listen to Furrie. Everytime this is asked he keeps claiming its not possible even though its well known and documented that you can do it.
  
  Go here and follow the steps. A lot of IOT devices require seperate SSID to work and don't support band steering.
  
  https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/How-to-set-a-separate-SSID-for-the-5-GHz-network-on-your-Orbi/td-p/1396594
  - schumaku
    Guru
    Dec 06, 2019
    dan801 wrote:
    Everytime this is asked he keeps claiming its not possible even though its well known and documented that you can do it.
    It's neither supported nor endorsed by Netgear. And the results and effects vary with the Orbi models and firmware releases - and might change again following a reboot. That's why some senior community members don't believe in such a "solution". Yes, FURRYe38 - count me in here, too.
    
    dan801 wrote:
    A lot of IOT devices require seperate SSID to work ...
    Nope. Some crappy IoT require the discovery App to be run on 2.4 GHz for discovery of the 2.4 GHz IoC. At run-time, once configured, there is no such requirement.
    
    A 2.4. GHz IoT will never connect to a 5 GHz AP because it can't see it at all - so it does not care about it.
    
    The IoT devices should be configured to the "primary" and long-term single SSID - and not to a temporary "split" SSID config name.
    
    dan801 wrote:
    A lot of IOT devices ... and don't support band steering.
    An AP with band steering will delay the association of a 2.4GHz client connection attempt awaiting another connection attempt on 5 GHz. If this does not happen, the 2.4GHz association will be allowed. What should the IoT not support now here? It does not recognize that the AP does any band steering - just the initial connection takes slightly longer.
    
    And to round it up: Basic wireless clients as in place on many IoT don't care about neighbouring AP information coming over air from advanced APs (this is what the consumer wireless industry does understand under "Mesh" support). What can happen after a power failure? The primary AP (the Orbi router) can come up before the satellites do, so a "dumb" IoT will connect to the router - and stick - to that connection, even if a much better signal will come from on-air from the satellite after some delay. Lack of "Mesh" support, it will not learn about the neighbouring APs - and stick with the poor signal forever.
    
    Now we come back to the subject SimplySafe devices: Start reading here: https://simplisafe.com/forum/customer-support-forum/installing-and-using-simplisafe/simplicam-losing-connection - thier community is full with connection loss, separating 2.4 and 5 GHz does not cure, some have issues with some specific AT&T routers, others report that changing to Orbi fixed the Simplysafe device disconnection problems. Funny, isn't it?
    
    And then once more, please explain the interested reader why a configured wireless IoT (say one of these Simplysafe cameras and doorbells) which have "lost" the connection does not automatically re-connect to the wireless, and then to the cloud? That's very unlikely because of the 2.4 GHz wireless (again the only band the IoT does see and know about) has the same name like the 5 GHz ....
    
    So Navyav8r please share this information with the Simplysafe support engineer. I'm happy to read about thier explanation attempt.
CrimpOn
Guru
Dec 05, 2019
Navyav8r wrote:
Running a new SimpliSafe doorbell and it keeps dropping offline. Technician says it needs to be on 2.4 specifically and seperate passwords would help. Is this possible on this system?
As others have pointed out, the issue is not "separate passwords" (which the Orbi does not support), but the fact that some device setup software is poorly written and the smartphone needs to be connected to the WiFi network at 2.4G for the software to function. Complaining to the vendor is not a practical solution. It's either return the product or find a work-around.

Have you tried this:
Using the Orbi web interface, navigate to the Advanced Tab->Advanced Setup->Wireless Settings
For the 5G network, uncheck the box "Enable SSID Broadcast"
On the smartphone or tablet being used to set up the new device, go to the WiFi settings and "Forget" the Orbi WiFi.
Bring up the list of available WiFi networks. The Orbi WiFi should be on the list.
Connect to the Orbi WiFi using the WiFi password.
(At this point, one could look at the Orbi web interface "Attached Devices" and verify that the smartphone is connected at 2.4G.)
Open the device setup app and set up the device, telling it the Orbi SSID and password.
Once the device is working, go back to the Orbi Wireless Settings and "Enable SSID Broadcast" on the 5G network.
If you want, go back to the smartphone WiFi settings, "Forget" again, and connect again.
It is more convenient to do this with two connections: one to the Orbi to change the SSID broadcast and look at Attached Devices and another to do the device setup. It can all be done on one, but it's awkward.

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SEPERATE PASSWORDS FOR 2.4 and 5