Need to limit 2.4 ghz broadcast to Radio 1: IEEE 802.11b/g/n 2.4GHz–256QAM

[jmappleton]

HP says that their WiFi printers don't work on a tri-band mesh, They told me I have to set the 2.4 ghz to ONLY brodcast as: Radio 1: IEEE 802.11b/g/n 2.4GHz–256QAM

How do you change just that setting?

[CrimpOn]

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@jmappleton wrote:

HP says that their WiFi printers don't work on a tri-band mesh, They told me I have to set the 2.4 ghz to ONLY brodcast as: Radio 1: IEEE 802.11b/g/n 2.4GHz–256QAM

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Whoever told you this appears "uninformed".  (perhaps well meaning, but.....)  Orbi's 2.4G radio is indeed IEEE 802.11b/g/n.

Please comment on the specific HP printer model which you want to connect to the Orbi so we can look at the User Manual and help.

p.s. "uninformed" is a euphimism for "full of...."

[jmappleton]

HP Officejet 3830... the tech admitted he had no clue what he was talking about

[CrimpOn]

Page 86 of the user manual talks about using WiFi Protected Setup. My Orbi has WPS button on the back for this. Have you tried this method?

[michaelkenward]

The usual way to fix wifi printers is to find the printer maker's utility, the software that runs on your operating system. Then use that to connect the printer to the wifi.

Installing HP wireless printer software | Wireless Printing Center | HP® United Kingdom

The router just broadcasts wifi. It is then down to the printer to play ball.The printer will not see 5 GHz if it can't use it.

There isn't much that you can do on a router, beyond fixing it to a particular IP address, that affects what the printer gets up to.

As @CrimpOn says, where possible, using the WPS feature can simplify things.

[CrimpOn]

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@michaelkenward wrote:

The usual way to fix wifi printers is to find the printer maker's utility, the software that runs on your operating system. Then use that to connect the printer to the wifi.

Installing HP wireless printer software | Wireless Printing Center | HP® United Kingdom

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Alas, I fear this recommendation works for printers connected via ethernet, but not when the issue is not being able to connect via WiFi.

The link (above) contains this statement:

"The computer you are installing the printer software on must be connected to the same network you are connecting the printer to."

Once the printer is successfully connected, then the HP software will "find it", probably by issuing broadcast packets that say, "Reply if you are an HP printer."

[michaelkenward]

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@CrimpOn wrote:

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The link (above) contains this statement:

"The computer you are installing the printer software on must be connected to the same network you are connecting the printer to."

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They may say that, but it is not correct, unless HP is defective in its wifi design.

Been there done that. But I have a Canon wifi printer.

Don't read the words, try it and see. You might be surprised.

[FURRYe38]

As an alternative for some wifi printers that won't connect, users can install a USB to LAN print server which would help get there printers connected to the system for everyone to use. 

Be sure the printers FW is also up to date. 

[CrimpOn]

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@michaelkenward wrote:

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They may say that, but it is not correct, unless HP is defective in its wifi design.

Been there done that. But I have a Canon wifi printer.

Don't read the words, try it and see. You might be surprised.

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This forum has exposed a lot of gaps in my networking knowledge.  What I am looking for here is the mechanism that allows all this to take place.  The Orbi WiFi (presumably) is secured and requires authentication before allowing any WiFi device to connect.  The WiFi printer does not know the SSID/password required. Hmmm.  IoT devices without cameras or keyboards get around this by having the tiny device create its own WiFi access point and using an app on another WiFi device to look at all the available WiFi access points and pick the one with a name corresponding to the app. Once connected to the device, the app transmits the required SSID/password and the device then knows how to connect.

So, I have this HP software running on my PC (which has no WiFi card).  The PC does not know the Orbi WiFi SSID/password. The software goes to look for an HP printer. How does it find the printer?  It can broadcast all day long, but none of those broadcasts should go to the printer because it is not connected.  The printer could be "listening" for broadcasts on every available WiFi access point, but WiFi is encrypted and the printer doesn't know the encryption code.  I am just stumped.

If I could get an HP WiFi printer for under $30, I would order one today just to find out.

[FURRYe38]

Sometimes the setup software may involve connecting the printer via USB to a PC first and during the setup process in the software, may include options to help get the printer connected to wifi while the USB port is used. I would depend on if the software inlcudes this. Would have to check the setup manual to see what options are avaiable to setup a printer via wifi if a user doesn't have a wifi device or PC to get it connected. Mostly any wifi connections and configurations would be done on the printers Control Panel for most WiFi connections.