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<blockquote data-quote="MacInWin" data-source="post: 1926903" data-attributes="member: 396914"><p>OK, a short tutorial on Local Area Networking (LAN). You have a router that provides radio connections for devices using two band, one is 2.4gHz, the other is 5gHz. The 5 is slightly faster, but has shorter range and is more susceptible to attenuation as it passes through walls, furniture, people, etc. The 2.4 is longer ranged, slightly slower but doesn't attenuate as badly. </p><p></p><p>The way the router works is that you have a network name, and the router broadcasts that name. On your various devices, your WiFi receiver receives the signal and then displays for you the name. You select the named network you want, provide the password for the network and the device is connected and provided what is known as an IP number. That IP number is the address of that one device. While connected to that network, your device can see, and be seen by, any and all other devices in that same network. It's how the devices communicate, through those addresses. Each device has a unique address that the router tracks. </p><p></p><p>Now, if the router is instructed to create a network on both radio bands and given the name "non-Guest" for the network, then any device that connects to "non-Guest" will see and be able to communicate with every other device in "non-Guest," regardless of what radio frequency the devices use. So, an iPad connected to 5gHz part of "non-Guest" should be able to connect to a printer attached to "non-Guest" on the 2.4gHz band because the router connects them using the assigned IP addresses. Not only that, but your iPhone and iPad are smart enough to switch from the 5gHz band to the 2.4gHz band whenever the signal is better quality, and vice-versa. That, in effect, extends the range of your connection because the 2.4 has better range. And you don't have to do anything to make that work. It just happens. </p><p></p><p>However, if you have separated the radio bands with different names, say "non-Guest 2.4" and "non-Guest 5," then those are two DIFFERENT networks, and the devices on 2.4 won't see, or be able to communicate with, those devices on 5. That is why your printer won't connect. You are on 5, the printer can <strong><em>only</em></strong> connect to 2.4, and you have them as separate networks. It's never going to connect as long as the two are in different nets. </p><p></p><p>So, as I suggested, change the router settings to have 'non-Guest" use both 2.4 and 5 gHz radio frequencies and all the devices connected to "non-Guest" will be able to communicate. </p><p></p><p>Note that this approach does NOT change what you have for the IoT network(s). However, right now ALL IoT devices use only the 2.4gHz band, AFAIK, so you could merge the "guest" bands into one network as well. No need to separate radio frequencies at all. If and when a 5gHz IoT device is sold, it will then connect to "guest" and see, and be seen by, all the other IoT devices.</p><p></p><p>One more reason to connect IoT to your general LAN and just have ONE in your home. HomeKit communicates through WiFi hubs (AppleTV, Apple HomePods, etc). But if the hub is NOT in the same network as the device and the iPhone with the Homekit app, then you cannot control the house automation from the iPhone unless you log out of your "non-Guest" network and log into the "guest" network. PITA to do that each time you want to unlock the front door, or change the temperature, or turn on a light. Having the IoT devices in the same network with your hub and controlling iPhone, iPad, Mac, will make home automation a LOT more useful. If you don't use Homekit, you still have the same issue with the other HA setups because right now they all use 2.4gHz for communications.</p><p></p><p>Hope that helps some. Simplify your LAN and the printer will work.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="MacInWin, post: 1926903, member: 396914"] OK, a short tutorial on Local Area Networking (LAN). You have a router that provides radio connections for devices using two band, one is 2.4gHz, the other is 5gHz. The 5 is slightly faster, but has shorter range and is more susceptible to attenuation as it passes through walls, furniture, people, etc. The 2.4 is longer ranged, slightly slower but doesn't attenuate as badly. The way the router works is that you have a network name, and the router broadcasts that name. On your various devices, your WiFi receiver receives the signal and then displays for you the name. You select the named network you want, provide the password for the network and the device is connected and provided what is known as an IP number. That IP number is the address of that one device. While connected to that network, your device can see, and be seen by, any and all other devices in that same network. It's how the devices communicate, through those addresses. Each device has a unique address that the router tracks. Now, if the router is instructed to create a network on both radio bands and given the name "non-Guest" for the network, then any device that connects to "non-Guest" will see and be able to communicate with every other device in "non-Guest," regardless of what radio frequency the devices use. So, an iPad connected to 5gHz part of "non-Guest" should be able to connect to a printer attached to "non-Guest" on the 2.4gHz band because the router connects them using the assigned IP addresses. Not only that, but your iPhone and iPad are smart enough to switch from the 5gHz band to the 2.4gHz band whenever the signal is better quality, and vice-versa. That, in effect, extends the range of your connection because the 2.4 has better range. And you don't have to do anything to make that work. It just happens. However, if you have separated the radio bands with different names, say "non-Guest 2.4" and "non-Guest 5," then those are two DIFFERENT networks, and the devices on 2.4 won't see, or be able to communicate with, those devices on 5. That is why your printer won't connect. You are on 5, the printer can [B][I]only[/I][/B] connect to 2.4, and you have them as separate networks. It's never going to connect as long as the two are in different nets. So, as I suggested, change the router settings to have 'non-Guest" use both 2.4 and 5 gHz radio frequencies and all the devices connected to "non-Guest" will be able to communicate. Note that this approach does NOT change what you have for the IoT network(s). However, right now ALL IoT devices use only the 2.4gHz band, AFAIK, so you could merge the "guest" bands into one network as well. No need to separate radio frequencies at all. If and when a 5gHz IoT device is sold, it will then connect to "guest" and see, and be seen by, all the other IoT devices. One more reason to connect IoT to your general LAN and just have ONE in your home. HomeKit communicates through WiFi hubs (AppleTV, Apple HomePods, etc). But if the hub is NOT in the same network as the device and the iPhone with the Homekit app, then you cannot control the house automation from the iPhone unless you log out of your "non-Guest" network and log into the "guest" network. PITA to do that each time you want to unlock the front door, or change the temperature, or turn on a light. Having the IoT devices in the same network with your hub and controlling iPhone, iPad, Mac, will make home automation a LOT more useful. If you don't use Homekit, you still have the same issue with the other HA setups because right now they all use 2.4gHz for communications. Hope that helps some. Simplify your LAN and the printer will work. [/QUOTE]
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