Virgin Media Community

[emfa3000]

Hello,

I have a hub 3.0 with dual band. Is there some way I can force my device (preferably from the device) to use a certain band?

The hub is used by a few people, some of whom have devices which only operate on the 2.4GHz frequency, so we don’t want to disable this band. However, my devices (which operate on both frequencies) are always connected to 2.4GHz when that band is not disabled and the WiFi on this band is painfully slow. The only way I can seem to get around this is by disabling the 2.4 band - the 5ghz works fine, but I can only use it when I disable the other band. Can I select which band I want to use somehow, without having to disable any?

[Tudor · Accepted solution]

You need to go into your hub’s settings and give each band a different name, line xxx-2 and xxx-3. You can the select which band to use. The Hub3 as shipped by VM has only one combined SSID name. 

[emfa3000]

Thank you, how can I do that?

[DJ_Shadow1966]

Hello

There are tools available for Android that allow you to this one I use is call "Wifi Tool", or the easiest way around this is to rename the 5Ghz to something that is not the same as the 2.4Ghz one. Check for iOS device and you cannot select which band if they are named the same.

Mike

[DJ_Shadow1966 · Accepted solution]

Hello

Open a Web browser (e.g. Internet Explorer) and enter the address http://192.168.0.1 and login using the details on the card of the hub.

To change them independently go to Advanced Settings > Wireless > Security.

Mike

[griffin]

Which band a device connects to is purely a device decision, however the Hub's Smart Wifi can use band steering to push dual band devices onto the 5GHz network.

If the device's roaming aggressiveness is set too high this can cause problems if the device is trying to connect to the 2.4GHz band and the Hub is ignoring the probes.

Personally, I would separate the bands in the Hub's Advanced Settings > Wireless > Security and disable the Hub's Smart Wifi in the Wireless section.

I would also disable connect automatically on the 2.4GHz band once the bands have been separated (or just don't connect to the 2.4GHz band, but there may be times you will need to) and set the 5Ghz network to connect automatically.