You've split your bands and set two separate network names, but one device still won't see the 5GHz network. This is one of the most common points people get stuck at, and it's rarely the router's fault. There are three real causes, and each has a different fix.

Cause 1: Your device's wifi doesn't support 5GHz

This is the most common cause and the easiest to miss. Older phones, budget smart TVs, and some laptops from before 2015 to 2017 only have 2.4GHz radios — no amount of router configuration will make 5GHz appear on them, because the hardware physically can't receive that signal.

How to check:

Look up your device's wifi specification (search "[device model] wifi specs"). If it lists only "802.11 b/g/n" and not "a/ac/ax," it doesn't support 5GHz. That device should stay on the 2.4GHz network — this isn't a problem to fix, just something to know.

Cause 2: You're too far from the router

5GHz has a shorter range than 2.4GHz and loses strength faster through walls and floors. A device that shows both networks in the same room as the router might only show 2.4GHz two rooms away, simply because the 5GHz signal has dropped below the point where it's usable.

How to check:

Stand closer to the router and scan for networks again. If 5GHz appears, this was a range issue, not a configuration issue.

Cause 3: Band steering or Smart Connect is still partially on

Sometimes turning off Smart Connect doesn't fully apply, especially after a firmware update, and the router quietly goes back to combining the bands under the 2.4GHz name.

How to check:

Log back into the router admin panel and confirm the two SSIDs are still listed separately with different names. If they've merged back into one, turn off Smart Connect again and save.

If none of these apply

Restart the router. A stuck broadcast is uncommon but not impossible, and a restart resolves it more often than any settings change does.

Once 5GHz is showing correctly, decide which devices should actually use it in our main dual-band guide. If you haven't split your bands yet, start with "How to Split Your Dual-Band Router Into Two Separate Wifi Networks."