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Guest Network Not Visible to Guests
I can see and connect to my guest network on my phone but when I have guests, the guest network doesnt appear as an option on THEIR phones although the primary network does (which they can connect to). Clearly, this defeats the purpose of having a guest network. Does anyone know why guests cant see the guest network?
The latest Orbi 850 firmware doesn't have the option to hide the SSID broadcast anymore: https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi-AX/No-Enable-SSID-broadcast-option-in-RBR850-firmware/td-p/1844505
I think your guest network visibility problem may have to do with security or other wireless settings. What Orbi defaults have you changed besides the wireless security password?
Use a web browser to visit http://orbilogin.com (you'll need the admin password set during setup). This takes you to the Orbi's admin web interface which offers all the control settings vs. the app.
In Advanced tab / Setup / Guest Network, check your Security Options setting. I use "WPA-PSK [TKIP] + WPA2-PSK [AES]" for guests but "WPA2-PSK [AES]" should also work well with most devices. Check what this value is set to vs. your primary network.
These other tests are unlikely since your guests can see the primary network, but just in case:
- In Advanced tab / Advanced / Wireless Settings, try checking "Enable 20/40 MHz Coexistence". I find that changing CTS/RTS Threshold to 2347 maximizes compatibility with older wireless devices.
- The final test is to try disabling AX mode in Advanced tab / Setup / Wireless Setup. You can uncheck it only for 2.4Ghz (that's what I do). It would be unfortunate to have to disable AX mode for 5Ghz in your fancy new AX router.
5 Replies
Check if you have the "Enable SSID Broadcast" unchecked by accident - this will hide the network from the list.
Thank you for the reply. Can you please tell me where I can find the setting to change as I dont see it under the guest network settings. Thanks.
Probably I'm confused - all Orbi systems are supposed to have this control as per -> How do I set up a guest network on my Orbi WiFi System? . What exact Orbi model or kit and firmware version are we facing here?
The latest Orbi 850 firmware doesn't have the option to hide the SSID broadcast anymore: https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi-AX/No-Enable-SSID-broadcast-option-in-RBR850-firmware/td-p/1844505
I think your guest network visibility problem may have to do with security or other wireless settings. What Orbi defaults have you changed besides the wireless security password?
Use a web browser to visit http://orbilogin.com (you'll need the admin password set during setup). This takes you to the Orbi's admin web interface which offers all the control settings vs. the app.
In Advanced tab / Setup / Guest Network, check your Security Options setting. I use "WPA-PSK [TKIP] + WPA2-PSK [AES]" for guests but "WPA2-PSK [AES]" should also work well with most devices. Check what this value is set to vs. your primary network.
These other tests are unlikely since your guests can see the primary network, but just in case:
- In Advanced tab / Advanced / Wireless Settings, try checking "Enable 20/40 MHz Coexistence". I find that changing CTS/RTS Threshold to 2347 maximizes compatibility with older wireless devices.
- The final test is to try disabling AX mode in Advanced tab / Setup / Wireless Setup. You can uncheck it only for 2.4Ghz (that's what I do). It would be unfortunate to have to disable AX mode for 5Ghz in your fancy new AX router.
Thank you to the community for your posts. The sugesstion to use Orbilogin rather than the phone app solved the issue. I was able to broadcast the guest network through orbilogin and it now works. Thank you to everyone who replied. Greatly appreciated.
