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Nighthawk mesh MR60 - devices that require 2.4 GHz connection
Please be patient and descriptive in your replies, I pick things up pretty quickly but am far from a network engineer. I upgraded my entire network when the pandemic lockdown started due to my en...
Thank you so much worked for me...I turned off my 2 satellites and went into my garage. I connected all my smart outlets in there.
Some of the devices were on 2.4 and some were on 5. I agree, there should be no difference at layer 2, however, the google minis in particular, seemed to not like being spread across both bands and would routinely drop off or not be visible/pingable. They would also inexplicably be reachable via the guest network during this time. This tells me there is something wonky (or a bug) with the way the mr60 is bonding or routing traffic across the bands on the same sid. If I can reach(ping) a device from the guest sid but not from its own sid that's a problem. It shouldn't be like it is, but it do...
This issue could also be partially due to having too many devices on the MR60 as I did have about 25 all connected in a mixed 2.4/5 sid. Maybe when these units are in heavy use or taxed they exhibit behaviors that have not been fully explored or documented by netgear?
Either way, upgrading to the orbi fixed all issues that I had.
For those still struggling to get 2.4 on your mr60 mesh. Just unplug all your satilites and cover your router in foil. Then go as far away as you can and check which band your on (should be 2.4). Using my house as an example, I had to go down a floor and to the opposite side of my house.
This issue could also be partially due to having too many devices on the MR60 as I did have about 25 all connected in a mixed 2.4/5 sid. Maybe when these units are in heavy use or taxed they exhibit behaviors that have not been fully explored or documented by netgear?
Either way, upgrading to the orbi fixed all issues that I had.
For those still struggling to get 2.4 on your mr60 mesh. Just unplug all your satilites and cover your router in foil. Then go as far away as you can and check which band your on (should be 2.4). Using my house as an example, I had to go down a floor and to the opposite side of my house.
Question: you say go as far away as you can, then check which band you're on. . .
How do you check which band you're on? I've seen no indicator on my phone that tells me if it's connected to 2.4 or 5. Thanks.
- On Android you long press the wifi button on the top pulldown menu then press the connected network (your sid). The network band is listed on the second item labled frequency. It will say either 2.4ghz or 5ghz.
It doesn't. It really doesn't. But thanks.
retromad wrote:
On Android you long press the wifi button on the top pulldown menu then press the connected network (your sid). The network band is listed on the second item labled frequency. It will say either 2.4ghz or 5ghz.on 11-Apr-2021, retromad said "On Android you long press the wifi button on the top pulldown menu then press the connected network (your sid). The network band is listed on the second item labled frequency. It will say either 2.4ghz or 5ghz."
my reply to that, and my advice on this whole issue
i wish my phone would tell that, but my android does not. One of the ways that I can tell is if my ChromeCast icon appears - then I know I am at 2.4. (There are certain rooms in my house that connect at 2.4). Also, if I go outside my stone house, and disconnect and reconnect using that WI-FI icon on my android, I will connect at 2.4. Then I can come into my house and set up any smart plugs (which all use 2.4), or the Chromecast (which also uses 2.4). I must have 50 different devices in my house - all the smartplugs use only 2.4 - I can't remember if the google speakers use 5.1 or not, but I know the Chromecast use 2.4. My LG refrigerator and LG Washer and Dryer all use 2.4. (But, I have found that each time, if I go outside - disconnect and reconnect - then I can do the setup). And once it is set up, then I don't have to worry about the issue again. (Except for Chromecast - which requires that I go out of the rooms that the televisions are in - until the Chromecast Icon appears on my phone (an interior stair case, my bedroom, or outside my house - then I can see the Chromecast icon - cast whatever it is I want to cast, then I can come back in my house and watch the show).
It wasn't me that discovered this - it was my teenagers. I didn't believe them when they first told me. I spent hours trying to figure out why the chromecast button appears once in a while, but not usually. They told me if they go upstairs - then they can do it, then they come back downstairs. I've been doing this for well over a year, and it always works. In fact, I just installed a new chromecast on an attic tv - and the same thing. I go out of the attic - down to my bedroom, then I can see the cast button, and then I can proceed.
Strange, but true.
So regardless of what people tell you that this should happen or not, it does. I have 4 teenagers - I lived through the whole covid thing with all of us on and off the network - and I have learned how to deal with this system - as awkward and strange as that answer is. (I haven't tried the foil. I think I will do that now to see if I have a foil lined box that I can put my phone in and access the tv from the room the tv is in.
I just tried the aluminum foil lined box in my attic television (That doesn't work). But, I did find out that when I go to my kitchen, I can also access the 2.4 network. (I just have to make a map of the places inside my house that allow me to do this.). So far - it is the stairway to the basement, the stairway to the attic, my bedroom, and the kitchen. (I'm surprised by the kitchen, since I do have a satellite in there - maybe that was a quirkly thing - and I won't know whether I can consistently use it or not until I test it many times)
Actually the way suggested to determine which network bandwidth you are on does
work. That is on Android devices use the pull down at top of screen and do as directed. And one way to force the change to the other bandwidth is accomplished like you have achieved. I do not know how to force it by some software button push which would be grander. Such a feature would be real nice when using an optimizing mesh network that would continually attempt to move the phone back to 5 GHz.
Your kids solution does explains a lot to me about that Chromecast issue that I like you have.
An alternative solution applicable to the case of adding IOT devices might be to force the network to temporarily only ise the 2.4 GHz band when the manager, you/me, adds IOT devices. Then they can be found and added. The router would be reset to use both bands after that.
Thank you for your help.