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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...
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.
Thanks for reporting the success. Cell phone Hot Spot and WiFi Extender are well-established method of getting the IoT device to learn the WiFi SSID/password of the network when the smartphone app is poorly written and either
a. Refuses to proceed when the phone is connected at 5G, or
b. Attempts to pass the hardware MAC address of the 5G connection to the IoT device (which cannot possibly detect it).
Since cameras work by creating a QR code containing that information, those work-around methods are not necessary.
"Sounds like it connected" gives an impression that the original problem lay with the smartphone app.
Now that the app is working with one camera, it would be a $40 experiment to see what happens if a second camera is added.
p.s. I completely agree. If Netgear had simply put the same option on the Orbi as it did on Nighthawk cameras (disable 5G radio and let all the existing 5G devices suck eggs while a new device is added to the network), then this controversy would not persist.
(sigh)
I got him two of the same cameras and after he got the one hooked up the second one worked as well. It must be something with the app and way the Orbi hooks up.
The reason I got this specific brand is because I have so many and mine worked just fine hooking up with no issues at all. Since I'm familiar with the app I figured if he had questions, I could answer. It's why I was baffled his didn't work from the get go. This is really the only issue I have with my Orbi, I still think it's the best option for my Wi-Fi situation.
Oh, also you can share cameras with other people if they have a NetVue account. Before he got it working I did share one of my cameras with him, just to be sure the app was working in that capacity. It did see my camera so to me it is somehow an issue with that specific camera being the first to be entered to an account.
PeatyR wrote: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.
It's simply because their mobile setup app requires that the phone be connected to the 2.4Ghz wi-fi. Yes, unfortunately it is difficult for Orbi systems to hide and prevent phones from connecting to 5Ghz. Per their https://netvue.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360000976409-Fail-to-connect-to-Wi-Fi:
3. Please make sure your phone is not connecting to 5GHz band WiFi.
- Netvue products now ONLY support 2.4GHz band WiFi. Connecting to 5GHz band WiFi will cause the connection to fail.
