Attaching 2.4mhz Smart Wifi downlights

[phydauxs]

I have the following setup:

RBR50

2 x RBS 50 satellites

RBK40 both router and wall plug used as satellites to RBR50

The system works perfectly giving me great coverage in a detached garage some 30 metres away from the main house

I'm building a unit above the garage and I would like to install some 'smart' wifi  downlights which I will be able to turn on and off using a google home hub.

The downlights only work on 2.4mhz. Am I able to use my setup which is also 5mhz to control the lights? If so, how do I do it so I dont lose any funcationaltiy that I already have? I have little technical knowledge about how it all works and would appreciate anyone who could provide some advice. Thank you.

[phydauxs]

That should read GHz and not Mhz. sorry.

[michaelkenward]

My guess that this will depend on the lights and whatever you use to control them. You don't say what make they are, so it is anybody's guess.

Your lights will connect to the router at 2.4 GHz. If the control connects at 5 GHz it should not worry about the frequency.

[CrimpOn]

I agree with @michaelkenward .  Once a "smart thing" is connected to WiFi, there is (usually) no direct connection between the "thing" and whatever smartphone/tablet is being used to control it.  The thing opens a connection to a cloud service and the smartphone app also opens a connection to the cloud service.  Remember: the app can be used to control the thing from anywhere, even when the smartphone is not connected to your WiFi.

The frustration for some users comes during the initial setup.  I have had 100% success using a Sony phone which is connected to Orbi at 5G to activate 4 brands of smart plugs which connect only at 2.4G.  However, some users report that their app flounders when the phone is connected at 5G and the device is only capable of 2.4G.  The engineers (of that device) did not anticipate a modern WiFi mesh system (from any brand) and did programming that fails.

How about browsing the lighting manufacturer FAQ or user forum before purchasing.  Look for "Orbi" or "Mesh".

[phydauxs]

Thank you for your replies.

CrimpOn, the issue as you point out in the second half of your reply is related to the inital setup. How do I ensure that it can connect to 2.4ghz rather than try to connect to 5ghz which it wont be able to do?

[CrimpOn]

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@phydauxs wrote:

CrimpOn, the issue as you point out in the second half of your reply is related to the inital setup. How do I ensure that it can connect to 2.4ghz rather than try to connect to 5ghz which it wont be able to do?

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This is indeed the critical issue.  Probably the easiest way to address it is to purchase ONE light and try to set it up without installing it.  No point in climbing a ladder if the app won't configure it in the first place.  If it works, then (a) buy more of them, and (b) climb the ladder and install them.  For sure, the damn thing will not connect at 5G if it has no 5G radio.  What will happen is the smartphone app will simply fail to work, and people will say, "there's something wrong with my WiFi" rather than "whoever programmed this smart app was a ding-dong."

Another tactic is to either (a) let us know exactly which light this is, and maybe someone on the forum will have personal experience with it, or (b) look at the FAQ and user forums for the lights and see if people complain, "I can't make this thing work on .... WiFi network."

[michaelkenward]

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@CrimpOn wrote:

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Another tactic is to either (a) let us know exactly which light this is, and maybe someone on the forum will have personal experience with it, or (b) look at the FAQ and user forums for the lights and see if people complain, "I can't make this thing work on .... WiFi network."

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In other words, the problem tracks back to poor design by the people who make the lights.

As @CrimpOn says, they are the people who have to help. You can do this unknown (to us) maker a favour by raising the problem there so that they realise that their equipment will have problems with many different makes of wifi routers.

Netgear is just one of the suppliers of "mesh" systems. And with hundreds of people making Internet of Things stuff, router makers are in a position to tell you how to set up that kit.