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ORBI 850/853 and connecting devices that only use 2.4GHZ - is there a consumer friendly solution?

SheepdogMama
Initiate

ORBI 850/853 and connecting devices that only use 2.4GHZ - is there a consumer friendly solution?

I LOVE my Orbi WIFI 6 Network.  It's been installed now for about 5 months.

 

I just discovered that certain devices (like the Logitech Harmony Hub) require connecting to my WIFI network through 2.4GHz vs 5GHz and that many of these devices will simply fail to connect to your Orbi mesh dual band network.

 

I've read the message boards suggesting the following options

a.  Use your guest network because that runs 2.4GHz (not sure if this is true, but it didn't work for the Harmony Hub).

b.  Make sure your phone WIFI is the guest network and the login to Harmony Hub is also the guest network--tried that and it didn't work.

c.  Become more of a geek than I want to be and use Telnet code commands to make changes to my Orbi--but apparently you have to also add commands that freeze those changes since Orbi firmware upgrades will reverse those changes unless you do.  ( I'm sure this will work but I don't like making these kind of changes to my router).

d.  Changing the speed of the router (slowing it down) to fool the Harmony Hub into thinking the band connection is what it is looking for.  Then once the Harmony Hub is installed, change to speed back to normal.  

e.  Buy a 2.4GHz router and attach it to the Orbi Wifi Network (not sure what implications this has or how to do it without causing other problems).

 

Since the Harmony Hub isn't the only device having this problem (I've seen posts about Ring devices, kitchen appliances, etc.), why isn't there a more elegant solution for the average consumer (ME!)?

 

What solution do you recommend that works for most of these 2.4GHz devices (and specifically for the Harmony Hub) that is the least invasive to my beloved Orbi router?

 

 

 

 

 

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SheepdogMama
Initiate

Re:ORBI 850/853 and connecting devices that only use 2.4GHZ - is there a consumer friendly solution?

I currently have Orbi 850 router with 2 satellites and today I'm replacing those with an Orbi 970 router and 2 satellites.  The main motivation for the upgrade is to get an IOT network instead of having a 2.4 router hang off one of my satellites.  I have new Carrier thermostats that aren't happy with the 2.4 router.

 

My current network is very stable.   Do we just unplug the three current devices and start the new install?  Do I have to register the new product with Netgear?  Will my Orbi phone app just "see" the new network?

 

We plan to keep all the network names the same as the old except for adding the IOT network.

 

 

Message 2 of 3
FURRYe38
Guru

Re:ORBI 850/853 and connecting devices that only use 2.4GHZ - is there a consumer friendly solution?

FYI, the 850 series now supports a separate IoT network since the release of v7.x FW. 

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi-WIFI-6-AX-AND-Wi-Fi-6E-AXE/New-RBR850-RBS850-Firmware-Version-...


Which would fix this...

Message 3 of 3
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