Laptops from Japan can't connect to 5GHz networks in the US?

[Ichinisan]

So it seems that a Japanese regulatory agency restricts mobile computers from using certain 5GHz bands, even when used in other regions. However, they allow other mobile devices (like an iPad) to use other channels outside of Japan.

Is there any way to get a Japanese computer to see a USA 5GHz network? It makes some sense to have restrictions on the wireless AP/router channel selections, but it's annoying they would restrict mobile computers. Since tablets and other mobile devices don't seem to have the same restrictions, I wonder how this regulation distinguishes these devices? Both can be taken to other regions, so they should be allowed to connect to any channel as a client device.

I'm trying to help a couple with 2x Japanese Macbook computers, a Japanese AirPort Time Capsule router, and an Arris DG1670A cable modem with built-in dual-band WiFi. All are now installed in the USA. They've had lots of problems. I think some of the problems are due to incompatibility between their computers and wireless equipment.

The computers can't see or connect to the 5GHz network from the Arris modem, but the iPad Air (also purchased in Japan) can see both 5GHz networks. An AirPort / Time Capsule sold in the USA allows you to change region, if you want. It seems that an AirPort / TC sold in Japan does not allow the region to be changed.

Since they have even more stability / performance problems with the 2.4GHz network, they're forced to run a 5GHz network with Japanese channels that their computer can use. Since even that is unreliable, I suppose it's because the spectrum is getting interference in this region from something unrelated to WiFi (Do mobile phones or DECT 6.0 home cordless phones use any of those channels?).

I disabled WiFi in the Arris modem, left the Time Capsule router configured in bridge/AP mode, and ran a continuous ping to the modem (192.168.0.1). It keeps experiencing fits of packet loss. Since they're not operating on the correct channels for USA region, I think we need to get their computers connected through a USA-region 5GHz network...but we can't make the computers see such a network.

 

[azazel1024]

I suspect you are looking at other issues. See what channel options you have. Japan supports channels 36-48, which are also supported in the US. Japan does not support the higher 5GHz channels (149-165). So setting channels 36-48 should work just fine with all of the gear.

 

[Ichinisan]

Yeah. I noticed the Japanese 5GHz channels are just a smaller subset of the USA 5GHz channels.

I read on discussions.apple.com that leaving the 5GHz channel set to "auto" can allow it to use some channels that are only available to use dynamically and not available to use fixed. Someone said he gets much, much better performance when he leaves it set to "auto" and nSSIDer shows "channel 100" -- which is not available in the manual selections. I suppose I could disable WiFi in the Time Capsule entirely and re-enable WiFi in the Arris modem. Hopefully, I can limit it to the channels supported by the Macbooks that only support Japanese 5GHz channels. However, since it was unreliable with the Japanese AirPort router on 5GHz, I think this will also be unreliable.

Maybe I'll get a chance to try it...