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Forum Discussion
Re: RBR760
Crimp On, just FYI on the WIFI 7 971/970 Router Satellites. You seem to be the 2.4MHz expert and my update is not on the 860, but this info may help you answering questions in the future. I had not...
Roc1 wrote:
I think if the main NG SSID and the IOT SSID were truly separate WIFI networks, normally your device has to be on the same SSID to see devices attached to the network your device is connected to. Some how NG has two different SSID’s established, but their APP treats them as the same SSID
The relationship between WiFi SSID and "network" is more nuanced. Orbi's primary network, which allows all devices to communicate with each other, is based on the IP subnet. Wired devices, Prinary WiFi SSID, and IoT SSID are all assigned IPs in the same subnet. Thus they all can communicate with each other. Devices connected to the Guest SSID are assigned IPs in a different subnet. In addition, Guest devices cannot communicate with any other device. (not even other Guest devices.)
Personally, I preferred the original WiFi5 Orbi method of managing Guest devices where the user has the option of allowing guest devices to "see" or "not see" other devices.
CrimpOn, well that makes sense, as to why my fruit phone connected to the IOT SSID at 6 MHz until I turned off “automatic 6E” (and it connected at 2.4Mhz, which might just have been a coincidence!!).
So, that takes me to another “novice” question.
Can the Guest subnet (on New Orbi’s (that don’t communicate with the Main/IOT subnet) be configured to work only on a specific WIFI band (e.g. 2.4MHz)?
If so, and since I never establish a “guest” network (all our “guests” are old and WAN/LAN challenged like me!), I just have them connect to the main SSID, could a Guest network SSID be configured only for 2.4Mhz, and then used for IOT devices?
This might be a good way to make sure that the cell device trying to “onboard” (Im trying to use Nest/Arlo lingo now!!) an IOT device is being assisted during connection by a cell device on a 2.4 MHz band.
So, that takes me to another “novice” question.
Can the Guest subnet (on New Orbi’s (that don’t communicate with the Main/IOT subnet) be configured to work only on a specific WIFI band (e.g. 2.4MHz)?
If so, and since I never establish a “guest” network (all our “guests” are old and WAN/LAN challenged like me!), I just have them connect to the main SSID, could a Guest network SSID be configured only for 2.4Mhz, and then used for IOT devices?
This might be a good way to make sure that the cell device trying to “onboard” (Im trying to use Nest/Arlo lingo now!!) an IOT device is being assisted during connection by a cell device on a 2.4 MHz band.
Roc1 wrote:
Can the Guest subnet (on New Orbi’s (that don’t communicate with the Main/IOT subnet) be configured to work only on a specific WIFI band (e.g. 2.4MHz)?Alas, no. The primary and guest WiFi networks are always both 2.4G and 5G. (and 6G on the newest devices) Netgear has floundered for years with the issue of some IoT smartphone apps being poorly written.
After seven years, their 'solution' is what was customers had been asking for since the beginning: turn off the 5G channel for the five minutes it takes to connect a new IoT device and then turn 5G back on again. Rather than allow customers to do this with the primary 5G radio, Netgear added another SSID to manage (IoT)
It's a lot of bother, but at least it works.
- Crimpon, thanks.
Because of my 971 Orbi WiFi drops, I’ve typed this info in replies to you but then my cell jumps from WiFi to 5G and it wipes my reply, but did I ever get the info to you (you recommend doing this so I went to the 971 manual to try it last week when I was having so much trouble with my IOT’s.
The 168 page manual (latest update was Oct of 23 (maybe it was Nov) directs you to pages 71/72 to see how to reduce 2.4 (and/or 5Mhz too I believe).
When I got to 971 Web GUI screens to reduce 2.4 power, no options are shown in the location where the manual shows them to be. Apparently NG removed that option in some firmware upgrade.
Keep that in mind when you’re trying to help Community members with IOT onboarding.- Well, my 971 and both 970’s are mounted on the L-shaped brackets that NG sells to mount these Orbi units. All three are mounted 6-7’ above the floor with nothing on either side or below them.
Mine haven’t been rebooting, but they randomly instantly drop 3-full bar WiFi strength, switch to 5G cell for various lengths of time, and then instantaneously reverse and 5G drops out and full WiFi strength returns!
This is frustrating if you start replying to an email or post that was sent to my Orbi from my fiber plan provider, then switches to a 5Gcellular server that doesn’t know what you are replying to, then switches back to Orbi, while you continue typing and don’t realize what happened until you try to send the reply, or post your response. The Orbi server doesn’t know what you’re responding to after the drop, so you’ve wasted all your time typing, only to get a “sending error” when you finish. It also wipes away all your typing.
I’ve gotten where I “Select All” text and “Copy” before I “Send” so I don’t loose all my info when I have to start over again.
And these drops happen and I haven’t moved from where I started my response.
It seems like the Orbi WiFi strength matters only have to strengths, full 3-bars, or no bars!