I'm considering buying a device (AmbientWeather Weather Station) that says that it only works on the 2.4ghz wifi and if you have a dual band router, you need to turn off the 5ghz radio. I already have a Skybell that also requires this but works anyway on Orbi. Anyone know if this requirement to turn off the 5ghz can be ignored universally on all devices?

FYI ... I had to do the same thing for my Rachio sprinker system. I think its due to the fact that SSIDs are shared between 2.4 and 5 GHz. I turned off broadcasting of SSID for 5GHz, set up the Rachio (which wouldn't find wifi until I disabled 5 GHz SSID), then re-enabled 5 GHz SSID. The Rachio has stayed connected ever since. Had the same problem with Sylvania Lightify Hub.

I have an Ambient Weather Osprey WS-2902 system, an Orbi Router with 2 satellites, and an Apple iPad Mini and iPhone 5S. When the turn-off-5 GHz-SSID-broadcast trick didn't work, I then turned the 5 GHz power down to 25% and voila!, the WS-2902 connected immediately to the Internet. The amazing thing was, everything was within 6 feet of the Orbi router in my office when it happened.

ncrich wrote: I installed an Orbi to replace my daughter's netgear router (6320 I think). Her other devices like sonos, nest camera, etc worked fine but could not connect filimin lamp since it will only work on 2.4 GHz and cannot connect to 5 GHz Orbi ... A 2.4 GHz only device does not care about the 5 GHz network, regardless if it's the same or a different SSID.The previous poster Ambient Weather WS-2902A Smart WiFi Weather Station as well as the Filimin lights work on 2.4 GHz only. These devices have no problems if there are 5 GHz, 60 GHz, Bluetooth, Z-Wave, or whatever in the air. ncrich wrote:...due to sharing same SSID between both bands. After reading this post we reduced the 5 GHz transmit power level to 25% and the filimin connected with no problems. Again, no!Some smart-a** IoT installation programs do ugly things - that's the problem. If whatever installer App does check if the mobile is connected to a 5 GHz or a 2.4 GHz and does error-out if the client is associated to a 5 GHz network it's not a router problem: Not a problem if the same SSID on all radios. Not an Orbi problem. Not any other WiFi router problem. Not any wireless access point. Not even the IoT device problem - which can perfectly communicate with the Orbi 2.4 GHz once configured, even if it is implemented in an earlier 802.11 standard.There is absolutely nothing wrong with using the same SSID to connect to the same network. Regardless how many wireless access points and radios are in the game - it is the same L2 network.

jbahlman wrote: The issue is the device you are connecting to the weather station with needs to be connected to the wifi via 2.4ghz or it can't give the settings to the weather station. If you turn off the 5ghz or just connect to the 2.4ghz then it will work. The weather station does give a s**t about the AP 5 GHz - it does operate on 2.4 GHz ONLY. As such it can only work with the 2.4 GHz radio. So why bother switching off 5 GHz please? The answer is because some ***** discovery Apps. Not because of the same SSID on all Orbi radios. Complain to the markers of these toys.

schumaku wrote:The answer is because some ***** discovery Apps. Not because of the same SSID on all Orbi radios. Complain to the markers of these toys. Dead right there. It seems that too many of these devices come with installation and control apps that can't get their act together when faced with 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz wifi. The hardware works at 2.4 GHz and is blissfully ignorant about even the possibility of 5 GHz. Unfortunately, the installation apps are on devices that do know about 5 GHz. The apps should still be able to get the hardware to connect even when they are on a 5 GHz connection, but that seems to be beyond the wit of the app writers. Turning off the 5 GHz has nothing to do with communication between trhe hardware and the wifi. It is all about the connection between the setup app and the wifi. The bit of problem that is unique to Orbi is that it is not as easy to disable 5 GHz as it is on other routers.

Using devices that require 2.4ghz on Orbi

37 Replies

Mikey94025
Hero
Sep 18, 2017
pup0975 wrote:
I'm considering buying a device (AmbientWeather Weather Station) that says that it only works on the 2.4ghz wifi and if you have a dual band router, you need to turn off the 5ghz radio. I already have a Skybell that also requires this but works anyway on Orbi. Anyone know if this requirement to turn off the 5ghz can be ignored universally on all devices?
I don't think this makes any sense, why would 5Ghz hurt 2.4Ghz only devices? Are you sure you (or whoever wrote it) didn't misunderstand instructions to set 2.4Ghz, not 5Ghz?

I have many devices that only connect via 2.4Ghz to my Orbi and work just fine with 5Ghz also enabled.
- pup0975
  Star
  Sep 18, 2017
  Just read the instruction manual online. I can turn off the 5ghz, connect it to the wifi, then turn the 5ghz back on. Skybell (doorbell) specifically tells you to turn off the 5ghz or separate the signals. It works without doing either on the Orbi. I had a AirPort Extreme before the Orbi, and the Skybell wouldn't connect until I separated out the 5ghz signal on a separate SSDI. I think some devices may try to connect to the 5ghz signal and that causes it to fail in the connection. I'll see if it'll connect without having to turn off the 5ghz once I get it.
  - Ely
    Luminary
    Sep 18, 2017
    When a device doesn't work with the 5GHz band then it just ignores it because it's not compatible with it, ie: it does not see it, then it will normally connect to the 2.4ghz band which is what it sees and works with.
- ncrich
  Aspirant
  Dec 31, 2018
  Glad to hear that. Most devices connect but a few cannot. Depends on the particular device.
  - FURRYe38
    Guru - Experienced User
    Dec 31, 2018
    IT does, some devices may or may not meet or be compatible with Orib or MESH networks. IT's up to the devices Mfr to ensure that they are compatible and can work well with most wifi networks.
Smitty_P
Aspirant
Sep 19, 2017
I have a Ambiant WS-0262 and it does not work with my Orbi. Cant figure how to shut off 5 ghz. The AmbiantTool does not see the WS.
- pup0975
  Star
  Sep 19, 2017
  Smitty_P, Go to Advanced tab then Advanced Set up then Wireless setting. I think if you uncheck "Enable SSDI Broadcast" on the 5ghz setting, it turns off the ability of the Ambient to connect to the 5ghz. Is that waht you've done, Tim-in-CA? The other thing I thought was taking the device as far away from the Orbi to "force" it to connect to the 2.4ghz network since 2.4 ghz travels further than the 5ghz. Let me know if this works.
  - Tim-in-CA
    Star
    Sep 19, 2017
    pup0975 wrote:
    Smitty_P, Go to Advanced tab then Advanced Set up then Wireless setting. I think if you uncheck "Enable SSDI Broadcast" on the 5ghz setting, it turns off the ability of the Ambient to connect to the 5ghz. Is that waht you've done, Tim-in-CA? The other thing I thought was taking the device as far away from the Orbi to "force" it to connect to the 2.4ghz network since 2.4 ghz travels further than the 5ghz. Let me know if this works.
    Yup. That's what I did to get my Rachio to connect. After the Rachio was configured, I reenabled 5GHz SSID broadcast and the Rachio has remained connected.
- rpgravey
  Aspirant
  Dec 24, 2017
  Even after turning off 5ghz SSID broadcast, my iphone still shows as connected to 5ghz. I have "forgot the network" and logged back in, to no avail. I'm trying to connect the Ambient Weather station but it needs to have the phone on 2.4ghz.
  - pup0975
    Star
    Dec 24, 2017
    I’m a bit confused. Why does the phone need to be on 2.4ghz? Just the Ambient Station needs to be on 2.4ghz. Once the Ambient Station connects, just turn the 5ghz back on. One issue I did discover is that if the Ambient is connected to a satellite but the phone is connected to the main router (or vice versa), it won’t see the Ambient for the set up process. Some reason that causes the Ambient to be on a “different” network. That may be the issue you’re having.
varase
Guide
Feb 01, 2018
I have never had a 2.4ghz device refuse to connect due to the presense of a 5ghz network; after all, how would a device with only a 2.4ghz radio even know the 5ghz radio was even there?

I suspect Allan Funt is out there filming me ... or would it be Ashton Kutcher for this generation?
- jescott3
  Guide
  Feb 01, 2018
  The issue is that the Orbi automatically assigns the same SSID to both the 2.4 and the 5 GHz bands, thus confusing a device like the Ambient Weather Osprey WS-2902 which has only 2.4 GHz connectivity. That's why turning off the Orbi's 5 GHz SSID broadcast as well as reducing that radio's power to the minimum 25% (thus letting the 2.4 GHz radio signal power through) worked for me. I suspect I'll have to go through the same drill as long as I have the Orbi every time a reset of the Osprey is needed.
  - securement
    Tutor
    Mar 11, 2018
    I have a similar issue I need to turn off 5ghz so my phone connects on the 2.4ghz connect to the smart device get that connected to my Wi-fi then turn it back on now when I spoke to the so called tech help line they told me to turn off the SSID but as we all know this does not turn off 2.4ghz just the SSID this is one of the worst and most expensive product I have ever bought, don’t get me started on the signal distance.
Devora
Aspirant
May 24, 2018
Hi you stated you set up a Skybell to an orbi. During your setup did you have to isolate the 2.4ghz channel on the orbi or did you just go straight into the Skybell app and set the doorbell up without having to do anything to Orbi?
- pup0975
  Star
  May 24, 2018
  I don't think I had to separate it out when connecting, but my Skybell is probably far enough away from the main router to connect to the 2.4 signal. You can try connecting without doing anything first. If it fails, then isolate the 2.4 signal, connect to the wifi, then can turn the 5 back on.
Ellsworth
Aspirant
Oct 01, 2018
This NetGear Community thread details a straightforward procedure to assign separate SSIDs to an Orbi's 2.4GHz and 5GHz networks:

A couple of notes:

The first item in "Step 1" instructs: "Enable Telnet on http://192.168.1.1/debug.htm." This internal page in the Orbi allows the user to "unlock" Telnet functionality in the router (a communications protocol which allows direct communication with hardware devices via text commands). You will check the checkbox labeled "Enable Telnet." Note that this creates a temporary security risk (Telnet is an old and somewhat vulnerable protocol) which makes your router vulnerable, but at the end of procedure, you are instructed to once again disable Telnet be un-checking the box.

The instructions explain how to change the 5GHz SSID, but don't explicitly describe how to change the 2.4GHz. You can change the 2.4GHz SSID just as easily by substituting:
config set wl_ssid="NAME YOUR 2.4GHZ NETWORK"
...for the command example for the 5GHz network.

Cheers.

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Using devices that require 2.4ghz on Orbi