Connection to 2.4ghz to set up kasa (tp-link) smart plug mini

[lgreer161]

I have been trying to find a way to force my phone to use the 2.4ghz network so that I can set up my kasa smart plug which only works with 2.4ghz. I have found these and similar instructions but I don't have the option to check or uncheck "Broadcast SSID on 5G Channel". I'm using the RBR50v2.

From https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/How-to-connect-2-4GHZ-Devices/m-p/2020739.

• Access the Orbi web interface (http://orbilogin.net) using the admin credentials user "admin" and the Orbi router password (not the WiFi password)
• Navigate to the Advanced Tab, Advanced Settings, Wireless Settings
• Uncheck the box "Broadcast SSID on 5G Channel"
  This will not affect any devices which are currently attached to the Orbi at 5G.
• On the smartphone settings, "forget" the Orbi WiFi
• Search for WiFi networks and select the Orbi WiFi
• Enter the WiF password and connect
• At this point, open the IoT app and go through the steps
• After the device is connected, reverse the steps
  Check the box "Broadcast SSID"
  "Forget Orbi WiFi" Search for and connect.

[CrimpOn]

I posted those instructions.  Here is where that option appears on my RBR50:

However... I have eight KASA smart plugs, at least four different models, and they all connected to my RBR50 Orbi system without any fooling around at all.  KASA is my "go to" smart plug.

What sort of smartphone or tablet is the KASA app running on?

[PeatyR]

Subscribing to this thread - I'm having the same issue with helping my kid hook up with my previous RBR50 (I've upgraded) to a NetVue Webcam that also only hooks up to 2.4.  I've tried disabling the 5GHz SSID broadcast and bringing it down to a 25% broadcast. Still won't hook up.  I'm baffled why they don't give the option to turn the 5GHz off completely. He's been on the tec support with NetVue and they can't help either.  I wish they would have a firmware update to enable the function.

[CrimpOn]

I have never had a problem connecting a camera. (at least five brands). In my experience, every camera gets set up by creating a QR code on the smartphone app and pointing the camera at the QR code.

When I used an app to explain what the QR code contained, all it has was the WiFi SSID and  password.  Nothing about WiFi band (2.4G or 5G). Nothing about how the phone was connected to the system.

What is the specific model number of this camera?  If it is under $30 and is sold on Amazon, I'll have one in two days and connect it to my Orbi.

[PeatyR]

The weird part is, I have about 6 NetVue cameras of various types in my house, including the type he's trying to set up. This one here >>Link<< I've used the ORBI setup he has, before I gave it to him, with all of mine except the latest version camera which is what he's trying to set up.  I do have one of the latest ones on my system RSB50 V2, he has the RSB50 V1 and it works fine.  Odd thing is his would sound like it hooked up but would not show up in the list in the app on the phone.

Like I said, he talked to NetVue tec support on the phone for a while and they tried various things but still no joy.  One suggestion NetVue had, that he could not try at home, was to get a second phone (you need yours to set up the camera) and use it's hotspot Wi-Fi  to set up the camera then switch to your Wi-Fi at home. Last night he said that he was going to bring the camera to a friends house and hook up on their (non orbi) system and see if he could get he camera to work.  That worked! He was able to hook up at a friends house and use the camera.  I told him to make sure the Firmware on the camera was up to date before he brought it home to try.  It was.  When he brought it home and switched to his home WiFi, it started working. He can now use the cameras.  So it's defiantly something with the Orbi system that prevented it from working. I suspect it must be something with that particular model of camera.  While I got it to work on my Orbi system with essentially the same set up. I had cameras in the system already. Maybe that had something to do with it, who knows. It's working now but it was not nearly as easy as it should be.  I still think netgear should update the software / firmware to let people temporarily turn off 5GHz.

One suggestion someone on Amazon had when I posted the issue was to get a Wi-Fi extender and run it on 2.4GHz to hookup.  I'm guessing that may work but kind of silly when you have a mesh system.

FWIW NetVue setup software specifically asks when you hook up to an SSID, with the QR code, is this 5GHz when it sees the wifi @5Ghz.  With mine I select that it's not the option below yes it's 5g, even though it is, and it went on it's merry way and hooked up to the 2.4, not the case for my kid though.  

[CrimpOn]

Thanks for reporting the success.  Cell phone Hot Spot and WiFi Extender are well-established method of getting the IoT device to learn the WiFi SSID/password of the network when the smartphone app is poorly written and either

a. Refuses to proceed when the phone is connected at 5G, or

b. Attempts to pass the hardware MAC address of the 5G connection to the IoT device (which cannot possibly detect it).

Since cameras work by creating a QR code containing that information, those work-around methods are not necessary.

"Sounds like it connected" gives an impression that the original problem lay with the smartphone app.

Now that the app is working with one camera, it would be a $40 experiment to see what happens if a second camera is added.

[CrimpOn]

p.s. I completely agree.  If Netgear had simply put the same option on the Orbi as it did on Nighthawk cameras (disable 5G radio and let all the existing 5G devices suck eggs while a new device is added to the network), then this controversy would not persist.

(sigh)

[PeatyR]

I got him two of the same cameras and after he got the one hooked up the second one worked as well. It must be something with the app and way the Orbi hooks up.

The reason I got this specific brand is because I have so many and mine worked just fine hooking up with no issues at all. Since I'm familiar with the app I figured if he had questions, I could answer.   It's why I was baffled his didn't work from the get go.  This is really the only issue I have with my Orbi, I still think it's the best option for my Wi-Fi situation.  

Oh, also you can share cameras with other people if they have a NetVue account. Before he got it working I did share one of my cameras with him, just to be sure the app was working in that capacity.  It did see my camera so to me it is somehow an issue with that specific camera being the first to be entered to an account. 

[lgreer161]

@CrimpOnThanks for the response. I too loved my Orbi (or will again once I can get the smart plugs working). I found the setting that you demonstrated in your screenshot. I turned it off and followed the rest of the steps but it still didn't connect. I just keep getting the message that Kasa was unable to connnect to my Wi-Fi Network after entering my Orbi password.

I'm wondering something. My modem is also a router. I don't have my phone connected to it but could that possibly be interfering somehow?

I welcome any further suggestions!

[CrimpOn]

If the modem/router/WiFi is broadcasting a different 2.4G WiFi SSID on a different 2.4G channel, there should not be any interference with the Orbi WiFi.  (Although, most customers choose to turn off the modem/router/WiFi's WiFi radios if the device allows them to do so.)

Can you take a screen shot of the error message and post it?  I cannot remember if the KASA app has an option to display the WiFi password as "plain text" rather than those stupid "dots". My fat fingers really struggle with entering the WiFi password and it is reassuring to see the password as actual characters.

[Mikey94025]

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@PeatyR wrote:

So it's defiantly something with the Orbi system that prevented it from working. I suspect it must be something with that particular model of camera.

---

It's simply because their mobile setup app requires that the phone be connected to the 2.4Ghz wi-fi. Yes, unfortunately it is difficult for Orbi systems to hide and prevent phones from connecting to 5Ghz.  Per their https://netvue.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360000976409-Fail-to-connect-to-Wi-Fi:

3. Please make sure your phone is not connecting to 5GHz band WiFi.

• Netvue products now ONLY support 2.4GHz band WiFi. Connecting to 5GHz band WiFi will cause the connection to fail. 

[lgreer161]

Hi @CrimpOn

I use a password manager to login so no fat fingers are involved. 😁I have verified that the password in my password manager is correct. I went ahead and disabled my other wifi's to be sure.

I just read through the steps for about the 100th time and notice something I hadn't paid attention to. I've attached 4 screenshots starting at Connecting to Smart Plug. I make sure the plug is flashing orange and blue before I start. Please note that I don't always get the 2nd screenshot after the connection screen. Usually, it just goes to the list of wifi's (3rd screenshot) so I assumed it wanted me to log into my network. But the prompt in the 2nd screenshot leads me to believe that the Kasa app wants to connect to the temporary TP-Link_SmartPlug_CDF1 wifi. After clicking Connect I got the Choose a Network screen (3rd screenshot) where I do not see the temporary network so instead I tried choosing my orbi wifi at which point it asks me for the password. I auto-fill that from my password manager to connect, and then it then goes to the 4th screenshot. If I try clicking I'm Already Connected, it tries connecting but I eventually get the 5th screenshot. At this point the plug is still flashing orange and blue but at a slower pace.

Any additional thoughts? Also, which is it trying to connect to after the 3rd screenshot...the temporary TP-Link wifi or my orbi wifi?

[CrimpOn]

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@lgreer161 wrote:

But the prompt in the 2nd screenshot leads me to believe that the Kasa app wants to connect to the temporary TP-Link_SmartPlug_CDF1 wifi.

---

Yes, I agree.

Unlike cameras (which can take a picture of a QR code) and devices with keyboards, smart plugs have no physical means of inputting the WiFi SSID/password.  What appears to happen is that when it is placed into setup mode, the plug creates its own WiFi access point that will accept a connection from any device running the smartphone app. (hmmm. I have not tried to connect without the app.  something for another day.)  Once the app has a connection to the smart plug, they have some sort of dialog which communicates the WiFi SSID/password to the plug.

After that, the plug turns off the tiny access point and tries to connect to the WiFi system it was told about.  Once it gets connected, it can talk to the KASA cloud and say, "This specific KASA plug is associated with a specific KASA user account."

The smartphone app also needs to drop the connection to the mini access point and connect back to the house WiFi.

KASA plugs are interesting in that they do not require the internet connection to function as long as the plug and the smartphone are on the same network.

Would it be convenient to try to add the plug without using the password manager?

[jctruckca43]

So far the information is good but I need help connecting my Kasa Light Switch to my Orbi CBR750.  The screenshot shared and the steps is for another Orbi Mesh device. Any chance someone can chime to show steps and screenshot reflecting Orbi750? 

[lgreer161]

I have no idea what I did differently but I got it to connect on my 3rd attempt tonight typing in my password manually but I don't think that was it because it didn't connect the first two times typing it manually. All three times I viewed the password and it was correct. I have more plugs to set up so I'll see if I can figure out the pattern. I'll post back here when I do. Got to eat now, it's 8:30pm my time. 😁

[lgreer161]

@jctruckca43the screenshots that I shared were not orbi screenshots. They are screenshots for the Kasa (TP-Link) app used to connect their smart devices (in my case one of their plugs) to any network.

[jctruckca43]

It was a screenshot of the orbi website not Kasa.

[jctruckca43]

Posted at 1:44pm on 12/4/22 reflecting the Orbi RBR50. The screenshot to select wireless output is not an option for CBR750

[lgreer161]

@CrimpOnWanted to let you know I was able to setup another kasa smart plug. I really don't understand what changed because I had tried several plugs with no luck. I won't look a gift horse in the mouth. Thank you so much for taking the time to help! Happy Holidays!!!

[CrimpOn]

Great news.  There are no Christmas lights at my house if the KASA plugs are not working.