Desktop Computer and RBR-50

[CaraBethP]

RBR50 plus satellite, Firmware version: V2.7.4.24, Windows 11,

Summary of the problem: Every digital device in our house runs at awesome speed. My brand new Dell XPS 8950 desktop is connected wirelessly and runs at a very slow speed and bogs down.

This problem began several years ago. I have spoken with both Netgear and this forum several times about this problem. I had an older Dell with a service contract. Dell replaced motherboard and wireless card. Spectrum put in a new modem. No one's advice fixed it. One thing that made me extra crazy was that I took the computer to a repair shop and it connected at super fast speeds. But not when connected in my home to my Orbi.

I thought it was unfixable so I finally bought a new desktop- Dell XPS 8950 desktop. But a new computer did not fix the problem. It runs just as slow as the older computer.

I have an RBR50 and a satellite. Our ISP is Spectrum. We have a connected tv, multiple ROKU, 2 iphones and 2 ipads. I can see all those devices in the Orbi app and via the Netgear login on my desktop. Digital devices run over 200 mbps. My desktop runs at around 40 mbps using wireless.

A network engineer friend looked at my Orbi setup. He pointed out that within Orblogin.net under ATTACHED DEVICES my desktop computer shows a connection type of 2.4G where nearly everything else in the list has a 5G connection.

He went to Advanced/Wireless Settings and then under Advanced Wireless Settings (2.4GHZ) he unchecked Enable SSID Broadcast. But that did not fix it.

Is there a way to force my desktop to use the 5G? If I bought a new Orbi could I control how my desktop connects? If so, what Orbi could I buy that did not cost a fortune. We are a small household.

I have problem solved as much as I know how to do. Can you tell me anything else I can check?

[CaraBethP · Accepted solution]

I think I just fixed it.

Device Manager/Network Adapters/ right click the wireless adapter/ Properties/ Select Preferred Band/ on the right change it to 5g

I rebooted my computer and now it shows that it has connected to the 5g. And my speed is nearly 5 mbps!

I wish I had figured this out sooner!

Thanks for the help!

[CrimpOn]

A really old desktop computer might have only a 2.4G WiFi.  The new Dell 8950 has WiFi 6E (the most recent possible WiFi).

It is the device which selects how to connect to a WiFi network.

I would start with the Windows WiFi adapter. Look at the "Details" or ""Properties" and verify that 5G WiFi is selected.

[CaraBethP]

This is what the network adapter says

SSID: cardinal
Protocol: Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n)
Security type: WPA2-Personal
Manufacturer: Intel Corporation
Description: Killer(R) Wi-Fi 6E AX1675x 160MHz Wireless Network Adapter (210NGW)
Driver version: 22.200.2.1
Network band: 2.4 GHz
Network channel: 11
Link speed (Receive/Transmit): 104/180 (Mbps)
Link-local IPv6 address: fe80::b582:f898:bbad:91e3%13
IPv4 address: 192.168.1.15
IPv4 DNS servers: 192.168.1.1 (Unencrypted)
Physical address (MAC): 74-04-F1-2A-F2-33

[CaraBethP]

In the properties of the wireless network adapter, in the Advanced tab, the Channel Width for 5GHZ the value says Auto. The other choice is 20 MHz Only. Both 2.4 and 6 say the same

I just restarted my modem. I noticed on the back of the Spectrum modem that it says 2.4g. But, nearly everything in the house connects 5g.

[CaraBethP · Accepted solution]

I think I just fixed it.

Device Manager/Network Adapters/ right click the wireless adapter/ Properties/ Select Preferred Band/ on the right change it to 5g

I rebooted my computer and now it shows that it has connected to the 5g. And my speed is nearly 5 mbps!

I wish I had figured this out sooner!

Thanks for the help!

[CrimpOn]

I'm pretty sure you have already "forgotten" the Orbi SSID (cardinal?).

Then, selected it from the list of available WiFi systems and connected again.

Correct?

On the WiFi adapter, can you look for something similar to this:

Here, my laptop is set to 802.11ax (even though my ancient Orbi RBR50 does not support ax.  The laptop connects at 5G.

[CrimpOn]

sorry. our posts "crossed".

Glad you got it working!