Dual Speed? 2.4Ghz or 5Ghz?

[Anonymous User]

My broadband is set at 5Ghz as far as I can see from the info provided by Settings on my PC. I would like to install a video bell for security purposes however the majority of bells work only on 2.4Ghz. The 5Ghz is best for 4K TV so I don't want to change the speed to 2.4Ghz so is there a way of getting it to function for both?

[schnapps]

Hi @Anonymous User 

Follow these instructions.

Got a NOW Broadband Hub Two? Splitting the bands on your Hub to create 2 different Wi-Fi networks can help to improve the speed to your devices. Here’s how to do it:

1. Open your web browser and enter "192.168.0.1” in the address bar.
2. Select Maintenance and enter “admin” and “nowtv” as the username and password.
3. Select Wireless and then 2.4 GHz Wireless Settings. 
4. Scroll down to “Wireless Access Point” and uncheck Synchronise 2.4GHz and 5GHz Settings.
5. In the ‘Name (SSID)’ box, Change the network name to distinguish it from the current network (e.g. add “_2.4G” to the current name). Select Apply.
6. Check the network name has been updated, and then select 5GHz Wireless Settings.
7. To be able to see easily which network is which on your devices, change the ‘Name (SSID)’ here too (e.g. add “_5G” to the current name). Select Apply.
8. That’s it. Select Logout at the top of the screen to exit.

Keep in mindYou need a NOW Broadband Hub Two to split your Wi-Fi bands. You can't do this with the older-style NOW Hub.

[Anonymous User]

Hi 

Many thanks for your prompt response. I have accessed the Maintenance and I see the Wireless Port lists both speeds. Does this mean I am set up?

Regards

Skybluesy 

[schnapps]

Hi @Anonymous User 

If you follow my instructions carefully and renamed both the 2.4ghz and 5ghz wireless tabs and clicked the green Apply button on the bottom of both 2.4ghz and 5 ghz webpage screens.

Then you should be good to go and just need to allocate either the 2.4ghz or 5ghz Networks on your internet devices.

You can check this by going into your internet connected devices and you should see both 2.4 & 5ghz Network Names if your devices can operate on both bands or if it can only run on the 2.4ghz wifi band, then you should only see the NOW 2.4ghz Network name to connect too.

[Anonymous User]

Hi Shnapps

I might add that each speed has its own channel - 11 for 2.4Ghz and 36 for 5Ghz. 

[schnapps · Accepted solution]

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@Anonymous User wrote:

Hi Shnapps

I might add that each speed has its own channel - 11 for 2.4Ghz and 36 for 5Ghz. 

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Sounds like you have done it.

If you wish you can change the wifi channels on both 2.4ghz & 5ghz if you want.

I leave mine on auto which is somwhere around 11 for 2.4ghz and 36 for 5ghz (like what you are seeing).

[Eugenia91]

Good afternoon, hoping you can help me. I am trying to follow the steps, but I cannot sign in at all. Any ideas of what is happening?

[gavs82008]

@Eugenia91 

What are you using for the username and password?

[Eugenia91]

Hey gavs82008,

I am using “admin” and “nowtv” as the username and password. I appreciate your reply.

Regards 

[RoyB]

@Eugenia91 

There’s a deal of misinformation above, so if you are trying to do what @Anonymous User was trying to do, for the reasons they gave, note that:-

the Now router, with the bands unsplit, will accept 5Ghz connections from devices capable of 5Ghz and in range of its 5Ghz signal,

and

2.4Ghz connections from devices capable only of 2.4Ghz or from devices capable of 5Ghz, but out of range of the router’s 5Ghz signal.

(2.4Ghz reaches further than 5Ghz. All 5Ghz devices can fall back to 2.4Ghz if that is necessary for them to find a signal. 2.4Ghz devices can’t use 5Ghz no matter what).

So, in an ideal world, there is nothing you need do on the router to use 5Ghz devices and 2.4Ghz devices at the same time, and let them sort themselves out.

BUT some badly designed 2.4Ghz devices in range of the 5Ghz signal will see that in favour of the 2.4Ghz signal, and fail to connect. In this case only will it be necessary to split the bands, give each a separate SSID, and ensure that the rogue 2.4Ghz device is manually steered to the 2,4Ghz SSID, since the automatic steering has failed.

Other reasons given for splitting the bands, which is automagically supposed to be able to increase both WiFi speed and range, aren’t always appropriate. It can increase speed (for 5Ghz devices in 5Ghz range which have clung to 2.4Ghz) and it can increase range (for 5Ghz devices operating at the edge of 5Ghz range which would fare better on 2.4Ghz), But never both at once (😛), and only ever for 5Ghz devices whose band steering is a bit dodgy.

TLDR: don’t split the bands unless you have a problem with your devices, and make sure that it is a problem that splitting the bands can help with before doing it. Otherwise don’t bother.