Can You Change the Wi-Fi Channel on Eero?

The Amazon Eero mesh system is one that stands out for its TrueMesh software that relies on machine learning to keep you connected. This means that you won’t need to change the channels on your Eero to get to the best bandwidth—it does all that for you.

There’s no way to change the Wi-Fi channel on an Eero since it is meant to be a simplified consumer device. The Eero efficiently chooses how to pass traffic between your connected devices, allowing you to have access to a strong Wi-Fi signal no matter where your device is.

To know if the Eero Wi-Fi system is something that you want to invest in, it’s worth looking at how Wi-Fi channels work and how the Eero changes things up for the smart home consumer.

Wi-Fi Channels and How They Work

Most of us probably have a passing familiarity with Wi-Fi channels. At most, all we really need to know to get to work is the name of the Wi-Fi and the password. However, it turns out that there’s a bit more to Wi-Fi than meets the eye.

Wi-Fi exists in two different frequency bands: 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. Each band is divided into channels, which are a small range of frequencies, and these channels are further categorized as wider or thinner channels, depending on their size.

To change the channel that you’re on, it’ll depend on the router that you have. Some routers will have different Wi-Fi names to connect to (e.g., “MYWIFI_2.4GHz” and “MYWIFI_5GHz”). Therefore, if you want a device to be on the 2.4 GHz band, you’ll just need to connect it to that network.

Note: In other cases, you may have to do a bit more work to change the channel that you’re on, and a quick Google search of “how to change Wi-Fi channels on (your router)” should lead you where you need be.

Why Choose Between Different Wi-Fi Channels?

So, you might be thinking: why choose between different Wi-Fi channels? If I find the fastest Wi-Fi channel, isn’t it good enough to just stay on it?

As it so happens, there’s really no way to determine what the “fastest Wi-Fi channel” is due to interference. When you have several devices on the same channel, they all compete for time to “talk” on the same channel. When you have devices from overlapping channels trying to talk over each other, you get interference as well (Source: Minim). Since this process is continuously changing, there’s no single “best” channel for you to be on at all times.

Since it won’t always do to just stay on one channel, those who have more traditional Wi-Fi routers may find some benefit in changing the channel now and then. In instances where the Wi-Fi goes out, and the router gets reset, it may end up choosing different channels on its own (which can lead to better or worse performance); the user may want to choose a different channel if this happens.

The Eero Difference

Enter Eero. Using its TrueMesh software, Eero relies on machine learning and data analysis to write dynamic routing algorithms that ensure that your devices on getting connected to the best channel available. TrueMesh allows Wi-Fi to jump between Eero devices, enabling you to get a reliable connection even with hallways or walls in the way.

Usually, this process of jumping leads to slower speeds, but with the TrueMesh software, your Eero knows the signal strength between each Eero and calculates the best path from your device to the internet.

Remember how channels had interference on other routers? The software in Eero makes this an issue of the past. Because this is a consumer-friendly device, there’s no way for you to change channels—because you won’t need to. Given what the TrueMesh software does, it’s always choosing which channel to use to keep your devices connected to the best channel at each moment.

Final Thoughts

If you don’t want to commit to shelling out nearly $200 for a new Wi-Fi system, you’re not alone. Sometimes it just isn’t worth upgrading your router for a marginal improvement in performance. Hopefully, you now know a bit more about Wi-Fi channels and how to get just a bit more out of your current router.

However, if you are in the market for a new Wi-Fi system (especially a mesh system), the Amazon Eero mesh system is worth considering. Especially if you found the difference between Wi-Fi channels a bit overwhelming, the Eero streamlines the process by doing all the heavy lifting for you. With cloud updates, the Eero mesh system is sure to continue improving and providing you with the best connection available.