How do I switch my airport extreme to use WIFI 2.4GHz?

Every Airport Extreme after Gen1 produces wifi on both 2.4ghz and 5ghz simultaneously.

So you don't need to switch your airport to 2.4ghz at all.. what you need to do is give it sensible names..

So open airport utility .. click the icon of the airport.. click on wireless tab.

Change to short name.. no spaces and pure alphanumeric.

Click on the wireless options. It can help to give 5ghz a different name.. I suggest making this clear in the name itself..

It can also help to set a channel for 2.4ghz.. e.g. 9 as you see above but Auto should also work.

Post back if you have issues.. with details like model of Airport Extreme and how old it is.

By default.....assuming that you have an AirPort router that has been manufactured in the last 7-8 years, the router is broadcast both a 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz signal that uses the same wireless network name for both bands. Most modern WiFi devices will have no trouble connecting to this type of dual band network. But.....there are sometimes situations where older technology devices have difficulty connecting to this type of simultaneous dual band wireless network signal.

You do have the option to assign a different name to the 5 GHz network, which in effect will give you different network names for the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz signals from the AirPort router.

"Aim" your camera at the 2.4 GHz network name and it should connect.....unless....you have a device that is using really old non-standard wireless technology. (Some "new" cameras are very guilty of this).

Unfortunately, some 2.4 GHz only devices......again, usually devices that are using older technology....... may be very sensitive about the actual network name to which they connect. For example, they may not connect to a network name that is too long......more than 20-24 characters......or network that uses a special character in the name like an apostrophe, dollar sign, asterisk, etc.......or some wireless devices will not connect to a network that has blank spaces in the name of the network.

Devices using older technology will likely not connect to a network with a name like........

Wedler's Apple Wireless Network

Why? Almost 30 characters.....too long.....a special character.....the apostrophe.....and blank spaces in the name.

But unfortunately, there is no magic formula that will solve all situations since different manufacturers are using different wireless technologies......some new, and some frankly ancient.

Tell us what model of AirPort Extreme that you have and we'll tell you what you can and cannot do with the device. We'll assume that you will be using a Mac to make any changes to the product.

From what I understand is that my Extreme (a dual 2.4 and 5 GHz) picks 5 GHz

and thus my OUCAM can’t work

No, what LaPastenague and I are trying to explain is that your AirPort Extreme is broadcasting both a 2.4 GHz and a 5 GHz signal at the same time that uses the same wireless network name for the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz signal.

I have explained that devices that are using older 2.4 GHz technology may have trouble trying to connect to this type of network.......even though they may be "new" products.

WiFi devices will usually connect at 2.4 GHz.....or.....5 GHz based on their capabilities. No further adjustments are needed.

Note.....I am using security cameras by Netgear Orbi. They have no trouble connecting to my simultaneous dual band network which uses the same name for both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz signals.....even though the manufacturer says that the cameras must connect to a 2.4 GHz network.

Note also.....the name of my wireless network is TWNDB . Short, no spaces, no special characters.

So, enable the option to assign a different name to the 5 GHz network as LaPastenague has illustrated. Then, your 2.4 GHz network will use your "original" wireless network name and the 5 GHz network will have "5 GHz" added to the name.

Aim the camera at the 2.4 GHz network to see if it will connect that way. It may....or it may not. But, that would be the first thing to try. More work will be needed if it still doesn't connect, indicating that your cameras are using old WiFi technology that can be very picky about connecting to a network.

Thank you Bob Simmons!

Not a big deal, but I think you hit the wrong "S" key on your computer, rather than the correct "T" key when you were typing my name.

Did you do the things that LaPastenague and I have suggested? Assign a different name to the 5 GHz network, then try to connect the camera to your 2.4 GHz network.

This has been mentioned 3 times so far.

How do I "Aim the camera at the 2.4 GHz network"?

From the camera, or the camera set up controls, you select the name of the 2.4 GHz network and enter the password to connect........just like if you had a new iPhone........you would select the name of the network that you wanted it to join and then enter the password to establish the connection.

Wondering what will happen to all my devices that use my WIFI after

this name change?

They will all connect to the 2.4 GHz network. If you want any of them to connect to the 5 GHz network, you will have to set up the device again to connect to the network with the "5 GHz" in the name.

As you can see, things are tons easier if your wireless device (the camera) is using more up to date wireless technology, which would allow it to connect to your dual band network correctly, without having to change network names or separate the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz signals.

Here is another example.

I have a garage door opener. The setup instructions say that it must connect to a 2.4 GHz network. But, it connects just fine to my AirPort Extreme simultaneous dual band network that uses the same wireless network name for both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz signals.

So, I don't have to do anything to get the garage door opener to connect other than have it select the name of the wireless network and enter the password......because the garage door opener is using up to date wireless technology.

If you are still having problems, the last resort to try would be to simply turn off the 5 GHz network on your AirPort router. Then, it will only broadcast a signal that uses 2.4 GHz. There is still no guarantee that this will allow your camera to connect, so if you are still having problems, you will have to try another camera brand.

You will also be losing about two thirds of the wireless speed capability on your AirPort, since the 2.4 GHz band is much slower than the 5 GHz band.

If you cannot get the camera to connect to the airport.. no matter what changes you make.. rather than changing camera as Bob suggested just get another very cheap end wifi router.. it can be almost anything.. just as long as not apple.

Most routers can be configured as AP using system called Wan bypass. Just google it.

Even better if it has AP mode.. in other words it is designed to work either as router or AP.. for example many of the older TP-Link routers are designed to work as either router, AP or bridge.. just look up spec.. they made an HP (high power) model for better coverage.. also they have AP specific devices.. you might pickup TP-Link EAP110 or the like for like $40. I got an EAP320 very cheap very cheap to use in this role second hand.

They work great because it is semi pro design with excellent inbuilt gui.

Plug it into the Airport by ethernet and configure it for 2.4ghz and your camera should have a much easier job of it.

Do the cameras have ethernet option? If so then you could also pick up an older airport extreme.. set it up as extender to the main airport and plug the camera in by ethernet. In this case you are setting the airport as wireless bridge (apple prefers the term wireless client mode but bridge makes better sense to me).

As BTW.. never buy security cams without ethernet.. wifi is far from suitable for continuous streaming video.