Split 2.4 Ghz and 5 Ghz bands on the Bell Home Hub 3000/4000/Giga Hub

[Brockvegas1964]

How do I split the wifi 5g and 2.4g on home hub 4000 so I can connect my Globe plugs which are 2.4 g only. Need my iphone only to be on 2.4 g network to do this and it automatically on the 5 g network.

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❗AI Summary:

"Band steering" technology broadcasts a single Wi-Fi network name (SSID) for both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency bands, intending to automatically guide devices to the optimal band for better performance. However, this creates significant problems for devices that can only operate on the 2.4 GHz frequency.

The primary issue reported by users is the difficulty in connecting smart home devices—such as plugs, switches, and cameras—that are exclusively compatible with the 2.4 GHz band. During setup, these smart devices require a connection from a smartphone or computer that is on the same 2.4 GHz network. With band steering enabled, phones and computers often automatically connect to the 5 GHz band, preventing them from communicating with and configuring the new smart devices which are on the 2.4 Ghz band. Users have also reported unstable connections and frequent disconnections for some devices when band steering is active.

Solutions and advice shared by users in the forum thread include:

To address these challenges, forum members have shared several workarounds, primarily centered on disabling the band steering feature to separate the two Wi-Fi bands.

Permanent Separation of Wi-Fi Bands: The most common solution is to create two distinct SSIDs for the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. This is typically achieved by:

1. Logging into the Bell modem's administration page using a web browser (commonly at http://192.168.2.1).
2. Navigating to the "Manage My Wi-Fi" section.
3. Disabling the feature labeled "Whole Home Wi-Fi."
4. Access "Advanced settings" and uncheck the option to "Keep a common network name."
5. Assigning different names to the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks (e.g., "MyNetwork-2.4" and "MyNetwork-5G").

This allows users to manually connect their setup devices (like phones) and smart products directly to the 2.4 GHz network.

Temporary Disabling for Device Setup: A less disruptive method involves temporarily disabling the optimization feature to connect a specific device.

1. Log in to the modem and turn off "Whole Home Wi-Fi."
2. Temporarily rename the 5 GHz network to force the device to connect to the 2.4 GHz band for setup.
3. Once the 2.4 GHz device is successfully configured, log back into the modem and re-enable "Whole Home Wi-Fi" to restore the single SSID.

Note: Permanently disabling the "Whole Home Wi-Fi" will prevent functionality and access to the Bell Wi-Fi app and Bell Wi-Fi pods, which rely on the integrated network management system. Some users ultimately revert to the default settings and opt for a more manual pairing process for their smart devices to retain these features. For persistent issues, some have resorted to using a separate, third-party router or access point dedicated to their 2.4 GHz devices.

[Tpn]

Thanks.  But I'm getting a pairing failure everytime?

[Vanadiel]

How are you pairing it?

[Tpn]

It's a robot vacuum and has an app. I tried with my smart bulbs as well (also has an app). 

[S1987]

I'm sorry, but there's no way that's normal behaviour. It serves no purpose if that happens. Just to reiterate, I turned off the Whole Home setting and hit save. Then the system locked up and was unresponsive but seemed to be rebooting. When it finally came back online, the Whole Home setting was reset back to "on." It didn't give me any opportunity to do anything, so what is the point of it?

[dks]

Turing off Whole Home Internet is not advised, for many reasons. It serves a purpose. Doing so causes certain actions, which you have outlined. 

[dks]

I have discovered my new Samsung stove won’t pair, either.

[pinetree]

since a week internet keeps lagging

after a modem reboot , lost the split wifi 2.4g and 5g.

Been online with tech support as some of my devices only connect to 2.4g, so unable to use at the moment

modem wont respond when reset, been through the instruction page to no avail

[Vanadiel]

Try accessing the modem from a wired connection: Access Home hub Settings 

If you have a home hub 4000: these are the reset instructions: Reset Home Hub 4000 

[BellNick]

Hi there @pinetree 
Thank you for your post and welcome to the Community.
We wanted to check in to see if you are still experiencing issues splitting your connection?
If so, when logging into your modem GUI, what happens when you toggle the Whole Home Wi-Fi from "ON" to "OFF"?
Looking forward to hearing back.
 

[Brickholes]

Just upgraded router but now my security camera that runs on 2.4 ghz won’t connect

[dks]

Thank you for your question. Is the router your own device or are you referring to your modem? If so, what modem do you have? Have you also checked your camera manufacturer's web site for any support notes? 

[Brickholes]

Sorry. The new gigabit modem installed by a Bell technician earlier today

[dks]

Thank you. Have you gone into the modem interface to see if the camera is detected? Is the camera connected by ethernet cable or wireless? Have you run the Wi-Fi tool? 

https://support.bell.ca/internet/connection-help/optimize_device_speeds 

[Brickholes]

I do t know how to go into the Modem interface unfortunately. The camera connects through wifi to my cell phone. It will only connect to a 2.4 signal

[Vanadiel]

If it's a new router, you will need to reconnect the camera to the Wireless SSID, even if it's the same SSID and password you choose for your new router.

You should be able to do that with the WiFi app for the camera, but the phone has to be on the same WiFi network you are connecting the camera on.