Separate 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz on Orbi 50 (again)

[alanbc]

I have WiFi cameras that require a connection to a 2.4GHz network.  (Most do, near as I can tell).  They also require the tablet/phone to be on the same network AND also the same speed network.

ASTONISHINGLY, to me, there is no way to accomplish this with my RBR50!  I cannot turn off the 5 GHz network long enough to perform the task nor can I pick a different name for the 5 GHz network.  Maybe it's a mesh thing, because I have three other (non-mesh) routers here that all allow me to do both.  The Orbi is the only one lacking this seemingly primitive functionality.

I did see another post on the subject where the expert suggested disabling the SSID broadcast of the 5 GHz network and called the issue "solved".  Unfortunately, that doesn't work for modern versions of Android O/S.  Modern versions, if they see a 2.4GHz network that's broadcasting its SSID, will check to see if there's a 5 GHz of the same name and if so, use that preferentially.

Now, I can just power down the Orbis, fire up an old router (configured to use the same SSID and password as the Orbi), configure the cameras, down the old router and fire up the Orbis.

But that's nuts!

Is there any way to get the RBK50 to do the things my 15 year old routers will do?  Some command line option?

Thanks for any thoughts.

[alanbc · Accepted solution]

FURRYe38;

Thanks for the reply!  As I mentioned in a previous post, your suggestion is how I eventually got the camera up.

But my original post was about the problem in general .. not being able to rename a network or disable a network .. with the camera config problem being just one example of why I wanted to.  There's other times when this would be handy.

I was kinda wondering if there was an undocumented web page in the router that allowed any extra configuration, in the same way that

  http://router.ip.address/debug.htm

offers additional debug info.

[CrimpOn]

Please identify the brand of security camera.

[CrimpOn]

I have connected at least five different brands of 2.4G WiFi camera to an  Orbi RBR50 system.  In every case, the smartphone app created a QR code which I pointed the camera at, and the camera connected immediately.

Being curious, I opened a QR code reader app on another smartphone and 'decoded' the QR code.  All the QR code contained was the WiFi SSID and password.  Nothing about "2.4G vs. 5G".

Having only a 2.4G radio, the camera cannot detect or be 'confused by' a 5G WiFi signal (just like Black & White TV's could not display color signals).

The reason for asking the specific brand/model of camera was so I could look up the Installation Guide to

• Verify whether it also uses the QR code technique, and
• Ask which specific step in the setup fails.

[alanbc]

I have three ICsee cameras, two XenoCams, four Chortaus and one Cantok.

All use a different configuration program, and all require a 2.4 GHz network connection for the camera (all the time) AND the tablet (for configuration). 

On the surface, it's actually kinda surprising that this shortcoming exists in all the config software.  However, three of the cameras are able to use the same config software, so looks aside, the guts may well be the same.

Now, this is, admittedly, a shortcoming in the config software for all these cameras.  Why should the camera care what speed the tablet is connected at?  But maybe there is a behind the scenes reason; I don't know.

Even so, not being able to pick different names for the networks coupled with the inability to turn off one or the other seems very very strange for what is otherwise a pretty sophisticated device. 

Maybe there needs to be a VERY Advanced setup tab, although as the devices are discontinued, I'm not holding my breath for any new functionality.  I'm just waiting for the price of WiFi5 mesh devices to crater and then I'll buy something else .  But I'll be a whole lot more careful to study the owners manual in advance, which I didn't do this time.  It just never occurred to me that the Orbis wouldn't have all the features of my old (old) routers.

[alanbc]

Just now, I was trying to configure an ICSee camera using the Android app just downloaded.

Try as I might, it would not let me get past a particular page with the tablet connected to a 5G network.  So I did the ugly thing; downed the Orbi and brought up an old router and all was well.  Downed the old, brought up the Orbi, a few reboots and all remained well.

I'm sorry I can't supply a screenshot of the annoying page but I certainly remember the gist of it; "You must be connected to a 2.4 GHz network."   (Frankly, I'm not about to reset this now working camera just to get a screenshot.)

This hasn't been a problem in the past because I'd always had different names for the networks.  Although it seemed every time I bought a new camera and tried to configure it, I'd forget and have to disconnect from "Home5" and reconnect to "Home2".  (You'd think I'd eventually remember, but no.)

However, the RBK50 (and slave) is a pretty recent purchase, and this is the first camera I've attempted to attach to it.  And of course I forgot again about the network speed and was reminded, only this time, I didn't see a good way out, only an ugly way ...

[CrimpOn]

Glad you had that old router on hand.  I am tempted to buy one of these cameras to see what is going on, but not having much luck finding one on Amazon (USA).  (I have an entire box of "IoT stuff" that requires 2.4G and have found only a couple that required a work-around.  If one of these cameras is available from Amazon for under $30, I'd love to have another item for my 'box of stuff'.)

[alanbc]

They weren't cheap cameras.  Not expensive, by any means, but not cheap.

But my desire for this added functionality is not solely related to difficulty in setting up a camera, as there is a solution, albeit an annoying one.

There's occasions where I'd like to force a device to use one band or the other, particularly IoT things, if only to "unclutter" the 2.4 GHz band.  I really can't do it the usual way (different SSIDs) with the stock Orbi capabilities, and most of the IoT devices I've bought or built have very limited configuration options themselves.

So, if the Orbi won't do it, it won't do it; I'll live with it.  But I thought I'd ask, just in case I was missing something in a hidden, undocumented web page.

[FURRYe38]

Something to give a try, find a separate 2.4Ghz supporting router. Set it up behind the Orbi system. I'd turn OFF all RBS's. 

Setup the 2.4Ghz supporting router with same SSID name and PW used on the Orbi system. Set a manual channel far appart from the one used on the Orbi system. Use this separate 2.4Ghz router long enough to get the cameras connected to this router along with connecting the mobile device that maybe needed to effect this as well. Once you get all cameras connected. Just power OFF the separate router. The cameras should auto migrate and connect to the Orbi system on it's 2.4Ghz radio since it's using same SSID name and PW. 

Something I've done with some smart bulbs when I first got them in when I had my Orbi system online. Its worked to get them connected to my Orbi system. 

[alanbc · Accepted solution]

FURRYe38;

Thanks for the reply!  As I mentioned in a previous post, your suggestion is how I eventually got the camera up.

But my original post was about the problem in general .. not being able to rename a network or disable a network .. with the camera config problem being just one example of why I wanted to.  There's other times when this would be handy.

I was kinda wondering if there was an undocumented web page in the router that allowed any extra configuration, in the same way that

  http://router.ip.address/debug.htm

offers additional debug info.

[CrimpOn]

---

@alanbc wrote:

I was kinda wondering if there was an undocumented web page in the router that allowed any extra configuration, in the same way that

---

Undocumented is the key.  There is no such web page. The current debug.htm page no longer even contains the "Enable Telnet" option.  (Some people think Netgear removed telnet because it is "a security risk".  Since Netgear does not explain why features disappear, there is no official reason.)

There is a Python script on GitHub which can be used to enable telnet on the RBR50 router. (I understand that it may not work on more recent products.) https://github.com/bkerler/netgear_telnet   I use it every time I reboot my RBR50.

Once a person has command line access to the Linux operating system, there are commands that could be used to manipulate the various WiFi interfaces. (perhaps something similar to "wlanxx down".)  Perhaps searches on the forum for posts from 4-5 years ago may turn up ideas about how to enable/disable RBR50 features.

Undocumented also implies "not supported", i.e. "do this at your own risk" because nobody is going to help get you out of this mess.