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Orbi WiFi 7 RBE973
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Re: Forcing certain devices to connect to 2.4ghz

ddublu
Aspirant

Forcing certain devices to connect to 2.4ghz

Set up this network last night and things seem to have really improved. Some of our devices (light bulbs) require a 2.4ghz connection and it wont let connect to it because (I assume) it's preferring the 5ghz connection over it. How do I get them connected while still keeping one network name being broadcast?

Model: RBK53|Orbi AC3000 Tri-band WiFi System
Message 1 of 12
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Forcing certain devices to connect to 2.4ghz

When setting up new 2.4Ghz only devices, please use this method to get them connected:

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/Kindle-Paperwhite-not-found-my-Orbi-RBR40/m-p/1711049/highligh...

 

Message 2 of 12
CrimpOn
Guru

Re: Forcing certain devices to connect to 2.4ghz


@ddublu wrote:

Some of our devices (light bulbs) require a 2.4ghz connection and it wont let connect to it because (I assume) it's preferring the 5ghz connection over it.


One thing you can be certain of is the light bulbs are NOT "preferring the 5G connection".  The bulbs have no 5G radio.  They cannot sense or connect to anything but 2.4G WiFi.  As @FURRYe38 mentioned, while thousands of Internet of Things (IoT) devices connect easily, there are specific instances where the setup software was programmed ineptly and the solution is to temporarily make the 5G WiFi network "disappear", reconnect the smartphone to the Orbi at 2.4G, setup the IoT devices, then reenable the 5G WiFi and restart the smartphone a second time.

Message 3 of 12
Ragar99
Luminary

Re: Forcing certain devices to connect to 2.4ghz

Does that really work?  I thought the Orbi periodically reconfirmed the connection.  (i.e. in case you moved a device).  Regardless anytime you upgrade firmware/reboot you have to go through the process above again.

Message 4 of 12
CrimpOn
Guru

Re: Forcing certain devices to connect to 2.4ghz

Yes, it works.  Once the device has connected to Orbi at 2.4G, it knows the SSID and password and will connect every time.  After power failures.  After software updates.  Always.  The only issue is the dumb software which does not provide the setup information the first time.

Message 5 of 12

Re: Forcing certain devices to connect to 2.4ghz


@Ragar99 wrote:

Does that really work?  I thought the Orbi periodically reconfirmed the connection.  (i.e. in case you moved a device).  Regardless anytime you upgrade firmware/reboot you have to go through the process above again.


Dozens of satisfied customers will confirm that temporarily disabling the 5 GHz SSID allowed them to set up their IoT toys. Once that is done, the devices aren't going to mess around with something they can't see.

 

When you have done it, complain to the people who wrote the crummy routine for your IoT device. They really need to stagger into the era of Mesh computing.

 

There are still a few users who want to permanently separate SSIDs for 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. They don't seem to have realised what they bought.

 

 

 

 

Message 6 of 12
ddublu
Aspirant

Re: Forcing certain devices to connect to 2.4ghz

What is the reason to turn the 5ghz broadcast back on?  Since I turned it off and got the IoT devices online, have I only been operating in 2ghz across my home?

Message 7 of 12

Re: Forcing certain devices to connect to 2.4ghz


@ddublu wrote:

Since I turned it off and got the IoT devices online, have I only been operating in 2ghz across my home?


No, but you won't find the SSID if you try to connect a new device.

 

And once the IoT stuff is connected, it doesn't care about 5 GHz.

 

But it is your call.

Message 8 of 12
ddublu
Aspirant

Re: Forcing certain devices to connect to 2.4ghz

Right, but since I'm only seeing one SSID to begin with, how do I know which one is connected to any device? If 5ghz broadcast is off yet I am connected to my network, am I stil connected to the optimal frequency?

Message 9 of 12

Re: Forcing certain devices to connect to 2.4ghz

Your WiFi devices should tell you if they are connected at 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz.
Message 10 of 12
CrimpOn
Guru

Re: Forcing certain devices to connect to 2.4ghz


@ddublu wrote:

What is the reason to turn the 5ghz broadcast back on?  Since I turned it off and got the IoT devices online, have I only been operating in 2ghz across my home?


Yes (sort of).  When the SSID is not being broadcast at 5G, then devices that area already connected at 5G may stay connected (would be an interesting experiment), but new devices which look for a WiFi signal will not find one at 5G with the name they recognize.  The reasons to turn 5G back on are (a) to reduce congestion on the 2.4G channel, and (b) to get "even more speed" from the higher bandwidth of 5G connections.

Message 11 of 12
CrimpOn
Guru

Re: Forcing certain devices to connect to 2.4ghz


@michaelkenward wrote:
Your WiFi devices should tell you if they are connected at 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz.

I am not confident that all WiFi devices are capable of reporting their connection status.  My smartphone clearly stated that the connection is 5G.  Something like a "smart plug" or smart speaker system may not have anything to communicate with (no display, for example).  We know that the 2.4G only devices are connected at 2.4G because they cannot do anything else.  My WiFi cameras (through the control app) show only the SSID, with no indication of which band.

 

I think the only way to know for certain is to look at the Orbi Attach Devices page.  (or the similar information on the "app")

Message 12 of 12
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