Wireless network conundrum

[nst68]

I’ve bought some Wifi controlled electric wall heaters (not Alexa etc compatible), but I can’t connect them to my Netgear Orbi network.

Think the issue is that the heaters are 2.4 only and the Orbi doesn’t do separate 2.4 and 5 SSIDs, just a single one.

What’s the best way to get a separate 2.4 network?

I was thinking of getting a cheap access point and plugging this in to the Orbi, creating a different SSID, but then would all my devices which will be on the Orbi’s SSID be able to talk to the heaters?

Thanks.

 

[Bluecube]

Can the Orbi run a guest network? If so then try enabling it and see if you can split the 2.4 and 5ghz networks.

 

[WJA96]

That's unlikely to be the problem. Most modern access point can't, or are defaulted to not, connect on the slowest 2.4GHz protocols because they slow down the overall system too much. So if your thermostats are 802.11b or 802.11bg then the modern hub will be blanking them so it doesn't slow everything else down too much.

 

[Semple]

Most IoT devices will only connect via 2.4Ghz.

Is there really not an option to split the ssid? There might be an option to split it, before the option to create it. If there's no option, then I don't see a way around it, new router time?

 

[bremen1874]

Disable 5GHz.
Connect the device.
Reenable 5GHz.

It works with some IoT devices that have this problem.

 

[nst68]

Most IoT devices will only connect via 2.4Ghz.

Is there really not an option to split the ssid? There might be an option to split it, before the option to create it. If there's no option, then I don't see a way around it, new router time?

There’s no option on the admin gui, looks like it can be done by connecting via telnet

Don’t want to get a new router, this one cost over £300

 

[Bluecube]

The telnet option seems to be very straightforward if you need to give it a whirl. I’d expect a gui option myself but I’ve seen far more complex methods on other routers.

 

[fobose]

There’s no option on the admin gui, looks like it can be done by connecting via telnet

Don’t want to get a new router, this one cost over £300

Have you got an old router? One your ISP supplied for example?

Disconnect current router
Connect old ISP router, set 2.4GHz wifi with same SSID and password
Connect heaters
Disconnect old ISP router
Connect current router

I had to do something similar with my AC units as they needed WAP to connect and my unifi nanoHD AP did not support it.

 

[Semple]

Have you got an old router? One your ISP supplied for example?

Disconnect current router
Connect old ISP router, set 2.4GHz wifi with same SSID and password
Connect heaters
Disconnect old ISP router
Connect current router

I had to do something similar with my AC units as they needed WAP to connect and my unifi nanoHD AP did not support it.

How would that work though?

The OP needs the devices connected all the time, not just a one-off. As soon as you've disconnected the old ISP router, then the devices are no longer reachable.

 

[the-evaluator]

How would that work though?

The OP needs the devices connected all the time, not just a one-off. As soon as you've disconnected the old ISP router, then the devices are no longer reachable.

In theory the devices will connect to the current router once it's powered on.

 

[bremen1874]

It’s an alternative way of achieving what I suggested in post #5.

 

[Semple]

Ah, presumably they'd need to have identical SSIDs and passwords?

 

[the-evaluator]

Ah, presumably they'd need to have identical SSIDs and passwords?

Connect old ISP router, set 2.4GHz wifi with same SSID and password

 

[Semple]

Lol! *faceplam* i even quoted that earlier.

Perhaps it is time for my Monday morning coffee.

 

[fobose]

lol

 

[nst68]

Have you got an old router? One your ISP supplied for example?

Disconnect current router
Connect old ISP router, set 2.4GHz wifi with same SSID and password
Connect heaters
Disconnect old ISP router
Connect current router

I had to do something similar with my AC units as they needed WAP to connect and my unifi nanoHD AP did not support it.

I've got an old TP-Link access point I can use.
Will follow the above and turn off/on the wireless on the Orbi instead.

 

[fobose]

Even better. It should work!

 

[nst68]

Update

In the end I bought a cheap TP-Link travel router that just does 2.4Ghz.

I set it up with the same SSID and password as the Orbi and got the heaters to connect to it, I could control them from the app

Went back to using the Orbi and the heaters now won't connect to the wifi

I've managed to get the email address of the people who support the app, will see if they have any ideas, otherwise I'll have to split the networks via telnet.

 

[nst68]

Ahhhhhhhh, one heater is now connected to the Wifi, but the other isn't

 

[Caged]

Do you have the option of returning the heaters? They sound like they just have a straight-up garbage Wi-Fi implementation that is never going to stop giving you problems.