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Forum Discussion
Found a neat way to connect my new devices to 2.4Ghz channel on the Orbi Mesh System
bout a month ago, I posted on the community site because I needed to add a camera to my network but my new Orbi AX4200 does not support a way to differentiate 2.4Gh from 5Ghz channels. Both networks ...
Mixed results so far:
- Yes, it appears that the Premuim version of the app will offer to connect, and the (unpremium?) version does not.
The premium also does away with the irritating ads at the bottom. - On my Sony Xperia Compact with Android 10, the offer to connect does appear except that:
It will not offer to connect to the top MAC address on the list, which happens to be the one I want.
It does not give any sort of error message when the WiFi password is entered incorrectly.
When I do enter the correct password, nothing seems to happen.
I will install the app on a tablet and see if it works differently.
(so near..... and yet so far)
Still batting zero.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6-lite, Android 11 also fails (for me). I remain unhappy that:
- It does not allow me to 'connect' to the top WiFi MAC address.
- Entering an incorrect password gives no error message
- Entering a correct password appears to do nothing.
Meanwhile:
- When I start the app with WiFi disabled and do a 'connect', the Android device continues to indicate WiFi disabled. (WTF?)
I have attempted to contact the developer for more information.
- Just purchased the paid version and same experience as CrimpOn. Any suggestions OP?
McLong wrote:
Just purchased the paid version and same experience as CrimpOn. Any suggestions OP?Let me walk through this again, see if I missed any steps.
- Logged into the router and turned the power down to 25% on the 5Ghz channel so I had a better chance of connecting the on the 2.4 channel which should be the stronger signal.
- Unplugged my satellites so the only broadcast signal would be from my router.
- I went into our bedroom which was furthest point in the house just to make sure the 5Ghz channel wouldn't still be the stronger signal.
- I actually restarted my phone before I did the next step, someone on the original post in early December suggested it, thinking the phone would seek the strongest connection.
- Opened the Wifi Analyzer, displayed the 2.4Ghz channels. CrimpOn , I noticed the same thing you commented on. That was you wanted the top channel listed but it wouldn't give you the opportunity to connect. I can't explain that one. In hindsight, I don't recall that problem.
At this juncture, I would have only had one 2.4Ghz channel showing (besides the guest channel) since both satellites were unplugged, so I must have been able to connect on the top channel. Reaching out to the developer is probably a good choice.
Sorry I am unable to provide any other suggestions.
Greg
The reason I am so excited about this potential solution is that it should be independent of the power level of the WiFi system.
After Netgear removed the option to disable WiFi SSID broadcast (which the AX product never had), people adopted the strategy of "make the 5G WiFi so weak that the smartphone will connect to the 2.4G band because it is the only WiFi signal that is any good:
- Actually power off all of the satellites, leaving the router as the only WiFi signal.
- Turn the 5G transmit power down as far as it will go (25%)
- Move the device to be connected and the smartphone as far away from the router as possible and still get a signal.
- Connect the smartphone to WiFi (which will only select the 2.4G WiFi because 5G is too weak).
- Set up the IoT device.
- Once the device is set up, physically move the device back to wherever it is supposed to be used.
- Return the 5G transmit power back to the original setting.
- Power the satellites back on.
This process is clearly tedious and disruptive. Cutting 5G power may very well render a bunch of high bandwidth devices (temporarily) unusable.
This is what is so attractive about the WiFi app - if it actually works. If I am telling the smartphone, "Connect to this specific WiFi SSID on this specific access point", then there is no need to fool around with the WiFi system at all. Just use the app to connect the smartphone to the 2.4G SSID and set up whatever you want. No muss. No fuss.
To be honest, I worry that it was going through the original steps that caused your phone to connect at 2.4G - not the app.
I have since tested two WiFi Analyzer apps on a Moto e, Android 7.1. No success.