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Forum Discussion
Connection to 2.4ghz to set up kasa (tp-link) smart plug mini
I have been trying to find a way to force my phone to use the 2.4ghz network so that I can set up my kasa smart plug which only works with 2.4ghz. I have found these and similar instructions but I do...
I posted those instructions. Here is where that option appears on my RBR50:
However... I have eight KASA smart plugs, at least four different models, and they all connected to my RBR50 Orbi system without any fooling around at all. KASA is my "go to" smart plug.
What sort of smartphone or tablet is the KASA app running on?
Subscribing to this thread - I'm having the same issue with helping my kid hook up with my previous RBR50 (I've upgraded) to a NetVue Webcam that also only hooks up to 2.4. I've tried disabling the 5GHz SSID broadcast and bringing it down to a 25% broadcast. Still won't hook up. I'm baffled why they don't give the option to turn the 5GHz off completely. He's been on the tec support with NetVue and they can't help either. I wish they would have a firmware update to enable the function.
I have never had a problem connecting a camera. (at least five brands). In my experience, every camera gets set up by creating a QR code on the smartphone app and pointing the camera at the QR code.
When I used an app to explain what the QR code contained, all it has was the WiFi SSID and password. Nothing about WiFi band (2.4G or 5G). Nothing about how the phone was connected to the system.
What is the specific model number of this camera? If it is under $30 and is sold on Amazon, I'll have one in two days and connect it to my Orbi.
The weird part is, I have about 6 NetVue cameras of various types in my house, including the type he's trying to set up. This one here >>Link<< I've used the ORBI setup he has, before I gave it to him, with all of mine except the latest version camera which is what he's trying to set up. I do have one of the latest ones on my system RSB50 V2, he has the RSB50 V1 and it works fine. Odd thing is his would sound like it hooked up but would not show up in the list in the app on the phone.
Like I said, he talked to NetVue tec support on the phone for a while and they tried various things but still no joy. One suggestion NetVue had, that he could not try at home, was to get a second phone (you need yours to set up the camera) and use it's hotspot Wi-Fi to set up the camera then switch to your Wi-Fi at home. Last night he said that he was going to bring the camera to a friends house and hook up on their (non orbi) system and see if he could get he camera to work. That worked! He was able to hook up at a friends house and use the camera. I told him to make sure the Firmware on the camera was up to date before he brought it home to try. It was. When he brought it home and switched to his home WiFi, it started working. He can now use the cameras. So it's defiantly something with the Orbi system that prevented it from working. I suspect it must be something with that particular model of camera. While I got it to work on my Orbi system with essentially the same set up. I had cameras in the system already. Maybe that had something to do with it, who knows. It's working now but it was not nearly as easy as it should be. I still think netgear should update the software / firmware to let people temporarily turn off 5GHz.
One suggestion someone on Amazon had when I posted the issue was to get a Wi-Fi extender and run it on 2.4GHz to hookup. I'm guessing that may work but kind of silly when you have a mesh system.
FWIW NetVue setup software specifically asks when you hook up to an SSID, with the QR code, is this 5GHz when it sees the wifi 5Ghz. With mine I select that it's not the option below yes it's 5g, even though it is, and it went on it's merry way and hooked up to the 2.4, not the case for my kid though.
CrimpOnThanks for the response. I too loved my Orbi (or will again once I can get the smart plugs working). I found the setting that you demonstrated in your screenshot. I turned it off and followed the rest of the steps but it still didn't connect. I just keep getting the message that Kasa was unable to connnect to my Wi-Fi Network after entering my Orbi password.
I'm wondering something. My modem is also a router. I don't have my phone connected to it but could that possibly be interfering somehow?
I welcome any further suggestions!
If the modem/router/WiFi is broadcasting a different 2.4G WiFi SSID on a different 2.4G channel, there should not be any interference with the Orbi WiFi. (Although, most customers choose to turn off the modem/router/WiFi's WiFi radios if the device allows them to do so.)
Can you take a screen shot of the error message and post it? I cannot remember if the KASA app has an option to display the WiFi password as "plain text" rather than those stupid "dots". My fat fingers really struggle with entering the WiFi password and it is reassuring to see the password as actual characters.
Hi CrimpOn
I use a password manager to login so no fat fingers are involved. 😁I have verified that the password in my password manager is correct. I went ahead and disabled my other wifi's to be sure.
I just read through the steps for about the 100th time and notice something I hadn't paid attention to. I've attached 4 screenshots starting at Connecting to Smart Plug. I make sure the plug is flashing orange and blue before I start. Please note that I don't always get the 2nd screenshot after the connection screen. Usually, it just goes to the list of wifi's (3rd screenshot) so I assumed it wanted me to log into my network. But the prompt in the 2nd screenshot leads me to believe that the Kasa app wants to connect to the temporary TP-Link_SmartPlug_CDF1 wifi. After clicking Connect I got the Choose a Network screen (3rd screenshot) where I do not see the temporary network so instead I tried choosing my orbi wifi at which point it asks me for the password. I auto-fill that from my password manager to connect, and then it then goes to the 4th screenshot. If I try clicking I'm Already Connected, it tries connecting but I eventually get the 5th screenshot. At this point the plug is still flashing orange and blue but at a slower pace.
Any additional thoughts? Also, which is it trying to connect to after the 3rd screenshot...the temporary TP-Link wifi or my orbi wifi?
So far the information is good but I need help connecting my Kasa Light Switch to my Orbi CBR750. The screenshot shared and the steps is for another Orbi Mesh device. Any chance someone can chime to show steps and screenshot reflecting Orbi750?
jctruckca43the screenshots that I shared were not orbi screenshots. They are screenshots for the Kasa (TP-Link) app used to connect their smart devices (in my case one of their plugs) to any network.
- It was a screenshot of the orbi website not Kasa.
