Libra Colour Does Kobo Libra Colour actually support 5GHz networks or not? - Page 2

Quoth · 07-25-2025, 06:16 AM

I get over 200 Mbps with only one user connecting on 2.4 GHz. Even over 10 years ago it was 108 Mbps.

And with 5GHz having 4 users can knock it back to 15 Mbps.

An apartment block or other dense housing with loads of students can seriously impact the shared bandwidth of WiFi.

Cootey · 07-25-2025, 06:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quoth

I get over 200 Mbps with only one user connecting on 2.4 GHz. Even over 10 years ago it was 108 Mbps.

And with 5GHz having 4 users can knock it back to 15 Mbps.

An apartment block or other dense housing with loads of students can seriously impact the shared bandwidth of WiFi.

Fortunately, I don’t live with loads of students. 😄

I’m bothered that I no longer have the choice between the two bands. It was working before. My older Elipsa has no problems seeing and connecting to 5GHz.

I had no idea my KLC wasn’t connecting to 5GHz anymore, so I’d like it to work as advertised.

Quoth · 07-25-2025, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cootey

I had no idea my KLC wasn’t connecting to 5GHz anymore, so I’d like it to work as advertised.

Really it could be the router or the KLC.

Cootey · 07-28-2025, 11:50 PM

I’ve done a li’l bit of research on this. My KLC can connect to the mixed 2.5/5GHz network at 5GHz as seen in the screen caps above. That network is run by a Netgear Nighthawk RAX80, but the KLC can no longer see the 5GHz channel from my ancient Apple Airport Base Station, nor any other 5GHz networks in my neighborhood. The Airport is bridged to the Nighthawk upstairs, but it runs its own subnet. I also have an AirPort Express to extend the signal across the basement.

RAX80 802.11ax
AirPort Base Station 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
AirPort Express 802.11a/b/g/n

“N” is dual band support, but the AirPort offers them as separate channels, as was the standard in the days when Adam walked the earth.

Since my Elipsa connects just fine to my separate 5GHz network, and can see all the 5GHz channels in the neighborhood, I am fairly confident this is a KLC problem, not a router problem. The Kobo Libra Colour supports Wi-Fi 802.11 ac/b/g/n, so it should be seeing those 5GHz networks, but it’s not.

I am now going to log out of my KLC, reboot it, twirl widdershins three times, and then see how things fare when I log back in.

Buhaj · 07-29-2025, 05:44 AM

Can it be linked to WPA2 vs WPA3 standard, and the reader supporting 5 GHz network only on WPA2?

Cootey · 07-29-2025, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buhaj

Can it be linked to WPA2 vs WPA3 standard, and the reader supporting 5 GHz network only on WPA2?

My Airport base station is using WPA2, so that’s not likely the issue.

Razzy · 07-31-2025, 01:27 PM

I tried fiddling with various settings in my routers, changing SSIDs, no luck so far, the KLC simply doesn't see 5GHz networks for me. And my routers use WPA2.

DrChiper · 07-31-2025, 02:33 PM

I gave it a try today (I seldom connect my KLC to my network), but it will connect to 5GHz as shown in the attachment and using the latest Fw. That said, I have also seen it attached to 2.4GHz in the past.

Artemis* · 07-31-2025, 11:42 PM

Mine does not see 5GHz on AT&T, but connects just fine to Xfinity.

Every device in my house can see both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks on both of our ISPs... except my Kobo Libra Color.

Cootey · 08-02-2025, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrChiper

I gave it a try today (I seldom connect my KLC to my network), but it will connect to 5GHz as shown in the attachment and using the latest Fw. That said, I have also seen it attached to 2.4GHz in the past.

My router broadcasts in 802.11ax as well, and the KLC sees and connects to that router. It’s the older router downstairs where it’s not seeing the 5GHz channel. I’m tempted to say that the KLC only supports 5GHz connectivity with modern routers with modern protocols except that I got this to work before.

Could the KLC have been updated to only support 5GHz with older protocols broadcast in combined 2.4/5GHz channels? My Elipsa1 likely has an older WiFi chip, which would account for why it sees separately broadcasting 2.4 & 5GHz channels using older protocols.

DrChiper · 08-02-2025, 04:54 PM

Well, my network (Base/Repeater) is Wifi 6 (802.11ax) capable, using 2.4/5 GHz. Seeing the specifications of the KLC it seems that it just supports up to 802.11ac (according the KLC settings page), which is technically Wifi 5 with 5GHz. As my network also supports 802.11ac, the KLC can connect to 5GHz. And when the KLC connects to 2.4GHz it presumably falls back to 802.11n, which is Wifi 4 (also supported by my network).

DNSB · 08-02-2025, 06:18 PM

For what it may be worth, over the last while, I tested my KLC with multiple wireless devices and it did a 5GHz connection to all but one. A mix of commercial (Cisco, Meraki, Aruba, Ubiquiti) and home devices (NetGear, Asus, TP-Link, ARRIS) had no issues. The home router it connected to at 2.4GHz was an old Buffalo unit which the owner brought from Hong Kong when they migrated to Canada a decade back.

07-31-2025, 01:27 PM	#22
Razzy Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2025 Device: Kobo Libra Colour	I tried fiddling with various settings in my routers, changing SSIDs, no luck so far, the KLC simply doesn't see 5GHz networks for me. And my routers use WPA2. Last edited by Razzy; 07-31-2025 at 01:31 PM.

07-31-2025, 02:33 PM	#23
DrChiper Bookish Posts: 1,019 Karma: 2003162 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: PC, t1, t2, t3, Clara BW, Clara HD, Libra 2, Libra Color, Nxtpaper 11	I gave it a try today (I seldom connect my KLC to my network), but it will connect to 5GHz as shown in the attachment and using the latest Fw. That said, I have also seen it attached to 2.4GHz in the past. Attached Thumbnails Last edited by DrChiper; 07-31-2025 at 02:35 PM.

08-02-2025, 04:54 PM	#26
DrChiper Bookish Posts: 1,019 Karma: 2003162 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: PC, t1, t2, t3, Clara BW, Clara HD, Libra 2, Libra Color, Nxtpaper 11	Well, my network (Base/Repeater) is Wifi 6 (802.11ax) capable, using 2.4/5 GHz. Seeing the specifications of the KLC it seems that it just supports up to 802.11ac (according the KLC settings page), which is technically Wifi 5 with 5GHz. As my network also supports 802.11ac, the KLC can connect to 5GHz. And when the KLC connects to 2.4GHz it presumably falls back to 802.11n, which is Wifi 4 (also supported by my network). Attached Thumbnails

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07-25-2025, 06:16 AM	#16
Quoth Still reading Posts: 14,182 Karma: 105212035 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper	I get over 200 Mbps with only one user connecting on 2.4 GHz. Even over 10 years ago it was 108 Mbps. And with 5GHz having 4 users can knock it back to 15 Mbps. An apartment block or other dense housing with loads of students can seriously impact the shared bandwidth of WiFi.

07-28-2025, 11:50 PM	#19
Cootey Absentminded Reader Posts: 1,339 Karma: 7440829 Join Date: Apr 2017 Device: Kobo Mini, Libra Colour & Elipsa; Kindle Paperwhite 3 & 4; iOS apps	I’ve done a li’l bit of research on this. My KLC can connect to the mixed 2.5/5GHz network at 5GHz as seen in the screen caps above. That network is run by a Netgear Nighthawk RAX80, but the KLC can no longer see the 5GHz channel from my ancient Apple Airport Base Station, nor any other 5GHz networks in my neighborhood. The Airport is bridged to the Nighthawk upstairs, but it runs its own subnet. I also have an AirPort Express to extend the signal across the basement. RAX80 802.11ax AirPort Base Station 802.11a/b/g/n/ac AirPort Express 802.11a/b/g/n “N” is dual band support, but the AirPort offers them as separate channels, as was the standard in the days when Adam walked the earth. Since my Elipsa connects just fine to my separate 5GHz network, and can see all the 5GHz channels in the neighborhood, I am fairly confident this is a KLC problem, not a router problem. The Kobo Libra Colour supports Wi-Fi 802.11 ac/b/g/n, so it should be seeing those 5GHz networks, but it’s not. I am now going to log out of my KLC, reboot it, twirl widdershins three times, and then see how things fare when I log back in.

07-29-2025, 05:44 AM	#20
Buhaj Groupie Posts: 174 Karma: 278068 Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Poland Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kindle PW3	Can it be linked to WPA2 vs WPA3 standard, and the reader supporting 5 GHz network only on WPA2?

07-31-2025, 11:42 PM	#24
Artemis* Huntress of Stories Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2025 Location: Among The Greenery Device: Kobo Libra Color	Mine does not see 5GHz on AT&T, but connects just fine to Xfinity. Every device in my house can see both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks on both of our ISPs... except my Kobo Libra Color.

08-02-2025, 06:18 PM	#27
DNSB Bibliophagist Posts: 46,471 Karma: 169115146 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Vancouver Device: Kobo Sage, Libra Colour, Lenovo M8 FHD, Paperwhite 4, Tolino epos	For what it may be worth, over the last while, I tested my KLC with multiple wireless devices and it did a 5GHz connection to all but one. A mix of commercial (Cisco, Meraki, Aruba, Ubiquiti) and home devices (NetGear, Asus, TP-Link, ARRIS) had no issues. The home router it connected to at 2.4GHz was an old Buffalo unit which the owner brought from Hong Kong when they migrated to Canada a decade back.