The advanced settings of the TP-Link Archer AX80 offer a dedicated IoT WiFi channel for both 2.4G and 5G. Recently, I adjusted my WiFi network due to unstable signals, disabling Smart Connect mode and manually setting the SSID for the 2.4G and 5G main networks. I disabled the 2.4G main WiFi network, only enabling the 5G for non-IoT devices.

However, my IoT devices went offline, despite the IoT WiFi network appearing active in the settings.

I contacted the Taiwan support center and was informed that the current design disables the IoT network when the 2.4G main network is disabled. This design is intentional, and feedback has been sent to the R&D department for evaluation.

Despite this, I find the situation troublesome. My network setup includes three SSIDs: IoT (2.4G), User (2.4G), and User (5G). I am concerned that the additional User (2.4G) channel may strain the hardware and prefer my non-IoT devices to connect only to the 5G network. I consider this a bug and requested a fix from TP-Link.

The response was that the design binds the IoT and main networks, with smart devices typically operating on the 2.4G band. They recommended connecting other devices to the 5G band whenever possible.

In conclusion, disabling the 2.4G WiFi main network also disables the IoT 2.4G WiFi network. This setup isn't supported if you want a separate 2.4G network for IoT devices while using only the 5G main network. Therefore, avoid using the IoT network if this is your requirement.

I am very disappointed with TP-Link.