pvkid wrote

 

Are there any other traditional routers out there that do this?

 

@pvkid 

I assume you mean only one SSID and Passphrase tor both bands and the router 'decides' where to connect the device?

If so, this is called SMART CONNECT, and all Dual band and Tri-band routers usually have this feature.

On this link, https://www.tp-link.com/us/support/faq/2595/ you'll find some details and the pulldown for the routers that have this feature.

More on Smart Connect, https://www.tp-link.com/us/solution/smart-connect/ but I personally do not use it. For some who do not want to 'manage' device connection, great, but it is not usually optimized for performance as much as taking the 'guess work' out of connecting a device.

I am looking at the AC1750 on Amazon and I do not see anything about smart connect, donyou know if the 170 has it.

@pvkid 

Please look at the first link I posted. The pulldown lists the routers that have it. AC1750 is the SPEED of wireless devices on the combined bands. It is NOT the model number. Many TP-Link routers have that speed, C7, A7, D7, etc.

The 'list' can't be complete either, even with a recent date:

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I have an Archer A20 (not AX20) and it is NOT on the list. Note the C7 also is the only one that lists the f/w version.

Google the router you are looking at for Smart Connect if unsure.

As far as I'm concerned, Smart Connect 'is not' and I'd rather handle SSID connection by myself.

@6mp 

I agree with @IrvSp  that smart connect has it place but I also prefer to control my network.

If you do get a router with Smart Connect, as far as I am aware, they all allow you to turn if off if you do not like it.

You can set up any two band router using the same SSID and password although I would not. Not sure what extra benefit you get with Smart Connect. The issue is it is the device most times determine what band it uses. Does it use the fastest band (5GHz), the one with the strongest signal which may be the 2.4GHz as it delivers the signal further, some determined order in the device, or the last one used. And each device may do it differently. If your device is portable such as a laptop, if you move around, the device may need to switch bands. I prefer to control some devices so they are always on a specific band. Slow devices on the 2.4 and the ones I want speed on the 5 GHz band.

If it were me and I was looking for a new router, had connection issues do to size of my home, and wanted to have the same SSID, I would be looking at the Mesh routers that were designed to do that.