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elenaron2225's avatar
elenaron2225
Aspirant
Sep 07, 2021

Guest Network- does it cause extra channels, even when off?

I have an ORBI RBK50 mesh system, AC3000

I have the Guest WiFi turned off in my ORBI app, but when I do a scan using the Airport Utility app on my iPhone, I get all these extra channels showing up called "Network Name Unavailable". They sure appear to be coming from my ORBI system because for each OBBI channel showing up, there is a "network name unavailable" channel popping up with the same channel number and very similar radiation strengh, in RSSI units of dBm.

If so, this seems to be causing double the radiation being broadcast from my router and satellite, and I'm concerned the radiation from them may be too high already. Is there some way to turn off all these extra channels, or prevent them from being broadcast?

3 Replies

  • michaelkenward's avatar
    michaelkenward
    Guru - Experienced User

    elenaron2225 wrote:

    If so, this seems to be causing double the radiation being broadcast from my router and satellite, and I'm concerned the radiation from them may be too high already.


    Wifi strengths are set by the law.

     

    If wifi signals were dangerous the world would be full of people dying of radiation rather than covid.

     


    elenaron2225 wrote:

    I have an ORBI RBK50 mesh system, AC3000

     


    You might get more help, and find earlier questions and answers specific to your device, in the appropriate section for your hardware. That's probably here:

    Orbi - NETGEAR Communities

    Orbi systems are different from the standard Netgear routers covered in this section.

    I will ask the Netgear moderator to move your message.

    In the meantime you could visit the support pages:

    Support | NETGEAR

    Feed in your model number and check the documentation for your hardware. Look at the label on the device for the model number.

    You may have done this already. I can't tell from your message.

    I mention it because Netgear stopped supplying printed manuals and CD versions some years ago and people sometimes miss the downloads.

     

     

    • elenaron2225's avatar
      elenaron2225
      Aspirant

      Thanks for your reply.

      I couldn't find anything in the User's manual about guest networks.

      • michaelkenward's avatar
        michaelkenward
        Guru - Experienced User
        sh
        elenaron2225 wrote:

        Thanks for your reply.

        I couldn't find anything in the User's manual about guest networks.


        Funny, I wonder what you are reading. I found 10 "hits" when I search the manual for "guest". For example, there is a whole section:

         

        Set up a guest WiFi network

         

        Then again, going back to your first message, there are too many puzzling issues that don't tell me that your Orbi device has anything to do with the "problem", if there is one.

         

        Take this bit:

         

        I have the Guest WiFi turned off in my ORBI app, but when I do a scan using the Airport Utility app on my iPhone, I get all these extra channels showing up called "Network Name Unavailable". They sure appear to be coming from my ORBI system because for each OBBI channel showing up, there is a "network name unavailable" channel popping up with the same channel number and very similar radiation strengh, in RSSI units of dBm.

        You do realise that Orbi technology involves a wifi link between the router and the Orbi satellites. I wonder if this is what you see.

         

        You could make a simple test. Turn on the guest wifi and examine the SSIDs that appear. Are they these same magical ones that you see? Or do you suddenly see some more wifi sources?

         

        But as I said before, the name of this section General WiFi Routers (Non-Nighthawk & Non-Orbi) should tell you that you won't get much in the way of informed answers here. I don't claim to be an expert on Orbi technology even though I have a system. No guest network here, and no spurious wifi channels.

         

         

        Once again, I suggest that you try here:

         

        Orbi - NETGEAR Communities