Re: 2019 Samsung TVs not connecting to 5GHz on Orbi (RBK50)

keithdigital · ‎2019-07-22

Hey I have about 18 wireless devices connected to an RBK50. All of them except 2 are connecting as expected (5GHz capable devices connect at 5Ghz unless they are really far then they connect at 2.4GHz, etc..). But for some reason, my two Samsung Smart TVs (which are 5GHz capable) are connecting to Orbi at 2.4GHz (this happens 9 times out of 10). The TVs are very close to the Router/Satellite (approx 10 feet away) and there are devices a lot further away connecting at 5GHz. Why am I having issues with just these 2 Samsung TVs? Thanks.

Running Latest firmware V2.3.5.30 with factory settings.

CrimpOn · ‎2019-07-22

Google turns up a lot of questions about Samsung TV's and 5G.

What is the model number of the Samsung TV?

FURRYe38 · ‎2019-07-23

What is the Mfr and model# of the ISP modem the NG router is connected too?

What is the size of your home? Sq Ft?
What is the distance between the router and satellite(s)? 30 feet is recommended in between them to begin with depending upon building materials when wirelessly connected.

What channels are you using? Auto? Try setting manual channel 1, 6 or 11 on 2.4Ghz and any unused channel on 5Ghz.
Any Wifi Neighbors near by? If so, how many?

Try enabling Beamforming and MIMO(MIMO may or maynot be needed) and WMM. Under Advanced Tab/Advanced Settings/Wireless Settings

Try disabling the following and see:
Daisy Chain, Fast Roaming, IPv6 and Set 20/40Mhz Coexistence to 40Mhz only. Save settings and reboot the router and satellite(s).

@keithdigital wrote:
Hey I have about 18 wireless devices connected to an RBK50. All of them except 2 are connecting as expected (5GHz capable devices connect at 5Ghz unless they are really far then they connect at 2.4GHz, etc..). But for some reason, my two Samsung Smart TVs (which are 5GHz capable) are connecting to Orbi at 2.4GHz (this happens 9 times out of 10). The TVs are very close to the Router/Satellite (approx 10 feet away) and there are devices a lot further away connecting at 5GHz. Why am I having issues with just these 2 Samsung TVs? Thanks.

Running Latest firmware V2.3.5.30 with factory settings.

keithdigital · ‎2019-07-23

I just contacted a Senior Tech at Netgear, they said there is nothing we can do to force Orbi to connect to the Samsung TV at 5GHz. Orbi choose 2.4GHz. He actually recommended returning the Orbi and getting something like a Nighthawk R7000 which would allow me to easily connect my devices to 2.4 or 5Ghz. What do you guys think?

Here's the info requested:

TVs: Samsung Q60R and RU7100 (both AC wireless capable)
ISP modem: Arris TM1602A

House Size: 1300sqft 1st Floor, 1500 sqft 2nd Floor
Distance between Router and Satellite: Approx 15'
2.4GHz set to Auto (using channel 4)
5GHz set to 44 - I tried all the channels (36, 40, 44, 48).
WiFi Neighbors: 9 using 2.4G, 5 using 5G (channels 36, 36, 36, 157, 153)

Enabling:
Beamforming (didn't try, Tech said this would not help my situation)
MIMO (didn't try, Tech said this would not help my situation)
WMM (was enabled with factory settings)

Disabling:
Daisy Chain (didn't try, Tech said this would not help my situation)
Fast Roaming (was disabled with factory settings)
IPv6 (didn't try, Tech said this would not help my situation)
Set 20/40Mhz Coexistence to 40Mhz only (didn't try, Tech said this would not help my situation).

CrimpOn · ‎2019-07-23

Well, the tech is right, and he's wrong. (1) He is correct that if it really important to have the TV connect at 5G, then there are products from Netgear (and everybody else) that will do that. However, what those products will not do is set up a seamless, "one WiFi name" network with amazing coverage and backhaul speeds. (2) He is wrong that the Orbi has forced a 2.4G connection. The Orbi broadcasts on both 2.4G and 5G and it is the device that chooses which one to use. I have lots of devices that support both 2.4G and 5G, and a lot of them pick 5G. It appears you also have a lot of devices which choose 5G and two Samsung TV's that do not. Maybe searching Samsung support sites will turn up a solution.

I suspect his reasoning was, "This guy is not going to be happy with Orbi. He should take it back and get something else. Problem solved."

keithdigital · ‎2019-07-23

Yeah I was shocked when he recommened buying a lower cost router (Nighthawk R7000), but then I found out that is what he uses and is very happy with it.

CrimpOn · ‎2019-07-23

I had an R7000 for several years, but got poor coverage in certain parts of the house (where the wife sat with her iPad, naturally). Went to the Orbi and have had GREAT coverage, including patios. The ONLY place that had poor coverage with the Orbi was the very front of my garage (where I have some WiFi cameras). Redeployed the R7000 to the garage and feed it over PowerLine. Full bars now to the security cameras.

Apart from not connecting where you (sincerely) believe they should connect, do the Samsung TV's work OK?

keithdigital · ‎2019-07-23

The speed test on the TVs showed 22 Mbps - my main concern. My laptop is getting 115 Mbps and it's located further from the router, but it's using 5 GHz.

FURRYe38 · ‎2019-07-24

What happens if you uncheck the Enable 2.4Ghz SSID Broadcast under Advanced Tab/Advanced Settings/Wireless Settings and see if your TV connects and see if it's streams?

I would not hold to much confidence the TVs wifi adapter. They may not be well designed or tested.

Does the TV have a LAN port by chance?

@keithdigital wrote:
The speed test on the TVs showed 22 Mbps - my main concern. My laptop is getting 115 Mbps and it's located further from the router, but it's using 5 GHz.

keithdigital · ‎2019-07-24

Hey I disabled the 2.4Ghz SSID Broadcast, but the TV was still connecting to it and still was not able to see the 5GHz. I called up Samsung just for fun to see if they had any ideas but after explaining to them the story they pretty much blamed the issue on the Orbi router.

FURRYe38 · ‎2019-07-24

Possible the wifi adapter in the TV is faulty...

Does the TV have a LAN port in back by chance?

michaelkenward · ‎2019-07-25

@FURRYe38 wrote:

Does the TV have a LAN port in back by chance?

Usually the best bet.

Samsung has never made it easy to connect devices with wifi. I find that LAN is easier to set up and more reliable.

I use Powerline Ethernet.

CrimpOn · ‎2019-07-25

@keithdigital wrote:
Hey I disabled the 2.4Ghz SSID Broadcast, but the TV was still connecting to it and still was not able to see the 5GHz.

Disabling the SSID broadcast might not be enough if the TV has already been connected to the Orbi. You might have to erase the WiFi name from the Samsung, disable the 2.4G SSID broadcast, and then set up the Samsung WiFi name and password. On a smartphone, this is often titled "Forget". On a TV you might have to set up something that doesn't exist so that the old values get written over or something.

Who knows, just as the TV "learned" the 2.4G channel and persists even if the SSID broadcast is turned off, maybe it will learn the 5G channel?

keithdigital · ‎2019-07-26

Just discovered I am having the same issue with my Nintendo Switch Game Console. Nintendo sees my neighbors 5GHz bands, but it only sees my Orbi's 2.4GHz band.

CrimpOn · ‎2019-07-26

@keithdigital wrote:
Just discovered I am having the same issue with my Nintendo Switch Game Console. Nintendo sees my neighbors 5GHz bands, but it only sees my Orbi's 2.4GHz band.

I'm probably not asking this correctly. What the device "sees" is a WiFi name (SSID). We know that because a list of WiFi access points comes up for us to choose from. My phone, for example, shows only a single SSID for my Orbi, even though I clearly have both channels. The end result is that the TV connects to the 2.4G channel because that's how it shows up on the Orbi Attached Devices information. Whether it "saw" the 5G signal is a matter of conjecture. WiFi analyzer programs, for example, clearly show the MAC addresses and channels of both 2.4G and 5G Orbi radios, as well as the "hidden" channels used for backhaul.

I look at the end result and think, "TV set. What are you, stupid? Why are you connecting to 2.4G when everybody knows you would be happier connecting to the 5G!" This is the mystery that is so frustrating. What can possibly cause the TV set to make an incorrect choice?

ekhalil · ‎2019-07-27

@keithdigital wrote:
Just discovered I am having the same issue with my Nintendo Switch Game Console. Nintendo sees my neighbors 5GHz bands, but it only sees my Orbi's 2.4GHz band.

If the TV can't see the 5 GHz network, then the TV -most likely- does not support the channel which Orbi currently uses for that band. Which radio channel are you urrently using for 5 GHz?

Please change to another 5 GHz channel in Orbi and try.