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papanoob's avatar
papanoob
Tuning in
2 years ago

Hub 3 with pods only accepts connections to 2.4 GHz

I have a Hub 3 and a set of pods, all VM standard config - 2.4 and 5 GHz on same SSID etc. I noticed that our Fire TV was often buffering even though it's right next to the hub, and video calls on laptops often drop connection even though signal strength is good.

I checked "connected devices" and saw that every device in the house was connected to 2.4 GHz despite 5 GHz being enabled. By way of testing, I set up a separate SSID for 5 GHz, disabled wireless optimisation and set it to channel 36. Devices can connect to that, which is great - but only when in range as it stops the pods working. So it's great for the Fire TV but not for laptops scattered around the house.

I just want every device to be able to connect to 5 GHz - what do I have to do? Thanks in advance!

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  • papanoob's avatar
    papanoob
    Tuning in
    2 years ago

    Update: I found that if I go back to both frequencies using the same SSID, but keeping wireless optimisation off and manually setting channels to ones that seem less congested seems to work a bit. Some devices that are in range connect to 5 GHz and the others connect to 2.4 GHz - not ideal but better than nothing. However it seems that this setting reverts to the default after a while. Wireless optimisation gets turned back on and most devices go back to 2.4. I read somewhere that VM enforces that via a policy.

    So what can I do to get at least some 5 GHz connections that won't revert to 2.4?

    • legacy1's avatar
      legacy1
      Alessandro Volta
      2 years ago
      papanoob wrote:

      So what can I do to get at least some 5 GHz connections that won't revert to 2.4?

      nothing with VM kit

      • papanoob's avatar
        papanoob
        Tuning in
        2 years ago

        Thanks - so are you saying if I use the VM box in modem mode and get my own router (and probably extenders) I can get this working?

  • Adduxi's avatar
    Adduxi
    Very Insightful Person
    2 years ago

    Can you disable the 2.4Ghz band on your laptop WiFi Nic?

    • papanoob's avatar
      papanoob
      Tuning in
      2 years ago

      Thanks for the suggestion - but the hub seems to always revert to default settings which stop the pods sharing 5 GHz beyond the basic range, so the NIC wouldn't have anything to connect to.

  • Client62's avatar
    Client62
    Alessandro Volta
    2 years ago

    The VM Connect app is capable of re-enabling Wireless Channel Optimisation.

  • Client62's avatar
    Client62
    Alessandro Volta
    2 years ago

    The Hub 3 and VM Pods should work on both 2.4GHz & 5GHz 

    The Hub 3 criterial are :

    1. The Hub is in 'Router Mode'
    2. Wireless Channel Optimisation is Enabled
    3. The 2.4 & 5 GHz bands have the same SSID
    4. SSID broadcast is Enabled on both bands
    5. Both SSID are protected with the same password.
    6: Security mode is the same :    WPA2-PSK      ( Avoid any mode with older WPA-PSK )
     

    • papanoob's avatar
      papanoob
      Tuning in
      2 years ago

      Thanks - but as I said, that's the setup I have. I can see (from tools like MacOS Wireless Utilities) that there are channels open on both frequences, but most devices always seem to connect to 2.4. Right now out of 11 devices in the home, 10 are on 2.4 and the one that's on 5 isn't even the one closest to the router so I don't know why that is.

      • Adduxi's avatar
        Adduxi
        Very Insightful Person
        2 years ago

        This is why I prefer my own Wifi kit.  I can allow/deny access to any of my AP's with the controller software.  It may have an initial cost, but its offset by no stress, and knowing I can change ISP without affecting my existing Wifi setup.

  • Client62's avatar
    Client62
    Alessandro Volta
    2 years ago

    In the Hub 3 menu at :

    Advanced Settings >>> Wireless >>> Security  >> Attached devices

    There is an option to add a Wi-Fi device by MAC address and to specify if it is
    permitted Wi-Fi access via just the 2.4GHz band or via just the 5GHz band or via both bands.

    Note :

    MAC / Hardware address randomisation is supported in iOS / Android / Windows 10 & 11.

    Before trying this look closely at your device and make 100% sure that it has MAC Address Randomisation or Hardware Address Randomisation DISABLED ... if the device can change its MAC address this function has zero chance of working.

    • papanoob's avatar
      papanoob
      Tuning in
      2 years ago

      Thanks, would you believe I've tried that and it doesn't do anything. I specify a MAC address (out of the list of connected devices so I know it's the correct one), select 5 GHz only, it appears in the filter list... then I disconnect and reconnect the device, and it still connects to 2.4 GHz.

      • Adduxi's avatar
        Adduxi
        Very Insightful Person
        2 years ago

        Must be the Intelligent Wifi not working as expected?  I'm guessing the MAC filter only works for the Hub aerials but maybe does not propagate to the Pods.  Who knows .....

  • Client62's avatar
    Client62
    Alessandro Volta
    2 years ago

    This section does not say Permit or Block access to  2.4 / 5 / both.

    Try reversing the condition.  Remove the 5GHz entry and add a 2.4GHz record.

    • papanoob's avatar
      papanoob
      Tuning in
      2 years ago

      Tried that too. It makes no difference either way.

      Thank you to all for the suggestions, at this point I guess I need to accept this is how the VM kit works and weigh up whether to get my own or just live with it.