Re: Please allow unique SSIDs for Both Bands

jasondunn · ‎2017-11-29

I understand the logic that Netgear wants to make everything simple, and having just a single network to connect to is indeed simpler than having two.

However, there are some downsides to this. This week I bought a few Oittm-branded WiFi power switches and was excited to set them up - and that lasted all of 90 seconds before I became extremely frustrated. Why? Because the WiFi switches can only be set up on a 2.4 Ghz network. It uses an app that I installed on my Android phone - but because the switch can only connect to 2.4Ghz, and my phone automatically connect to the 5Ghz network, the two can't see each other. And since I can't pick the 2.4Ghz manually to connect so, there's no solution I'm aware of.

So, please Netgear, give us an advanced option for power users who need it to turn on unique SSIDs for each band.

thebadpete · ‎2017-11-29

You can actually by following the instructions listed in this posting, I just did that and it works:

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/How-to-set-a-separate-SSID-for-the-5-GHz-network-on-your-Orbi/...

View solution in original post

thebadpete · ‎2017-11-29

You can actually by following the instructions listed in this posting, I just did that and it works:

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/How-to-set-a-separate-SSID-for-the-5-GHz-network-on-your-Orbi/...

tagteam · ‎2017-11-30

For a possible official (Netgear) resolution, you can try posting your request in the Idea Exchange section (link below).

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

Retired_Member · ‎2017-11-30

Interesting info...good gouge.

In my case, one think to keep in mind, I have a device that only runs 5ghz. When I setup the Orbi and gave my Orbi the same network name as my old one, the 5ghz device would not connect for it was looking for a 'MYNET_5Ghz'. Had to go in and reconfig the device and then it worked fine.

In the case of other devices that can use both 2.4 and 5g, how does the Orbi decide which freq to assign? Is it based on current network load conditions, etc.?

To the OP....I too have another device that requires a setup through a Iphone app and will only run on the 2.4ghz band. When I went to set it up, my Iphone 6plus was already connected to the 2.4 ghz band and things went fine. I'm just wondering why your phone went to 5g? Is it because the Orbi decided that was best for the moment and will it change later?

jasondunn · ‎2017-11-30

@Retired_Member wrote:
In the case of other devices that can use both 2.4 and 5g, how does the Orbi decide which freq to assign? Is it based on current network load conditions, etc.?...I too have another device that requires a setup through a Iphone app and will only run on the 2.4ghz band. When I went to set it up, my Iphone 6plus was already connected to the 2.4 ghz band and things went fine. I'm just wondering why your phone went to 5g? Is it because the Orbi decided that was best for the moment and will it change later?

Yes to all of that. WiFi devices will connect automatically to the strongest signal, and there's a sort of handshake that goes on between the device and the Orbi when it first connects (and each time it comes back into range). Part of that handshake is going to be "what WiFi frequencies can you support?" along with "which frequency are you getting the strongest" and if 5Ghz is an option, that's what network the device will be put on. I am not aware of any setting in Android or iOS that allows you to control which WiFi band to use - all you can control is what SSID you connect to.

In your case, your iPhone was getting a weak 5Ghz signal and was assigned to the 2.4 Ghz spectrum. If you go near your router, turn off WiFi, then turn it back on, I'm certain it would lock onto the 5Ghz signal.

Your post did give me an idea though I'm going to try later: I'll turn off WiFi, walk outside my house, turn it back on and hopefully get my phone onto the 2.4Ghz network and then try the setup again.

I saw the other post about using Telnet to change the SSIDs - that's a brilliant tip that I may use, but it will be a last resort - I really appreciate it being shared!

Retired_Member · ‎2017-12-19

@jasondunn wrote:
@Retired_Member wrote:
In the case of other devices that can use both 2.4 and 5g, how does the Orbi decide which freq to assign? Is it based on current network load conditions, etc.?...I too have another device that requires a setup through a Iphone app and will only run on the 2.4ghz band. When I went to set it up, my Iphone 6plus was already connected to the 2.4 ghz band and things went fine. I'm just wondering why your phone went to 5g? Is it because the Orbi decided that was best for the moment and will it change later?
Yes to all of that. WiFi devices will connect automatically to the strongest signal, and there's a sort of handshake that goes on between the device and the Orbi when it first connects (and each time it comes back into range). Part of that handshake is going to be "what WiFi frequencies can you support?" along with "which frequency are you getting the strongest" and if 5Ghz is an option, that's what network the device will be put on. I am not aware of any setting in Android or iOS that allows you to control which WiFi band to use - all you can control is what SSID you connect to.

In your case, your iPhone was getting a weak 5Ghz signal and was assigned to the 2.4 Ghz spectrum. If you go near your router, turn off WiFi, then turn it back on, I'm certain it would lock onto the 5Ghz signal.

Your post did give me an idea though I'm going to try later: I'll turn off WiFi, walk outside my house, turn it back on and hopefully get my phone onto the 2.4Ghz network and then try the setup again.

I saw the other post about using Telnet to change the SSIDs - that's a brilliant tip that I may use, but it will be a last resort - I really appreciate it being shared!

Hey Jason....did you ever get a fix for this? My one weather station that needs a iphone hooked up to 2.4g is giving me a problem. Last night I had to power down one of my sats due to the constant blue light. Now my iphone only connects to 5g. then the weather station lost its wifi connection..not sure if its related. trying to reconnect i need the phone on 2.4g but the orbi puts it on 5g.

jasondunn · ‎2017-12-19

@Retired_Member wrote:

Hey Jason....did you ever get a fix for this? My one weather station that needs a iphone hooked up to 2.4g is giving me a problem. Last night I had to power down one of my sats due to the constant blue light. Now my iphone only connects to 5g. then the weather station lost its wifi connection..not sure if its related. trying to reconnect i need the phone on 2.4g but the orbi puts it on 5g.

Yes, I was able to get this working. I had to use the telnet solution outlined here:

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/How-to-set-a-separate-SSID-for-the-5-GHz-network-on-your-Orbi/m-p/1396594

NetGear is seemingly ignorant of devices like this that only can get set up on the 2.4Ghz band.

Retired_Member · ‎2017-12-19

@jasondunn wrote:
@Retired_Member wrote:

Hey Jason....did you ever get a fix for this? My one weather station that needs a iphone hooked up to 2.4g is giving me a problem. Last night I had to power down one of my sats due to the constant blue light. Now my iphone only connects to 5g. then the weather station lost its wifi connection..not sure if its related. trying to reconnect i need the phone on 2.4g but the orbi puts it on 5g.
Yes, I was able to get this working. I had to use the telnet solution outlined here:

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/How-to-set-a-separate-SSID-for-the-5-GHz-network-on-your-Orbi/m-p/1396594

NetGear is seemingly ignorant of devices like this that only can get set up on the 2.4Ghz band.

Thanks

I'll think I'll hold off on any mechanical (telnet) adjustments. Too many horror stories from the past. Something else I'd like to try is setup a guest 2.4g network on the Orbi. Then login my iphone in there and see if the weather station will connect. I tried it last night and it didn't work but that might have been I was in a hurry and feeling frustrated. The Lacrossse app for the weather station is a bit quirky. Think I'll try it again tonight.

jasondunn · ‎2017-12-19

@Retired_Member wrote:
I'll think I'll hold off on any mechanical (telnet) adjustments. Too many horror stories from the past. Something else I'd like to try is setup a guest 2.4g network on the Orbi. Then login my iphone in there and see if the weather station will connect. I tried it last night and it didn't work but that might have been I was in a hurry and feeling frustrated.

That might work if you're willing to leave the weather station permanently connected to the guest network - and leave the guest network on forever. Otherwise it will never be associated with your main network, and never be on the same subnet and accessible by your iPhone.

kmichalec · ‎2017-12-23

A device on the 5ghz network should be able to see a device on the 2.4ghz network, cause they both get IP addresses in the same IP range from the same router, which handles the communication umongst network devices. For example, my iPhone 7 connected to the 5ghz network can see and AirPrint wirelessly to my Brother printer which only supports and is connected to the 2.4ghz network. The band it connects to is only for communication back and forth for that device to the router. The router handles communication between devices.

jasondunn · ‎2017-12-23

@kmichalec wrote:
A device on the 5ghz network should be able to see a device on the 2.4ghz network, cause they both get IP addresses in the same IP range from the same router, which handles the communication umongst network devices.

I'd think the same thing, except I couldn't set up my smart switches until I did this telnet trick and forced the two networks apart. No matter what I tried, I couldn't get my phone (on the 5Ghz network) to finish the setup via the app. Almost like the app isn't doing an IP scan, it's looking for the switch directly over WiFI on the 2.4 Ghz band...!? I can't think of what else it would be doing.

kmichalec · ‎2017-12-24

@jasondunn wrote:
@kmichalec wrote:
A device on the 5ghz network should be able to see a device on the 2.4ghz network, cause they both get IP addresses in the same IP range from the same router, which handles the communication umongst network devices.
I'd think the same thing, except I couldn't set up my smart switches until I did this telnet trick and forced the two networks apart. No matter what I tried, I couldn't get my phone (on the 5Ghz network) to finish the setup via the app. Almost like the app isn't doing an IP scan, it's looking for the switch directly over WiFI on the 2.4 Ghz band...!? I can't think of what else it would be doing.

Interesting. What brand of Smart switches? I have TPLink smart plugs, and when I set mine up, you connect via WiFi to the plug from the phone (plug broadcasts a WIFi network, that the phone connects to directly - not going through router at all). From there, you set enter in the WiFi credentials for your home network (from your router), and then once the plug reboots, it knows the credentials to use and connects to the Home WiFi. Then from there the plug is on the Home WiFi, and the phone is back on the Home WiFi, and my phone can see the plug via the app.

Does your our work like this, or is something different in your process?

jasondunn · ‎2017-12-24

@kmichalec wrote:
Interesting. What brand of Smart switches? ... Does your our work like this, or is something different in your process?

The brand I was using was Ottim and it definitely wasn't doing an ad-hoc network - you can tell because you can see the phone/tablet swtich networks. It was seeking the switch on the 2.4 Ghz network for sure. I wish the switches I bought worked the way the TP-Link switches do. 🙂