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automatic channel selection broken in 6.6.1-2

I experimented with my old router side by side with my new eero and have found the current eero firmware's automated channel selection is broken (perhaps due to the 40mhz width in 2.4ghz band and 80mhz Width in the 5.4ghz band).

The experiment was as follows:

1) setup old router with 23dbm on 2.4ghz channel1 and 5ghz channel channel1.  plug in old router.

2) chain (double nat) eero to old router and power it up.

 

In theory, the eero should pick a different channel for each band because it's booted after a "loud" router on channel1, but it doesn't.  I'd be happy to post a youtube video with this experiment.

The attached screenshots show the significant congestion at the lower end of each band.  (I happen to know a lot of my neighboors have eero as well). It really should be picking a different band.

Speaking for myself, I'd gladly give up a 40mhz 2.4ghz bandwidth in favor of 20mhz (which is recommended by most professionals for the 2.4ghz band), for an overall more stable and reliable connection.

4 replies

    • Cmp
    • 2 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    I think I have the same prob with my eero wifi 5 pro. Are you getting slow speeds?

      • c_t
      • 2 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      Cmp I am getting slow wifi speeds, less than 10Mbps.  When I remove all other eeros (except gateway), bandwidth improves.  I am in a dense townhouse environment.

    • Enthusiast
    • thatsthequy
    • 2 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    I find this evidence lacking in proving ACS is "broken".

    First, ACS isn't run on boot, rather it takes measurements throughout the day and eventually switches channels. Default control channels are 1, 36, and 149.

    Second, ACS factors in channel utilization, so every router in the neighbourhood may all collect on control channel 1 because there is some neighbourhood-wide interference on the other parts of the spectrum. Generally you want to be on the same control channel as your neighbours anyways in this scenario, so there is at least some coordination of transmissions happening.

    Third, eero uses 40Mhz wide channels in 2.4Ghz *unless* a fat-channel intolerant device connects, in which it is forced to reduce that radio to 20Mhz. The gains from Adaptive Noise Immunity make the throughput gains worth it, especially since eero uses 2.4Ghz as part of the wireless backhaul between nodes.

    I think it was a typo, but there is no such thing as channel 1 on 5Ghz.

    • rfischmann
    • 2 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    If eero's intelligence was good enough so that it really didn't have to allow us to set a channel manually, I'd be fine. But it first connected to channel 149, which is pretty bad here. Next day, it switched to 36 and things got WAY better. The other day, it changed to 48 and it was still pretty good. Then, on the third day and for the past 4 days, it went back and stayed at 149. So it might think that's the best way, and it's very bad.

Content aside

  • 2 yrs agoLast active
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