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New Spectrum Smart Router Causing Printer Problems

MauiBill
MauiBill Posts: 3 Spectator
edited September 2023 in Spectrum Archives: 2020 - Present

I recently installed the new 2-piece internet devices that Spectrum was providing to "upgrade" my speed - a new modem and new router. After the installation, my Epson ET 3760 will not connect to the network. After spending almost two full days trying to sort this issue out I called Spectrum twice only to find out that the newer dual frequency routers are trying to push the 5G so hard that my printer will no longer function as it requires the 2.4 connection and can't get past the 5G. There is not any method to modify any router configurations. In essence, the router has "bricked" my printer as it can no longer connect to the internet. After going through a bunch of diagnostics over the phone, the second customer service rep told me that this was a common issue with the new routers and my only solution was to go purchase my own router or get a new printer. To me, this is not a reasonable solution to a known problem Spectrum has caused with no apparent remedy. Any potential solutions? Other devices (phones, tablets, Apple and Windows Computers) are connecting fine.

Best Answer

  • HT_Greenfield
    HT_Greenfield Posts: 926 Contributor
    Answer ✓

    Connect the old hulk to the router via Ethernet and then run the network setup routine and see if you can't get it connected to the Wi-Fi WLAN once it's connected to the Ethernet LAN.

Answers

  • MauiBill
    MauiBill Posts: 3 Spectator

    Thanks but not feasible. Was informed that if I did explore an option like this, I would need to reconfigure every time the power went out. And I live in the land of power outages.

  • HT_Greenfield
    HT_Greenfield Posts: 926 Contributor
    edited April 2023

    Ethernet it and forget it. It doesn’t need to be connected to the router via Wi-Fi to communicate with the devices that are. Or use it’s own Wi-Fi Direct independent ad hoc Wi-Fi network access point by which it can communicate directly with up to four devices. Either way, consult the user manual. Power surges and interruptions shouldn’t affect the TCP/IP stack any differently from one networking technique to another and hopefully not at all if you’re using a good battery backup with surge protection.

  • RAIST5150
    RAIST5150 Posts: 918 Contributor
    edited April 2023

    I find it odd that the new router is not at least dual band capable... so many IoT devices still out there that use the 2.4 band.

    Perhaps it needs a legacy option toggled or something?

    In the past it was easily resolved by naming the 2.4 and 5g bands differently (ie: Home and Home5g) so you could manually assign which one you used, be that selecting it from detected networks or manually entering the SSID.


    May also want to look at how it is managing the encryption... the router might be set to use the newer WPA3, but the printer may only support WPA2... or worse, old school WPA.

    EDIT:

    Found an online guide for it... as I expected, only up through WPA2. Very much falls in the category of a "legacy" network device by today's standards:


    Screenshot_20230331-235245_Samsung Internet.jpg


  • MauiBill
    MauiBill Posts: 3 Spectator

    I cannot connect directly to ethernet as we have three computers, in different rooms and this is not a viable option. Also, the new Spectrum router does not have the ability to see any of the configurations - no 192.168.0.1 type of access. Everything is through the Spectrum app on a smartphone with virtually no ability to configure anything. The 2.4 and the 5G bands cannot be renamed and I cannot select which one I want to connect to. They don't even show up as separate choices when looking for WiFi connections. I was informed that the router is deemed a WiFi 6 Smart Router. So far, several of my neighbors (I live in a large condo complex) are having the same issue. Thanks to those who are trying to help.

  • HT_Greenfield
    HT_Greenfield Posts: 926 Contributor

    Get yourself a garden-variety Ethernet switch and then Ethernet it and forget it or else use Wi-Fi Direct.

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