RAXE500: Apple and Wi-Fi 6E

[Topology]

Apple’s recommended settings for Wi-Fi routers and access points state: "Make sure that all routers on your network use the same name for every band they support. If you give your 2.4GHz, 5GHz, or 6GHz bands different names, devices might not connect reliably to your network, to all routers on your network, or to all available bands of your routers. If your router is providing a Wi-Fi 6E network that isn't using the same name for all bands, Apple devices that support Wi-Fi 6E will identify the network as having limited compatibility."

It appears that the ability to use the same network name (SSID) for 2.4, 5, and 6GHz bands with the RAXE500 router (firmware 1.0.12.96) does not exist, since the Smart Connect feature allows a single SSID for only the 2.4 and 5GHz bands - and, excludes the 6GHz band.

As a consequence, what “limited compatibility” issues have members of this forum encountered with the RAXE500 when using WiFi 6E with Apple devices? (Thank you.)

[FURRYe38]

I've not seen any issues with the RAXE500, Smart Connect enabled and My Iphone, iMac, Mac Mini, pads and a Mac Book Pro. 

I also don't enable WiFI Privacy whilst at home either:

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Nighthawk-App/NETGEAR-Mobile-Applications-and-Apple-Devices-FAQ/td-...

[Topology]

@FURRYe38, I also have not observed any issues with Apple devices while using the 6GHz band with a separate SSID.

On my iPhone 15 Pro (iOS 17.1.1), the “limited compatibility” warning is displayed at Settings | Wi-Fi | [6GHz SSID] | “i”.  The warning states “This network is configured with a separate network name for 6GHz, which may impact some experiences like AirPlay.”

Thus, Apple recommends and appears to expect a user to configure their network with a single SSID for the 2.4, 5, and 6GHz bands.  However, with the RAXE500, is this possible?

What if the same SSID is manually entered for the 2.4, 5, and 6GHz bands in the router web interface (not using the Smart Connect feature), together with the different passwords for each band?  Might this work?

[FURRYe38]

I thought there was a separate 6Ghz network if you disable SC? 

[Topology]

Interestingly, the Smart Connect feature on the RS700 router uses the same SSID for the 2.4, 5, and 6GHz bands:  “When Smart Connect is enabled, the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz radios use the same WiFi network name (SSID) and network key (password). That means that when you connect to the router with WiFi, you see only one SSID that allows a WiFi device to connect to any of the radios.” (User Manual, page 76)

In addition, Smart Connect on the RS700 router is enabled by default.

Thus, it appears that the RS700 (but not the RAXE500) router avoids the (potential) problems associated with "limited compatibility" when using Wi-Fi 6e with Apple devices.

[FURRYe38]

So looks like the RAXE500 has independent controls for each radio:

[Topology]

@FURRYe38, yes, I can confirm that "the RAXE500 has independent controls for each radio."  The challenge, however, is that Smart Connect on the RAXE500 currently only encompasses the 2.4 and 5GHz bands (and, not the 6GHz band used for Wi-Fi 6E).

It's not to clear to me how the fact that "the RAXE500 has independent controls for each radio" helps to solve the problem under discussion - unless, the concept is to manually configure the same SSID for each band (as suggested in my post from 2023-11-15).  Can you please elaborate?  (Thanks)

[FURRYe38]

To get independent controls, one has to disable Smart Connect. Then configure each radio independently and test. 

[Topology]

@FURRYe38, yes, I was considering the same concept as noted earlier:  "What if the same SSID is manually entered for the 2.4, 5, and 6GHz bands in the router web interface (not using the Smart Connect feature), together with the different passwords for each band?  Might this work?"

Nonetheless, such an approach would be unnecessary if the RAXE500 Smart Connect feature encompassed all three bands (as does the RS700).  Perhaps it would work - or, perhaps it may simply solve one problem and create another?  Subjectively, I suspect that circumventing Smart Connect and manually assigning the same SSID to all three bands may be an unsupported workaround that generates unanticipated problems in network performance and stability?

It is disappointing that Wi-Fi 6E on the RAXE500 appears to fail to completely support Apple's Wi-Fi requirements.  Maybe this will be corrected in a future firmware release....

[Topology]

One more interesting observation, concerning the naming of guest networks....

For the RS700, "The default name for all three networks {2.4, 5, 6GHz} is NETGEAR-Guest" - i.e., a single SSID is used across all three bands (see User Manual, page 85).  In contrast, for the RAXE500, "The default 2.4 GHz SSID is NETGEAR-Guest. The default 5 GHz SSID is NETGEAR-5G-Guest. The default 6 GHz SSID is NETGEAR-6G-Guest" - i.e., three different SSIDs are used (see User Manual, page 77).

One interpretation of this discrepancy is that the RAXE500 may not be equipped to support a single SSID across the 2.4, 5, and 6GHz bands.

[FURRYe38]

Anything is possible when it comes to NG. 🙄

I would not compare the RAXE to the RS. Two different models, hardware and chip sets and tech. We don't know what the intended design was that NG had for the RAXE series since its now a few years old.

[Topology]

RE:  "It is disappointing that Wi-Fi 6E on the RAXE500 appears to fail to completely support Apple's Wi-Fi requirements.  Maybe this will be corrected in a future firmware release...."

Unfortunately, the newly released firmware 1.2.13.100 on the RAXE500 does not appear to support Smart Connect across the 2.4, 5, and 6GHz bands.

[FURRYe38]

And probaby won't. Most likely intended to not have 6Ghz under the same unbrella as 2.4 and 5Ghz. 

[Killhippie]

My RAXE500 uses the same password put in for 2.4 and 5Ghz for 6E, so if you change the name of the networks to the same for them all and use a strong password across all networks it should work I would have thought, as they are all using the same SSID and the same password and then it should then roam properly. Just a thought.

[schumaku]

Yes, similar to @Killhippie operating WAX630E among other WAX6xx and a few WAC6xx on the same SSID on 2.4, 5, and 6 GHz. Roaming from 2.4 nd/or 5 GHz to 6 GHz appears to be a little bit delayed - however, this seems to be a client specific effect (various Android and Intel AX210, and a small number of BE200/210 based units). Only the Cuppertino devices issue some odd warnings (my old friendship with Apple?).

[Topology]

After updating my iPhone 15 Pro to iOS 17.3 today, I noticed that the “limited compatibility” warning is no longer displayed at Settings | Wi-Fi | [6GHz SSID] | “I”.  Previously, the warning appeared and stated: “This network is configured with a separate network name for 6GHz, which may impact some experiences like AirPlay.”

Can anyone else please confirm this observation? Does the removal of this warning imply that an iPhone running iOS 17.3 is now fully compatible with Apple services when connected to a 6GHz network?

[schumaku]

Can't speak for the RAXE500 and even less for Netgear. The answer was in my opinion in the (i) text, and still referred on Apple KB 102285 - Use Wi-Fi 6E networks with Apple devices - does your RAXE500 have different SSIDs for the 6 GHz band than for the 2.4 and 5 GHz band?

The WAX630E we're operating were never configured for such a split-band SSID, of course the limitation is in the mandatory WPA3 requirement for 6 GHz band. So one SSID for WPA3-SAE for all three bands here - always was, and my sound engineers in the family no longer report any odd Apple warnings since iOS 17.3. Oh and we push the same config to all WAX6xx, including those without a 6 GHz radio. For legacy clients still requiring WPA2-Personal, we're operating mix-mode on 2.4 and 5 GHz on the same SSID like the 6 GHz without any complaints. Of course, we're ready to enable a dedicated SSID in case. Netgear Insight makes this rather easy.

I tend to believe Insight and the WAX630E do it correct for 6 GHz -without- WPA2-Personal. At least the Apple clients (and users) seem to be mostly happy, despite of some rare disconnects of M1 MBA which does no 6E.

Of course, I could be wrong, too.

Not sure what Apple had in mind ref.  "...which may impact some experiences like AirPlay.”