Impossible to connect 2.4ghz devices?

[SecretSushi]

I bought the Google Wifi 3 pack, and am hitting a wall as it seems any device I have in my house that uses 2.4 (and can only use 2.4) won't work with the Google Wifi devices.

Is there no work around for this?

[olavrb]

What devices specifically are you struggling with?

2.4ghz devices should be able to connect to Nest Wifi, no problem.

• https://support.google.com/googlenest/answer/6293481?hl=en

It could be that some devices does not support whitespaces or special characters in network name (SSID) and/or password, so numbers and letters only is a good idea.

I have some 2.4ghz only devices too, like Mill ovens, Roborock vacuum, Netatmo Home Coach sensor. They connected and stayed connected with no problems.

Some IoT manufacturers have devices that requires the phone used for setting them up with their app to be connected to 2.4ghz during setup, those will struggle with Nest Wifi. But workarounds exists, like:

• Use an old iOS, iPadOS or Android device that only supports 2.4ghz to set up the IoT device.
• Buy a cheap access point or repurpose a wireless router or range extender to broadcast a 2.4ghz only SSID with a different name than your Nest Wifi network name. Connect it by ethernet cable to the primary/ main/ master Nest Wifi puck preferably. Add more ethernet ports by using an unmanaged switch if need be ( https://support.google.com/googlenest/answer/6274262?hl=en ). Make sure this additional Wi-Fi broadcastong device works as an access point only, else you might not be able to connect to the device in question from a device connected yo your Nest Wifi network.
• Walk far enough from the Nest Wifi puck(s) to make sure your phone/ whatever device used for setting up the device in question connects to the 2.4ghz network, then start setting up the device.
• Turn off your Nest Wifi network by removing the power. Feed your laptop (Windows or Mac) an internet connection, either by ethernet cable from your modem, or by mobile network tethering + USB. Then use your laptop to host a 2.4ghz only Wi-Fi with the same network name (SSID) and password as your Nest Wifi network. Get your IoT devices connected to it. Remove the Wi-Fi hosted by your laptop, plug in Nest Wifi, and the IoT devices should jump to the Wi-Fi provided by Nest Wifi.

[SecretSushi]

Thanks @olavrb !

I'm trying to connect the Govee and Arlo apps, which both state they can only connect to 2.4ghz. When I looked through a few posts here in this community, it appeared that 2.4ghz was a known issue (I wasn't aware of it!) with the Google Wifi. 

Govee requires all devices that it needs to work (Pixel 6, Widows Laptop, Govee Hardware) to be on the same 2.4ghz network. I can't seem to find a way to do this. I can force my laptop to prioritize 2.4ghz, but I can't see a way for my phone to prioritize 2.4ghz. Even if it does, I'm unsure if this would work to trick the devices/apps attempting to connect to prioritize 2.4ghz.

Thank you for offering all these workarounds, I'm someone who isn't savvy in this space! I won't be able to set up the system by using distance, and if I'm going to buy a new access point or extender, I might as well just replace the Google Wifi.  

[AbigailF]

Hi folks,

Thanks for lending a hand, @olavrb.

@SecretSushi, The Google Wifi point(s) uses the same name for both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz band networks. This means that the Wi-Fi network uses both radio bands. But keep in mind: while both bands can be used, the personal devices (a smartphone, tablet, laptop, etc.) will connect to only one radio band at any given time. Nest Wifi, Google Wifi, or OnHub attempts to select the band that will deliver the best performance for your device. Currently there is no option to manually disable either of the bands or to connect to them separately.

Give these steps a whirl:

Create a hotspot with a mobile phone. However, 2 mobile phones are required:

Use the first device to create a hotspot (mobile phone).
How to set up a mobile hotspot:
Android
Go to Settings.
Tap the Network & internet option.
Select Hotspot & tethering.
Tap on Wi-Fi hotspot.
Set up the hotspot name and password the same as the primary network.
Choose the AP Band > 2.4 GHz band > Apply.

iOS:
Go to Settings.
Tap on Cellular. Tap the slider to turn Cellular Data on.
Under Cellular, tap the slider to turn Personal Hotspot on.
Tap the slider next to Allow Others to Join.
Set up the hotspot name password the same as the primary network.
To change the hotspot password, under Personal Hotspot Wi-Fi Password.
To change the hotspot name, go to Settings > General > About > Name.

Use the second device to connect to the mobile hotspot.
Disconnect all of the Google Wifi or Nest Wifi points from the power outlet.
Connect the device to the 2.4 GHz band of the hotspot with the same SSID and password of the current network (case sensitive).
Once connected to the hotspot, plug in your primary Google Wifi point or the Nest Wifi router.
Turn off the hotspot and check if the device automatically connects to the Google Wifi network.

Let us know how it goes.

Best,
Abi

[AbigailF]

Hey SecretSushi,

Chiming in to see if you still need assistance with this. Hope the previous post helped. Let us know if you have additional questions ― we'd love to help.

Regards,
Abi

[SecretSushi]

Thanks @AbigailF for the help!

I tried the method you shared (and another I found online) to try to force my laptop, phone, and Govee to choose 2.4ghz only from the Google WiFi. Although it appeared all these options were checked off, when I'd check from my phone, it's still say that Google WiFi was a 5 ghz device. Unsure if my Pixel 6 just didn't like moving to 2.4, or if it's simply showing that the Google WiFi device is capable of 5.0. 

Either or, it didn't work. 😞 I wound up simply buying a WiFi extender that runs in both 2.4 and 5.0. My laptop, phone, and Govee saw the 2.4 and connected to it - and that got it them all connected and running.

Unfortunately that means I could never get my Google WiFi to work for this, and my laptop is now on a bit of a slower band WiFi through a range extender that isn't offering up the DL speed of the Google WiFi, but hey, at least it works with all my devices!

Thanks again @AbigailF for checking in on this. Although I know it's incredibly doubtful, I do hope that Google ensure more 2.4ghz devices work with it's product. 

[AbigailF]

Hi SecretSushi,

Thanks for the update. As we got our resolution here, I'm going to mark this thread as resolved. I'll be locking this thread if we won't hear back from you in 24 hrs. Should that happen, feel free to create a new one if you have more questions or have other concerns in the future.

Cheers,
Abi