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Orbi mesh and Google Pixel watch 2
Just bought Google Pixel watch 2. This, I understand, only runs on 2.4Ghz. I tried various options but will not connect to the Orbi 353 mesh. I keep on getting password error. Orbi assigns the freque...
A couple things.
1. is the watch updated on its firmware? Some early versions of pixel firmware had issues with mesh systems
2. cheat. If it connects to the asus, setup the asus (or your phone's hotspot) with the same ssid/password as the orbi. Once the watch connects, it should remember the ssid and auto-connect to the orbi after you shutoff the asus or hotspot.
A couple things.
1. is the watch updated on its firmware? Some early versions of pixel firmware had issues with mesh systems
2. cheat. If it connects to the asus, setup the asus (or your phone's hotspot) with the same ssid/password as the orbi. Once the watch connects, it should remember the ssid and auto-connect to the orbi after you shutoff the asus or hotspot.
Thanks a lot for this.
1. Upgrade is done but did not help
2. Will try and set the SSID / password on Asus AP the same as the Orbi router. One question - can a system have two same SSID / password? I appreciate one is a router and one is an AP
The point of "cheating" is to have the device (Pixel watch in this case) learn the SSID/password. Once this has been accomplished, then any time the device looks for WiFi, it will detect and connect to the first thing it sees with that combination.
There can be any number of WiFi access points broadcasting the same SSID at the same time. The complication is that there is no way to predict which access point a device will choose. So, when "cheating", there should be only one WiFi access point broadcasting the desired SSID/password on 2.4G. After the device has learned what it needs, then the 'cheating' WiFi access point is turned off and the regular WiFi system turned back on again.
Thanks but when you say " 'cheating' WiFi access point is turned off and the regular WiFi system turned back on again."
I assume regular wifi system is the Orbi router - this would always be on for the AP to work and does not need to be turned back on?
This is why it is such a chore when an Internet of Things (IoT) device cannot be connected.
The goal is simple: inform the device of the SSID/password of the WiFi system. The smartphone app is supposed to do this during the setup process. 99% of smartphone apps work correctly. A dismal few are poorly written. (Although we are not privy to the Trade Secrets embedded in these apps, it appears that...)
- Some detect that the smartphone is itself connected at 5G and refuse to proceed. If they would just tell the device the SSIDD/password, the device would do just fine, but they refuse.
- Some appear to inform the device not only of the SSID/password, but also tell it the hardware MAC address that the phone is connected to. If the phone is connected at 5G, then the device (having only a 2.4G WiFi radio chip) cannot possibly detect that access point and fails.
When faced with this frustrating situation, the choices are not attractive:
- Return the damn thing. Write a blistering review. Get something that has a decent app.
This is obviously not anyone's first choice. Certainly not when the device is expensive and difficult to return. - Fool the smartphone app by having the phone connected at 2.4G during the setup. Once the device has been set up, it will remember the SSID/password. For example, when the device is carried away (to the supermarket, perhaps), when it returns home, it will say, "Aha! Here's a WiFi system that I remember. I'll connect."
Some users keep an old router (in a box) and did it out to fool the smartphone app. I open a WiFi Hot Spot on my phone and then use a different smartphone to do the setup. After the setup is finished, I turn off the Hot Spot, power up the Orbi, and the device switches.
In your specific case, how about this:
- Temporarily change the Orbi SSID to something else.
This will disconnect everything in the house, so don't do this when anyone else is home. - Temporarily change the Guest WiFi to the desired primary WiFi SSID/password.
- Connect the WiFi access point (AP) to the Guest WiFi.
- Set the AP to broadcast only 2.4G.
- On the smart phone, forget the primary WiFi, then connect it to the AP.
- Go through the device setup on the smartphone.
- Undo everything. Turn off Guest WiFi (or change the SSID). Change the primary WiFi back to the desired SSID/password (everything will reconnect --- including the Pixel watch)
This all assumes that the issue preventing the Pixel watch 2 from connecting is the 2.4G issue. Frankly, it beggers belief that a Google watch would not work with a Netgear Orbi system. Something is very wrong.
