I wrote a piece of software called Kasa Smart Control, available on the Windows Store. One of the most common support requests I receive is from users struggling to connect their Kasa devices, or finding that they suddenly stop working and appear offline.

This issue is not caused by my software, but I do try to help where I can. The purpose of this blog entry is to guide users through some common fixes they can try themselves.

The Root of the Problem

Most IoT devices, especially older ones, only support 2.4GHz Wi-Fi networks. However, many modern routers merge the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands into a single network name (SSID) to simplify things for users. For example, instead of seeing “MyEE-2.4GHz” and “MyEE-5GHz”, you might just see one network called “MyEE”.

Unfortunately, many IoT devices can’t properly handle this merged setup. They may connect to the wrong band (usually 5GHz, which they don’t support) and either fail to connect or repeatedly disconnect.

How to Fix It

Here are two common solutions that usually resolve the issue:

1. Separate the 2.4GHz and 5GHz Network Bands

Most routers have a setting to split the two bands into separate network names. Once split, you’ll see something like:

  • MyEE-2.4GHz
  • MyEE-5GHz

Connect your IoT devices to the 2.4GHz network (MyEE-2.4GHz). This ensures compatibility and often resolves connection issues.

2. Create a 2.4GHz IoT-Only Network

If your router supports a guest network, you can enable it and configure it to use only the 2.4GHz band. Rename it to something like My-IOT and connect all smart plugs, bulbs, and switches to this network.

This not only helps with connectivity but is also a good practice for improving home network security.

I hope this helps!
Let me know in the comments if you have other tips or if these steps worked for you.