Hidden Networks in TP-Link Routers

Re:Hidden Networks in TP-Link Routers by ceejayoz on Tuesday December 21, 2021 @04:54PM (#29642589)

I had a similar experience with my Netgear Orbi; they have a dual 2.4/5 GHz network on the same SSID, but certain devices just cannot handle it (including apparently Facebook's Oculus and quite a few smart home devices).

Turns out you can split them up into separate SSIDs, but only by telnetting into your base station and each satellite and running some cryptic commands on each. It used to be possible via the web UI, but they just... dropped it.

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Re:Hidden Networks in TP-Link Routers by reaperducer on Tuesday December 21, 2021 @06:58PM (#29643660)

they have a dual 2.4/5 GHz network on the same SSID, but certain devices just cannot handle it

My Canon wireless printer is one of those devices that can't handle it. If they both have different SSIDs, then it will connect fine. But if there are two with the same SSID, during setup if fails to ask the user for a password and therefore cannot connect.

Meanwhile, Amazon's eero has removed the option to have different SSIDs for each network. The two mistakes combined (Canon's and eero's) mean it's not possible to use the Canon on an eero network. Unless...

What I ended up doing was unplugging the eero, and setting up an Airport Express I used to use for traveling with the SSID I want for the eero. Hook the Canon up through the Airport. Unplug the Airport and turn the eero back on and it connects. A stupid workaround.

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Re:Hidden Networks in TP-Link Routers by brewdad on Tuesday December 21, 2021 @07:10PM (#29643769)

I ended up naming my SSIDs SSIDNAME and SSIDNAME2.4 for just this reason. I had all kinds of problems getting my 2.4GHz devices onto my network when they shared the same name. PCs and tablets did fine but anything more obscure (smart switches for instance) was a mess.

I did not know that about the eero devices. Really glad I didn't "upgrade" to the newest Ring base station with eero built-in.

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Re:Hidden Networks in TP-Link Routers by easton on Tuesday December 21, 2021 @06:24PM (#29643365)

Our network at home has both 2.4 and 5 on the same SSID, with no issues (and I have an oculus). Is this just a Netgear thing?

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Re:Hidden Networks in TP-Link Routers by ceejayoz on Tuesday December 21, 2021 @09:26PM (#29644874)

No clue. Very possible it's specific to the Orbi, or possibly the spots in our house the Oculus and LG washer/dryer are located - perhaps the signal strength is just iffy enough they hop between the two frequencies sometimes. A full restart of the devices helps, but usually only for 15-30 mins.

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Re:Hidden Networks in TP-Link Routers by icebergonfire on Wednesday December 22, 2021 @02:33AM (#29646465)

> A full restart of the devices helps, but usually only for 15-30 mins.

This rings a bell. Do you have an Orbi mesh by any chance? I used to experience this with specific cheap IoT devices that were constantly hopping to different Orbi satellites.

There is an option somewhere in the UI to bind a device to one specific access point, and you can tag a device as IoT or smart speakers which (based on feeling) seems to change the steering heuristics to something that stops this from happening.

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Re:Hidden Networks in TP-Link Routers by ceejayoz on Wednesday December 22, 2021 @08:50AM (#29649247)

Yeah, we use the Orbi mesh network, but they don't mind hopping between satellites if 2.4 and 5 are split. Given the way my kids move the Oculus around a lot between rooms, being able to hop is important.

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Re:Hidden Networks in TP-Link Routers by datameta on Tuesday December 21, 2021 @10:12PM (#29645194)

Yep, smart bulbs from most manufacturers need 2.4GHz. Had to go back to owning my own router (thankfully) after a brief stint with the standard Spectrum one.

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