How to set a separate SSID for the 5 GHz network on your Orbi

[man95]

Thanks for the reply bighead323

I tried the steps again (Even tried naming the 5GHz to the original SSID and splitting 2.4 GHz away from it). I split the SSID after firmware update and in the telnet it shows as ORBI 91 (2.4 GHZ) & ORBI 95(5 GHZ) but it's not showing up on my "Available networks"..it seems like it's not transmitting the SSID. 

Am I missing a step? 

[Chuck_M]

Do you think it is operational, just not transmitting the SSID? 

Have you tried having a phone or PC join the network with that SSID although it is not being broadcast?  That will tell you if the network is actually energized versus no SSID broadcast... two very different issues.

[man95]

Hello Chuck_M

I tried connecting to ORBI 95 but my phone & laptop are also not able to find it. So it seems it's not being broadcast. 

I have attached my ORBI settings snapshots. As I mentioned in my past post, before updating the firmware I was able to split them up and both of the networks were visible but now after updating the firmware I'm unable to find or use my 5GHz network. 

Any help will be appreciated. 

Thanks

[Chuck_M]

@man95   I think you may be a good candidate for doing a full reset of your Orbi --   can you do that and then tell us if that worked?  I dont remember you saying you had tried this.

Here is step by step to reset:  

https://kb.netgear.com/31486/How-do-I-reset-my-Orbi-system-to-factory-default-settings

Please let us know if this had a good effect.

[bighead323]

I assumed you followed the instructions to commit and reboot the router.  If you did, I don't think you missed any steps.  A factory reset that was mentioned may be a good test.  Maybe also remove the space in your SSIDs or use underscores.  I don't think if that could cause the problem or not since I never use spaces in SSIDs.

Good luck.

[man95]

@Chuck_M Thanks for suggesting that. I went ahead and did the full reset as mentioned but the results are the same. The 5GHZ band doesn't show up in the network list nor I can connect with it manually. ...

I tried many times changing the name of the 5GHz band but to no avail....

I can verify after reboot the commands...config get wl_ssid; wla_ssid..returns different results but an iwconfig shows all the SSIDs (both 2.4 and 5G) to be the same....

Is there anything else you can sugegst? ...seems like updating the firmware to V2.2.1.210 messed up the whole process...

Has anyone else had issues with the firmware (2.2.1.210) upgrade?

[cmgreenman]

Not sure if it's because I have the RBK50 but I'm running the same firmware version and it's working perfectly. I even had to reaccomplish it recently when I changed a WiFi setting and it reverted the split. Once I followed the procedure on this thread I got my separate ssids again. It doesn't show up in the GUI but you see it when you search for WiFi networks.

Hope this helps.

[man95]

@cmgreenman  I think that may be the case.... I'm running RBK23 (bought it from Amazon-1 base+2 satellites) and it could be that with this firmware V2.2.1.210 the RBK23 is not splitting the SSID. I followed the instrctions to the T. 

As I was going through this thread and on page 12,13 there are people for whom this splitting of SSID didn't work. 

Is there anybody with RBK23 who is able to split the SSID?

Is there a way I can switch back to an older version of firmware? I tried resetting the device as mentioned above but was unable to roll back the firmware.

[Chuck_M]

Yes, you can revert to previous firmware versions manually.   Go to the netgear site and go to your product and look for downloads.  At the bottom should be a link for previous firmware versions.

[ekhalil]

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@man95 wrote:
........

Is there anybody with RBK23 who is able to split the SSID?

.......

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All Orbi's have the same OS, so RBK2x should not be different than RBK5x in this aspect.

1. Do you see different SSID's when you enter the following telnet commands:
   1. > config get wl_ssid     --> Gives you the 2.4 GHz SSID
   2. > config get wla_ssid     --> Gives you the 5 GHz SSID
2.  It's important to enter the following command after the changes and before you reboot:
   1. > config commit
3. After the commit command you need to reboot for the radio equipment to take the new SSID values.

[man95]

Thanks @Chuck_M  & @ekhalil 

@Chuck_M : I went back to the old frmware but still not able to get the other SSID to show up. 

@ekhalil : I can see seperate SSID in the command prompt (under telnet); I use the "Config Commit" and then reboot.....but the 5GHz SSID never shows up either in the avaibale networks nor during search for hiddne networks. 

I also used the wifi scanner program "Acrylic wifi scanner" and it shows that the name given for 2.4GHz SSID is transmitting at 3 different channels viz. 2.4GHz, 5GHz & 5ghz(backhaul).....The only thing I have not done yet is powered on the satellites, as I'm not sure whether it can replace my 20+ devices on the current TP Link AC5400 (which is under 3 different SSIDs & I have to then change passwords in atleast 10+ devices)...it's been a pain..

[ekhalil]

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@man95 wrote:

.......

@ekhalil : I can see seperate SSID in the command prompt (under telnet); I use the "Config Commit" and then reboot.....but the 5GHz SSID never shows up either in the avaibale networks nor during search for hiddne networks. 

......

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Please try to do this again. That is:

1. go to the web GUI (orbilogin.com) >> BASIC >> Wireless Settings>> and set the common SSID and Apply. This will set the common SSID for both bands.
2. Then go back to telnet and repeat the config set commands:
   1. config set wla_ssid="NAME YOUR 5GHZ NETWORK.
   2. config commit
   3. reboot

[Chuck_M]

You should be able to add the satellite and those devices with no issues.

Does the 5g ssid-less channel correspond to the channel in the wireless setup?  The backhaul channel is/should be far out to the right and say hidden on it.

[man95]

@ekhalil : So I repeated as you mentioned including changing the name from the web GUI...but no success...I have attached the snapshot of the Telent comamnd prompt & the acrylic wifi scanner results. The 5GHz SSID doesn't show up in the wireless scanner & neither shows in the available networks....

[man95]

@Chuck_M : the 5G SSID less channel corresponds to the same SSID as the 2.4G channel name...

[ekhalil]

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@man95 wrote:

@ekhalil : So I repeated as you mentioned including changing the name from the web GUI...but no success...I have attached the snapshot of the Telent comamnd prompt & the acrylic wifi scanner results. The 5GHz SSID doesn't show up in the wireless scanner & neither shows in the available networks....

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1. Can you please get the following telnet printout from Router:
   1. > cat /tmp/wifi_topology
2. What happens when you switch off the 5 GHz channel as follows:
   1. > ip link set down dev ath1
   2. Please make a scan after switching it off and see if there will be any 5 GHz network remaining
   3. You can then switch it back on using
      1. > ip link set up dev ath1

[will2km]

Hi @man95

I am using RBR20 and having the same issue as you. Even if set the 5G ssid, I can't see it in the GUI and it is not up as I can 't see it from other devices. But the method works fine if I change 2.4G ssid.

My network is so crappy that I had to disconnect then reconnect to WIFI every hour. I've had enough, won't use them if the method works.

Good thing I bought them from Costco,  Anyways, good luck to you.

[kevinwilde]

I need a separate 2.4GHz wifi for my cameras which will only connect to this band.

I used the above method to telnet and change the 5GHz ssid, I rechecked with a get and it shows the separate ssid, but when I re-boot the RBR40 and look in advanced Router AP mode they both ahve the same ssid, and there is no other wifi visible, looks like telnet changed the ssid for the 5GHz but the orbi isn't reading it at boot up time to separate the channels.

Any ideas would be greatfully received as without this the very expensive solution is useless for me.

[fjser]

I figured out how to get this to work..there is one additional command to add:

config set wla_2nd_ssid="YOUR SSID"

once i added the above, commited, and reboot and then it separated the ssid as expected

[cmgizzi]

Thank you for this suggestion. Unfortunately it does not work for the RBR20 model. I don't get it. What a pain in the ass this has been.

[Chuck_M]

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@cmgizzi wrote:

Thank you for this suggestion. Unfortunately it does not work for the RBR20 model. I don't get it. What a pain in the ass this has been.

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Are you committing and rebooting after issuing the above command?  

Does it give you any error messages?

[man95]

@cmgizzi I tried all the commands including the one suggested by @fjser  but nothing seperates out the SSID. I scoured through the internet trying to find the reason why I'm not able to accomplish this splitting but to no avail. Neither I was able to find any other way.

So I'm now using my GUEST network SSID as a seperate SSID for using with 2.4GHz devices only except for my wireless printer (old BROTHER model) as it has to be on the same network as my Desktop, Laptops et al to print on wifi. All of my devices are performing effortlessly on the SSID. 

Sorry not able to be of much help... but I exhausted all the options and took more than a month researching this topic. 

[man95]

@will2km I tried for more than a month researching this topic on various forums but not able to split the SSID. So I used my GUEST network as a sepearate SSID for my 2.4GHz devices now. Please see my reply to @cmgizzi 

All of my devices are connecting effortlessly and I have seamless connectivity in my house. 

[ekhalil]

@man95 , @cmgizzi can you see different SSID in the following command:

root@RBR50:/# grep -rnw /etc/config -e "ssid"

Check lines 80 and 140 and see if you have different SSID's in the lines that start with option ssid '........

[kevinwilde]

Thank you, 2nd_ssid sorted it.