WiFi thermostat only "reads" 2.5ghz

[fireman0174]

iPhone 10 is equipment. Home wireless on Netgear ORBI system with two remote "satellites".

Trying to sync my iPhone to a RobertShaw thermostat app. It only will function at 2.4ghz, but no matter what I do it wants to try and connect at 5ghz, hence no connection.

How do I get the phone to connect to the app at 2.4ghz?

FWIW, I have an LG app on the phone that connects at 2.4ghz, so I know that function will work, but that setup was done via a telephone call to an LG technician and I simply don't remember how I did this with his directions.

HELP!

 

[Raz0rEdge]

Are you trying to directly connect to the thermostat? Traditionally you'd connect each device to the WiFi network. Assuming they are the same network but on different frequencies, they'll join the same network and the devices should be able to see each other regardless of how they get there.

This is how my Nest thermostats work. Additionally, sometimes you aren't even talking to the local thermostat but rather through a cloud service where you both talk.

 

[fireman0174]

Are you trying to directly connect to the thermostat? Traditionally you'd connect each device to the WiFi network. Assuming they are the same network but on different frequencies, they'll join the same network and the devices should be able to see each other regardless of how they get there.

This is how my Nest thermostats work. Additionally, sometimes you aren't even talking to the local thermostat but rather through a cloud service where you both talk.

Actually, I'm just following the directions in the attached installation guide. I get to about step 6 and basically that's a dead end as the screen says it can only hook up on 2.4ghz.

My ORBI router shows the iPhone as one of the attachments as 5ghz as are most of them. However, several kitchen appliance apps are shown in the router as 2.4.ghz.

Lost In Space.

 

[lclev]

One think you might try is to go into your router and name your Wifi network running on 2.4GHz one name and the other one running on 5GHz another name then join your thermostat to the 2.4GHz one. This involves going into the router usually through it's IP address or some other browser interface to the WiFi network settings and making the changes.

For example access the WiFi network settings. Call the 2.4GHz something like Home-2.4 and give it a password then call the 5GHz Home-5 and give it a password. You can even use the password for both as the SSID will be different. Then for all your devices that don't care add both SSID's to their network list. Now if you are using your iPhone to access the thermostat make sure your phone is on Home-2.4.

I had to do that for the router running our soundboard and all the firesticks in the kids center. It allows us to keep everyone else on the 2.4 channel and they can have the 5 channel to do their thing on!

Lisa

 

[MacInWin]

One think you might try is to go into your router and name your Wifi network running on 2.4GHz one name and the other one running on 5GHz another name then join your thermostat to the 2.4GHz one. This involves going into the router usually through it's IP address or some other browser interface to the WiFi network settings and making the changes.

Orbi does not allow that. I had one and wanted to do that, but could not.

 

[MacInWin]

In dual frequency routers, which band any device attaches to is immaterial, as long as the two bands are in the same network. So, for example, if you have named your home network "BlahBlahNet" then any device that attaches to "BlahBlahNet" can see all other devices connected to the same net, regardless of band used to connect. I have a lot of home automation devices and they all connect to the 2.4Ghz band of my router, which supports both 2.4 and 5 Ghz. My iPhone usually connects to 5Ghz, but it's in the same network, so it's fine.

Basically, if the DHCP controller is handling the IP assignment to the thermostat and the iPhone in the same network, they should be able to see each other.

You said you had issues at Step 6, but Step 6 is just to tap a Menu key. Connections to a network for a new device can be slow sometimes, you have to just wait for the router to get around to handing out an IP number and getting the device connected.

 

[lclev]

Orbi does not allow that. I had one and wanted to do that, but could not.

Hum... guess that is that then. Never used Orbi. I have mesh access points from Ubiquiti but I can separate the 2.4 and 5 bands.

Lisa

 

[fireman0174]

Hum... guess that is that then. Never used Orbi. I have mesh access points from Ubiquiti but I can separate the 2.4 and 5 bands.

Lisa

Except that my ORBI router utility shows about 26 external WiFi devices, most at 5ghz, but 4 or 5 at 2.4ghz, one of them being a fairly new 48 inch SONY HD TV, along with a new LG stove and refrigerator.

This is one of several things that confuses me.

What am I missing here?

 

[lclev]

2.4GHz is good for long range connecting but tends to be slower. It goes through walls better too. 5GHz is shorter range but supports faster speeds. It does not go through walls well.

I have seen a lot of things attached to my home router. I am always amazed at how many devices are attached. I can track them all down just because I can't stand not knowing what it is. But I live so far from any neighbors there is no way any device is not one of mine. I did decide my LG washer did not need access. I just don't want them always telling me when a load is done or its time to clean it or what ever. I just recently let my DishTV receiver access my internet. Mainly because I finally got an internet service that can support streaming.

Now my network that I have setup at work is very different. I have utilities that allow me to see who is attached and make adjustments if needed. I reserve the 5GHz for the devices that need the speed such as the firesticks which has kid appropriate games and our soundboard that connects our singers and musicians.

Lisa

 

[MacInWin]

The Orbi has radio units for two bands, 2.4 and 5 Ghz. Both bands connect to the same internal software that provides the services needed to create a network for you. One of the functions is to assign an IP number to each device, regardless of which band, and to connect that IP to the IP provided by your Internet provider (ISP). So, each device in the network, regardless of the band, is in the SAME network. When you look at the Orbi for connected devices, it will show BOTH bands as BOTH bands are in ONE network. So, you see some on the 5ghz band, some on the 2.4ghz band, but ALL in ONE network.

Now, your thermostat should connect to the 2.4 Ghz band, get an IP as assigned by Orbi. Your iPhone will connect on whichever band is stronger, get an IP number from the same service in the Orbi. Thus, your iPhone will be able to "see" the thermostat eventually.

On the Orbi, you should be able to see in the list your iPhone, with an IP number, and each of your devices, including the thermostat, with their own IP number. All should be in the same network, i.e., 192.168.x.y, or 10.0.x.y, where the x and y will be in the range of 0 to 255. And any device in that range will be able to see any other device in that range. Typically the "x" is the same across all devices, but it could be, again, any number between 0 and 255. Typically it's 1, but it could be something else.

The only difference is that the 5Ghz band has higher speeds, but shorter range than the 2.4 Ghz band. The 2.4 has greater coverage, but slower speed. Also, 2.4 is better at penetrating walls, etc, than the 5 Ghz. The Orbis also have a backchannel where the individual units are constantly measuring the quality of the network and shifting from 2.4 to 5 based on quality of signal. Your 2.4 devices will have 0 quality on 5 Ghz, so they never get shifted to the 5 band. But any device with both may well be shifted based on the signal strength at any given moment.

The Orbi will not allow you to define which band any given device is attached to if it has dual-band capability. And, you cannot separate the 2.4 band and 5.0 band into two networks with the Orbi. Most folks don't need or want that separation, they just want to plug it in and let it do the sorting out of the devices. l used to have a router that allowed two networks and I did separate them but then discovered that the devices in one band didn't see the devices in the other, so I reconfigured the network to use both bands for ONE network and everything talked together just fine, irrespective of band.

 

[Lifeisabeach]

Actually, I'm just following the directions in the attached installation guide. I get to about step 6 and basically that's a dead end as the screen says it can only hook up on 2.4ghz.

My ORBI router shows the iPhone as one of the attachments as 5ghz as are most of them. However, several kitchen appliance apps are shown in the router as 2.4.ghz.

Lost In Space.

There may be a way to temporarily disable 5Ghz on your Orbi. I would do that, which would force your iPhone to connect @ 2.4 Ghz. Here's a discussion thread on NetGear's forums that talks about doing this.

NETGEAR - Common Account Management

community.netgear.com

Once your thermostat is online, you should be able to re-enable 5Ghz and still have everything working fine.

 

[Slydude]

Thanks for this thread guys. I'm not using one of the newer routers but I'm rethinking my network setup. I have a 2.4 GHz network and a 5 GHz network on the same dual-band router. Each network has a different SSID and password. Based on the thoughts here I'll probably change things to one SSID and password.

On a side note devices that require being assigned to a specific band on a network drive me nuts. Some of this isn't even well-documented.

SWMBO has an exercise bike that requires a 2.4 GHz network if you are going to use the internet-related features. The documentation included with the bike doesn't make that clear. Numerous attempts to connect to our network failed. Each time I have to follow the PITA password entry procedure. After much frustration a quick internet search reveals the 2.4 GHZ requirement well-documented on the company site.

 

[Lifeisabeach]

Thanks for this thread guys. I'm not using one of the newer routers but I'm rethinking my network setup. I have a 2.4 GHz network and a 5 GHz network on the same dual-band router. Each network has a different SSID and password. Based on the thoughts here I'll probably change things to one SSID and password.

On a side note devices that require being assigned to a specific band on a network drive me nuts. Some of this isn't even well-documented.

SWMBO has an exercise bike that requires a 2.4 GHz network if you are going to use the internet-related features. The documentation included with the bike doesn't make that clear. Numerous attempts to connect to our network failed. Each time I have to follow the PITA password entry procedure. After much frustration a quick internet search reveals the 2.4 GHZ requirement well-documented on the company site.

Yeah, sometimes there are some ridiculous hoops you have to jump through. I replaced the mini-split HVAC system in my house a couple years ago and with that, I got their device to connect to wi-fi so I could use an app. That too only would connect to 2.4 Ghz, which itself wasn't the problem. The bigger problem, which took me forever to parse out, was that there was a limit to how many characters there could be in the wi-fi password. I have obscenely long passwords on both my main and guest networks, but this thing I guess uses an older protocol limited to 30 characters so it wouldn't connect no matter what. I wound up re-enabling use of my Time Capsule as a router with its own SSID, set as a bridge to my Eeros, then had to connect my iPhone first to the TC's SSID, then from there configure the HVAC's controller. That finally got it working, and from there I connected my iPhone back to my regular network and was able to control just fine from there. (fireman.. take note... this MAY be something you'll have to try next using an older router if my last tip doesn't work). I wound up starting over by downgrading the password on my Guest network to 30 characters so I wouldn't have to have a 3rd network ID in use.

 

[Slydude]

Wow. That's some serious hoops to jump through. I'm not sure I would've figured that out.

I'm sure you didn't use any "adult language" during that process.

 

[MacInWin]

There may be a way to temporarily disable 5Ghz on your Orbi. I would do that, which would force your iPhone to connect @ 2.4 Ghz. Here's a discussion thread on NetGear's forums that talks about doing this.

NETGEAR - Common Account Management

community.netgear.com

Once your thermostat is online, you should be able to re-enable 5Ghz and still have everything working fine.

I tried everything and could not turn 5Ghz fully off on the Orbi. I could cut the signal to 25%, and boosted the 2.4 Ghz to 100%, which made the 2.4 stronger than the 5, but the Orbi, at least my Orbi, would not shut down 5 Ghz totally. And that thread you linked had that suggestion in post #6 of the thread. But on the model I had, OFF was not an option.

 

[Lifeisabeach]

I tried everything and could not turn 5Ghz fully off on the Orbi. I could cut the signal to 25%, and boosted the 2.4 Ghz to 100%, which made the 2.4 stronger than the 5, but the Orbi, at least my Orbi, would not shut down 5 Ghz totally. And that thread you linked had that suggestion in post #6 of the thread. But on the model I had, OFF was not an option.

Yeah, I figured there might be differences depending on one's model. If it doesn't work out, the next best option is to do what I had to do for my system. If the OP just happens to have an Apple Time Capsule already, then so much the better.

 

[fireman0174]

Well, problem solved, but not really the way I wanted.

RobertShaw thermostat returned with full refund.

Purchased Honeywell thermostat. Installed easily with no issues. It has been running for over a week with no problems at all.

Thanks for all the assistance!!!

 

[Slydude]

Glad you got that sorted out. Thanks for letting us know the solution.

 

[lclev]

Yes thanks. I had a WiFi thermostat - once. I really liked it. My technology challenge husband hated it. I ended up having the guy come back and put in a "dumb" one he could adjust manually.

Lisa