Dual Band Network: 2.4Ghz vs 5.0Ghz

 

Why do smart home devices work on 2.4Ghz networks? 

Smart devices are set to work on the 2.4 GHz frequency and will not connect and work on 5GHz. Even though 2.4 GHz carries less information at lower speeds, it has a better range than the 5 GHz frequency band. This is why it is a more reliable bandwidth for smart home devices. 

The problem, however, is that many of the newer models of routers come with simultaneous 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz bands, called a Dual Band Router, and the 5GHz is quicker and tries to connect to the devices, thereby preventing them from connecting.

In order to enable linking, a separate 2.4 GHz band is required, or the 5 GHz band needs to be temporarily turned off while linking. During the linking process, both your mobile device and your smart device need to connect to the same 2.4 GHz signal.

But, don't worry you do not need to disable the 5GHz band that is already set up on your home devices. Instead you can separate the two bands by logging on to your router and, through the settings, changing the name (SSID) of each band. i.e., my network 2.4 and my network 5.

How to split your WiFi into dual band mode

Easy: Check your Router for a switch

First, take a look at your router and see if it has a switch or button that allows you to split 2.4GHz and 5GHz (or turn off WLAN Band Steering). If you're unsure, search your router model on the internet to see if there is an instruction manual or a YouTube video walkthrough.

Advanced: Log in to your router and change the settings

If you want to go old school, open a web browser window and type your router's IP address in the search bar. You can find this out using your computer's command line (Windows) or by accessing Network settings (Mac). Alternatively, if you want to keep it simple you can just check the sticker on the back of your router. 

Once you have the correct address and type in the IP address into your internet browser, you will see your router login screen. The router username and password is often written on the router itself, but if you're unsure, you can google the default username and password for your router model number.

Now that you're logged in, you should be able to see a variety of settings for your router. The interface varies by provider, but you should be able to find splitting options within your Local Network. Navigate to WLAN settings and disable WLAN Band Steering if it is turned on. This should split your network into 2.4GHz and 5GHz options, instead of the router automatically choosing for you. Now that the bands are separated, you may need to set up individual passwords for each.

The WiFi router is split. What next? 

Once the WiFi networks are split into a 2.4Ghz and 5.0Ghz networks, navigate to the BOLDR Home App > open settings > select Wifi Settings > Change the SSID to the 2.4Ghz networks & enter the correct Wifi password. 

You are now ready to proceed to pair the BOLDR Temperature Sensor to your app!