(Update Feb 2022)
Here's a little clarification as I made this video on the spot after hours or days of frustration.
Your 5Ghz and 2.4Ghz each have their own user name and password and you sign on to them separately.
If you turn on Smart Connect, they get combined into one log on and the router decides what device gets 5Ghz or 2.4Ghz.
If you turn off Smart Connect, 5Ghz & 2.4Ghz will then be separate, BUT THEY WILL NOW HAVE THE SAME USER NAME AND PASSWORD.
You must assign a new user name and password to one of them before they will show up separately on your devices.
This fix doesn't seem to be the problem/fix for everyone, I have the AC1900 Archer C90 model, with the latest firmware.
Keep in mind that the 5Ghz has a much shorter range than the 2.4Ghz.
Note: I say in the video, channel name, but it is both name and password. Sorry for the omission.
Also, my passwords were the same (factory default) at the time. I don't know what the results would have been with different passwords. Feel free to chime in below.
I just purchased a TP-link C90 AC1900 WiFi router and have been very happy with it until this morning. After going into the dashboard and customizing some settings, the 5GHz channel was no longer available on any of my devices. Google searches were of NO help, most people listed their solution as REFUND. I seem to have found the problem (and TP-link, if you are watching this, please add this info to your database, your customers will thank you for it). Smart connect will overwrite the channel name and password and you simply need to manually change them back (or make up completely new names). If both names / passwords are the same, the router will remain in smart connect mode and only one name will appear on your devices.
I'm glad I figured this out because I really like this router.
3 апр 2020
