Orbi Feature Request

[argold]

I just noticed ths forum and apologise if I'm asking for something already discussed. If so, please point me to any existing thread or comments.

I would like more flexibility with the wireless settings. Right now the 2GHz and 5GHz wireless APs are locked together, being both ON together and also with the same SSID. This causes problems with IoT devices such as power socket switches which must be configured with a SmartPhone but which only have 2GHz radios and can only be configured if the SmartPhone is using a 2GHz AP. When my phone locks onto the Orbi 5GHz AP wireless the phone is unable to configure the IoT devices. I need the option to temprorarily disable the 5GHz signal else be able to apply different SSIDs so that I can steer my phone to the 2GHz signal.

Thanks.

[FURRYe38]

The main issue isn't Orbi and the smart connect, it's how the IoT Mfr setup software is handling howe the setup mobile device when it's connected to 5Ghz rather then 2.4Ghz. 2.4Ghz devices will ONLY see and use 2.4ghz. They can not connect to 5Ghz ever. For some reason IoT mfrs are not allowing thre setup apps that are run on 2.4 AND 5Ghz supporting mobile devices to work on 5ghz during there setup process. Mfrs needs to allow the users mobile devices to connect to either frequency during the setup process regardless if there IoT device only supports 2.4Ghz. 

If you can get your mobile device to connect to 2.4Ghz long enough to setup the IoT device, it should work. You can try and turn down the 5Ghz power power output temporarily to see if this helps your mobile device to connect to 2.4Ghz. 

[argold]

Whatever anyone claims is "the main issue" the problem would be solved of Orbi allowed the two wireless bands to be separately controlled through the web interface.

The hooks are all there in Orbi's code and they can be accessed using telnet to busybox using config set wl_ssid="SSID" for 2GHz and config set wla_ssid="SSID" for 5GHz but that's a real PITA.

I've never met a device before that nailed the two WiFi bands together and I don't like it. Please, Mr. Netgear, fix this.

[FURRYe38]

The main issue is that the IoT Mfrs needs to allow there setup software and setup devices to be connected to either radio while it setup up the IoT device. Techincally 2.4 and 5Ghz are on the same network thus can communicate between them. The IoT Mfrs are not testing this for MESH routers that use Smart Connect. Would be easier if IoT mfrs step up to the plate and do there development to make things better for there products when connected to MESH routers using a single SSID name platform. 

You can make a request here:

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Idea-Exchange-For-Home/idb-p/idea-exchange-for-home

Good Luck. 

[CrimpOn]

The original question asked if there were existing threads about how to connect IoT devices which have only 2.4G radios to Orbi.  Yes, there must be over a dozen.  (I'd first search for "2.4G".)  A quick Google search turned up similar threads regarding the Google mesh WiFi, which has the same behavior as Orbi (both 2.4G and 5G share the same SSID.)  As Furry pointed out, once the device learns the SSID and password of the Orbi network, it will connect at 2.4G because that is the only network that it can access.  The issue appears to be that some manufacturers have crummy smartphone apps that tell the device what SSID and password to use.   Having the device set up a temporary WiFi of its own and using Bluetooth both work great.  What these bozos are doing is a mystery.

Smart plugs were mentioned.  I purchased smart plugs from Aukey, Belkin, and TP-Link.  My smartphone was connect to Orbi at 5G.  All three brands configured successfully and connected to Orbi successfully.  I did NOTHING to Orbi to make this happen.

So, how to handle the devices made by incompetent manufacturers.  (1) Get rid of Orbi and purchase a mesh system made by somebody who allows different SSID's for 2.4G and 5G.  (2) Use one of the "telnet tricks" to temporarily disable the Orbi 5G (change the SSID or lower the power to nothing).  (3) Find out if other users have found a way to get that specific device to work on a mesh network. (4) Dump this product and purchase one that works.  (If they messed up connecting it to WiFi, what else have they screwed up?)

Your pain and frustration are very real.  You can ask Netgear to modify the product, but I would not hold my breath.

[argold]

I'm not even asking Netgear to change their product in any way, just to bring to the web configuration screens the same optional elements of control that you acknowledge are already available able through "telnet tricks".

[FURRYe38]

Making changes the the routers web page ui and how the wifi system works would be a change. Just saying. 

Possible that doing this would incur other issues in the wifi system. Something NG may not want to do. 

Over all IoT mfrs needs to step up and make changes for these kinds of systems. The systems do work. It's when these Mfrs are not developing and testing on a wider wifi product platform is where they seem to fail.