The single name for 2.4 and 5 couldn’t be a problem, i think its a good feature but is important to force a devices to connect on 2.4 or 5.

hope this will be introduce in a future update

@Kevin_Z 

Do you have any finished solution? Because my Samsung TV always switch to 2.4GHz after an hour. And the TV's bandwidth is too small on 2.4GHz. I need turn off my Deco P7's 2.4GHz manually and reconnect the TV to the 5GHz also manually. The possibility to use different SSID for 2.4 and 5GHz should be a solution too.

Thanks and Best Regards

Any new on this ?

Actually I have to use a second modem to my smart home switch because it not recognize the 2.4Mhz network only the 5Mhz, and because the name is the same my switch don't try to find a 2.4Mhz network with the same name and send me the message  " cant connect to 5Mhz network only 2.4Mhz please change network". So I have to use a second modem (Not deco) working on 2.4Mhz.

I have originally buy the Deco because it is supposed to work on both band but because the same name, some devices don't recognize the 2.4Mhz network.

It is not a problem of setup because I have only 1 device that connect to the 2.4 Mhz network, so, it is working but not all device can find 2 network with same name.

Thank You.

@Kevin_Z Any update on this? I've got some IOT devices which lose connection with 5ghz enabled. I don't want to disable 5ghz all together.

@kbarendrecht 

The workaround is to enable Guest WiFi network, configure it to be 2.4GHz only, and connect IOT devices to Guest network.

TP-Link...any update?  Most of my devices that are able to connect via 5ghz are connected to 2.4.  Any work around for this?

@Alexandre. Is this really a failed solution? If you need to control devices that are on a guest network , that means you'd have to switch networks on your phone/tablet any time you want to turn on a light or open a garage door or whatever. Not to mention guest networks are usually unsecured and therefore your IoT devices are open too hacking vulnerabilities.

Or do you know of something that I don't? I know your post is a year old, so I'm late to the game but getting desperate for a solution. It's super annoying to have a dialed-in smart home go haywire after upgrading to a "better" WiFi network. Any workarounds or tricks would be great to know!

@Jademo 

Deco mesh Guest network can be password protected, which will make it as secure as Main network. 

If you are not using Deco content filtering features, such as parental controls and bandwidth throttling, you could run Deco in Access Point mode. This is what I did in my household. In Access Point mode, it is possible to turn off separation between Main and Guest networks, so that smartphone or tablet connected to Main network can manage IoT device connected to Guest network.

Even if you need to run Deco in Router mode. I understand perfectly well the joy of getting 600Mbps speed test result on smartphone connected to 5GHz band, but it is rarely someone may need such speed for smartphones. Even if smartphone is capable of streaming in 4K, that won't exceed 2.4GHz capabilities. You can have smartphone you use to manage IoT devices connected to same Guest network with 2.4GHz and you won't see the difference in routine smartphone usage.

Also, if IoT device can't handle band steering, the standard long available on many routers, that means IoT device manufacturer is at fault. In my household, I started with Deco mesh first and then added few Iot devices. Yes, I may be late to IoT game, but with working WiFi mesh if I will get IoT device that can't handle it, I'll pack that device and send back. Deco will stay.

Using Guest network to support outdated IoT devices is workaround, of course. If that does not work, the final option would be to pack Deco mesh and send it back, sell used or gift to someone. Deco is not the only WiFi mesh one could get. Try something else, now that you know your requirements for WiFi mesh system you'll be able to pick different one that fits them.

It is obvious, from the fact the conversation started over two years ago, that redoing WiFi software code to split bands on Main network to two SSIDs is not the priority for TP-Link. Next big firmware release 1.6, still in works, does not have that in feature list. It would be safe to assume that feature will not be coming for at least a year from now, if ever. Just act upon that knowledge.