How to separate 2.4GHz and 5GHz on google nest wifi router

[rameshgeddam]

I have setup google nest wifi with ease, works fine with mobiles, tablets, pcs and laptops. I have a solar inverter which supports only 2.4GHz, all my existing mobiles and laptops default to 5GHz frequency because of mesh setup single SSID. When I try to setup my inverter with app with same network, it clearly complains, "5GHz Wifi Connection is not supported currently". 

I am looking for solution. Please do not suggest creating hotspot or sim network or any other alternative which is not related to wifi frequency. Please suggest a solution for separating 2.4GHz and 5GHz as 2 different networks with 2 different SSIDs.

[Gashead]

No solution here but also an issue with my Garmin Fenix 6X Pro wtach. It won't connect to the wifi because it is not 2.4Ghz and if I set up the connection the battery dies in one day as opposed to expected 2 weeks,

[rameshgeddam]

It should be pretty straight to seperate the SSID, can someone post, productive solution, rather non productive.

[kiltguy2112]

Here is a video to force an android phone to use only 2.4GHz. It does not work with Android 12

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn2LVV99_JYhttps://www.reddit.com/r/orbi/comments/pd2vxg/how_to_disa...

[MichaelP]

Those instructions appear to be for the Netgear Orbi product – Google/Nest WiFi use an app for configuration and management.

[MichaelP]

Hello @rameshgeddam 

Google/Nest WiFi uses a single SSID for both bands (2.4GHz and 5GHz) across all access points. They cannot be separated. However, most 2.4GHz equipment will work fine on this network (I have a bunch of 2.4GHz-only devices on my network, for example). The problem is that some 2.4GHz-only devices were designed with poor assumptions about what modern home networks increasingly look like, and those can be more challenging to get set up first. They assume the setup device (e.g., a phone) is on the same band as the device being set up. When the phone is close to the network, though, it will be on the faster 5GHz band, and can't tell the device which BSSID and channel to connect to for 2.4GHz operation.

One workaround for this is to do the initial setup of the device by first walking far enough away with your phone to get it to drop back from 5GHz to 2.4GHz and initiate the setup from there (you may need a helper to stay near the device being set up if it has buttons that have to be pushed). Once it has been set up, it should continue working just fine after your phone returns to the 5GHz band. Yes, this is a kludge – but the fault lies with the device manufacturer taking shortcuts in the setup process.

[kiltguy2112]

So Google didn't make it's Nest Wifi backwards compatible with older 2.4Ghz devices. Got It!

[MichaelP]

As I said, I have a bunch of 2.4GHz devices on my network. It works just fine. However, those devices were designed by companies that chose to implement the proper scan and selection in the device itself instead of relying on a phone to do it once during setup.

[rameshgeddam]

@MichaelP Naah, it does not work, I moved about 20-25 metres, which is the actual range of nest router (80 feet and the mesh extension added another 50 feet) Wifi loses signal and it wont switch to 2.4. Tried making my phone as hotspot, it wont allow that too, tried an old Android 7 phone (Note5), I didnt knew Note5 uses 5G. 

I raised a complaint with inverter vendor, lets see how this goes. Btw, if you want to see what inverter app am using and how the config of network works on this inverter, here is a quick youtube video....

https://youtu.be/pI0w8Q8iXoU

I am trying to create a new network on router from google home app, Lets see how this goes, I have very less hope.

Overall, google should not make this app so constrained, there should be an easy way from app to configure these type of devices, old devices (old tech) are everywhere isn't it???,  pretty surprised giant like google is making so silly products with lame features. 

[MichaelP]

WiFi client devices decide when to switch between access points – and when to switch between bands (e.g., from 5GHz to 2.4GHz). Some devices do a better job of that than others. It sounds like your device never switched from 5GHz to 2.4GHz when you walked out of 5GHz range. You might try disabling WiFi on that device entirely once you get far enough away, and then re-enable it in hopes it will connect to 2.4GHz so you can complete the setup on your inverter.

I did watch that inverter video, and it looks like Method 2 should work more reliably. It is a bit clunky, but the approach has your phone connect to a temporary WiFi network created by the inverter just long enough for you to configure it with the actual WiFi network name and password. That approach shouldn't require you to walk far away or anything, since your phone will be disconnected from your regular WiFi network temporarily.

[Jeff]

Hey, rameshgeddam.

It looks like you and MichaelP have been going back and forth on this to figure things out. I just wanted to see real fast if you saw MichaelP's last reply and if that cleared things up for you or if you were still looking for more info on this. Just let me know if there's more we can do for you here.

Thanks.

[rameshgeddam · Accepted solution]

@Jeff No I don't think I need any support here for now, Solar vendor came back and provided an alternative solution.. @MichaelP response was quite productive, but didnt work out, thanks to Mike.

Here is the alternative solution provided by vendor, if you are interested to watch... I guess you can close the thread. But, Nest now being google, which is giant in software, they should release better software controls on products they release. Acquiring newer companies is not just enough google!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMPnZw7Ayvk

[Jeff]

Thanks for the added info, rameshgeddam. I'm happy you were able to get this sorted out. As we have our answer here, I'm going to go ahead and close up the thread, but if you need anything else, please feel free to open a new discussion.

Thanks.