Really disappointed this feature doesn't exist. It really doesn't make any sense to not have it. Any novice user probably isn't setting up the IoT network anyway, and you can hide the normal network which would have the same theoretical usability problem. Put it under "Advanced" and be done with it. Add a "Make visible for 15 minutes" button and score major points with customers.

I'm sure this would take a single dev one day to add.

Thanks!

What a disappointment reading on this post when there's a requirement.

It was since 2023, and now its 2025! I think @Riley_S should also had been resigned

FYI - I just managed to get the your Wifi Tapo network slightly stable after dividing my to 3 SSID's group (WIFI, IOT, Guest) & even upgraded to 6x Deco from 3x Deco last month ago.

Now I feel really stupid because that TPlink is not moving forward & being stay competitive.

If you can get the 3 seperate group of SSID channels, just a little option to hide the network from discoverable instead of selling your software which still giving hacking devices spoofing the hardward.

Your marketing/product developer can talk whatever you want and appologies whichever you would.

I may just look forward for other brands in near future after your product is out of warranty if this not resolved.

Goodluck & Thank you.

It's been 2 years now and this has still not been implemented, I have had to buy a power line adapter that has 2.4ghz only for some of my IoT devices, and then hide the network as it was the only way I could do it, for the love of god please enable IoT hidden networks.

You have said you don't want to add it because some peoples devices might not work, but the majority do, just put a disclaimer. This would be an amazing option and we would all love it.

@Riley_S, I recently purchased the XE75 Wi-Fi Mesh Router in part because of the IoT network and security features so you can imagine my disappointment in learning the IoT network SSID can not be hidden. This seems like a basic feature that's currently available to the Main network SSID, not to mention other tp-link routers, so it is very clear this feature is not impossible to implement. My previous router provided by my ISP allowed multiple custom WiFi networks (which is another feature I am disappointed to learn is not available), one of which I created specifically for my IoT devices and was able to hide the SSID. I switched to a tp-link model because I wanted to upgrade my network but it almost feels like I downgraded so now I am starting regret my purchase.

Security is an important part of the decision making process and is expected by all of your customers, especially now with pricier mesh systems that can broadcast significant distances outside the home. While hiding an SSID wouldn't prevent hackers from attempting to access the hidden network, it still gives your customers an added sense of security. IoT networks connect a lot of devices, including cameras and door locks, so whatever security features your company could implement on your devices should be the highest priority! One could argue that glass windows do not prevent burglars from entering the home but windows do provide a level of comfort knowing we are safe and secure.

There has been numerous requests for years now to add this to your feature list so it suggests to me that your customers sense of security is not your top priority, especially knowing this feature already exists and can easily be implemented. In my case, my main SSID is hidden and my guest network is only enabled when I have guests that need to connect to it (which is few and far between), so now it is just my IoT network that is exposed. That makes no sense to me. Others had suggested some devices may not support connecting to hidden networks. I would argue it should be me who decides whether to 1) return those devices in favor of ones that do support connecting to hidden networks, 2) purchase a router that does support this feature, or 3) stick with broadcasting the SSID because there is no other option. At least in the latter case it would be my decision and no one else's.

This thread has been open for years now so the fact that this basic feature has not been implemented by now says a lot about how little tp-link prioritizes its customers sense of security. That says a lot considering how much effort goes in to marketing the security features of your devices. I know for sure your competitors offer this feature which makes your routers inferior to comparable devices currently on the market. The opportunity cost of not implementing this feature is certainly greater than the cost of labor for engineers to implement the feature on your devices.

I hope this message has some impact on how important this feature is to your customers and perhaps convince your company to make it a higher priority. In the meantime, I need to decide whether to stick with my new tp-link router or return it for a superior product by a different manufacturer that really does value its customers sense of security.

  @chrishup hiding an SSID provides absolutely zero security end of story. 

While you may prefer it for other reasons... Using the security reasoning/aspect means you absolutely do not understand what you're talking about. And can if you hide your main SSID or an SSID that any of your mobile devices use, can reduce your security because it can allow you to be tracked by any device that is set to look for that SSID that is hidden, because in order to look for that SSID that is hidden, it must announce it constantly no matter where in the world that device is.

Which for iot devices is not a big deal because generally they're not moving, but again, you cannot advocate for hidden SSID by using the security reasoning, it just doesn't work.

Also, SSIDs is broadcast in the clear for other reasons, even if they are hidden for general broadcast, Again the client has to broadcast it and the clear just to find the AP... It takes absolutely not even a second to find the SSID, and if someone is able to crack your WPA2 they absolutely have the know-how to see the SSID which is completely trivial in comparison.

  @DrPickles This right here tells me you do not understand what hiding in SSID implies. 

If you make it visible, and a device joins... When it hides again guess what, your device won't ever be able to connect to it, because your device is assume it's going to be broadcast. 

When you configure a device to connect to a hidden network, your device has to constantly shout that SSID out into the void no matter where in the world, it is looking for that AP/Network, Which in theory means it's very trivial to track you by that device, although you're being tracked many other ways, but why add to it. But if your device is set to connect to a device that is broadcast, it only listens for that SSID, and does not actively probe for it.

Again, hiding an SSID provides absolutely zero security, and technically decreases your personal security.

While you may prefer to hide it for other reasons, you cannot claim security.

@Napsterbater, Thank you for your feedback. I saw your many, many posts on this thread so I anticipated your response. Your position on this matter is very clear and you are entitled to your opinion. The majority on this thread believe otherwise and we too are entitled to our opinion. Unfortunately, you don't get to decide what security means to everyone else. Clearly many people feel there is an enhanced level of security by not broadcasting our SSIDs, if for no other reason than the name is not readily visible to others, regardless of how easy it may or may not be to hack hidden networks... As I said in my post, I will decide which IoT devices I connect to my netwrok and if they don't connect to a hidden network then they do not meet my standards and I will definitely be returning them. I do know as a Software Engineer that adding this feature is not impossible as long as there aren't any hardware limitations. The XE75 already has this feature on the main network so it is very much possible. In the end, I get to decide what security means for me and my family, not you and not tp-link.