DECO Be85 - prefers 2.4 GHz
Hi,
Most devices on my network connect at 2.4 GHz. Yet, when I change from automatic and specify 5 or 6 GHz bands, the app shows my connection is fair to strong.
I live in a 2100 sq ft home. Main deco is in basement and second deco is on the top floor. Wired back haul.
I tried several different Mesh systems lately including the Eero Max 7. My Google pixel pro would connect on the 6 GHz band most of the time with eero. With the Asus ET12, it would connect easily on 5 or 6 GHz bands.
My wife's Dell laptop is the same. We are both on the main floor with a deco below us and one above us and we connect at 2.4 GHz most of the time with auto enabled for band.
I cannot see the point of a Wifi 7 Mesh system if it's going to steer you to the 2.4 GHz band most of the time.
Is this normal or are there any suggestions to make the Mesh more intelligent on auto?
BTW...... Wifianalyzer shows both 5 and 6 GHz bands at - 62 to - 65.
Thank you.
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Hi, welcome to the community.
Is the Google Pixel Pro the only 6GHz device you have?
-When it was manually specified to 6GHz, will it stay on 6GHz mostly or have you noticed any issue on the Google Pixel Pro?
Apart from the Google Pixel Pro and Dell laptop, can I have the model numbers of other 5GHz capable devices that tend to connect 2.4GHz first?
Wait for your reply and best regards.
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I've seen two explanations from TP-Link Support why Deco band steering logic can move device to 2.4 GHz, have found one of them here: https://community.tp-link.com/en/home/forum/topic/241564
Another explanation that I can't find link to is the following: "Idle device will be moved to 2.4GHz because running on this band drains mobile device battery less, when device starts generating traffic it will be moved to faster band."
This were ages ago, so @David-TP if you please check with Engineering if that same logic applies to newer models with WiFi7.
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@David-TP the P8P will connect at 5/6 GHz and stay there. If I go to the garage where it's mostly 2.4 GHz it will stay there and most times I force it to move.
I have a Pixel 7 which is 6E that connects on the 5 GHz band and rarely on 6 GHz.
Other devices I have are iPad Pro, two Macbooks which stay on 5 GHz as they are ose to the 2nd DECO.
Sony TV is busy and I had to prefer 5 GHz it app to keep it there.
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@winsor50 I don't understand what you are saying, specifically how do you configure the BE85 to have 2.4Ghz and 6Ghz available on the same SSID?
I suspect you need to use a supported configuration for band seering to work and even then the clients can be stubborn and often don't respond to hints from the router.
Anyway ...
If you have changed the 6Ghz SSID name to be the same as the 2.4+5Ghz SSID name I suspect that may not work very well, they are distinct SSIDs, one Wifi 6 the other WiFi 6E so maybe the band steering isn't meant to work with this setup.
If you have set the MLO SSID to use the 2.4+5+6Ghz bands and you are using clients that do not support WiFi 7 that may not work very well. In my experience the MLO SSID doesn't not work very well with non-WiFi 7 devices (but does work well enough to make you think it is working ok).
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@raven-au I have the 6 GHz band on a distinct SSID. I'm referring to the main SSID that is 2.4 and 5 and band steering to 5 GHz. MLO with my P8P doesn't do as well as the straight 6 GHz band.
I ordered a 3 pack of Xe75 Pros. What I've determined is that for less than half the price, the XE Pros are way better at everything including band steering and range even on the 6 GHz. WifiAnalyzer also confirms the broadcast is stronger. I'll be keeping the XE75's and returning the BE85's.
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