2.4 ghz device unable to see new eero wifi

[CarolineK5]

I upgraded to full fibre and an eero 6, and have all my devices connected except one. This is a wifi enabled cat flap which was fine on my previous router. However despite trying legacy mode, or disabling 5 ghz it can't see my network and I can't add it using Other. I am in contact with the device's suppliers, but thought it worth asking here if anyone has experienced this or has any ideas? I was also unable to connect it to my laptop via hotspot although the device could see the laptop hotspot and the laptop could see the device. 

[KeithFrench]

Cheers @Karl-TalkTalk 

[Karl-TalkTalk]

Hi

I've ordered an eero for the customer.

Regards,

Karl. 

[KeithFrench · Accepted solution]

Hi @Debbie-TalkTalk 

I have been doing some diagnostics for @CarolineK5 and there is definitely a poor signal strength near this device. Please could you supply the customer with an additional eero free of charge to correct this? I must stress that I do not know the cut-off for signal strength that this smart cat flap uses, so cannot be certain that the current signal strength is too low to make the WiFi band undetectable. However, the extra eero will prove that point. 

[CarolineK5]

OK have done it! will pm now

[KeithFrench]

Hi @CarolineK5 

You should be able to add it as an attachment down the bottom to the thread & then PM me the password.

[CarolineK5]

@KeithFrench I have made the zip file but it will not let me attach it as it is not a listed file type 😞 

[KeithFrench]

Hi @CarolineK5 

Do not worry about interpreting the results; I will do that for you. I will send a PM to that contains a link for a guide of mine on Wi-Fi interference. It is quite long (about 30 pages), but you will probably only need to look at three or four pages in total. Initially, look at the section called "Are you suffering from interference – prove it first". This is the first link in the table of contents. This section includes full details of free Wi-Fi analysers that I recommend for Windows, Windows phone, Android and Apple operating systems. However, I have no way of testing the Apple product. Select the analyser of your choice & my guide explains how to use it.

If you are using Wi-Fi Scanner, then please attach the zip file to this thread. As soon as I have downloaded it, I will remove the attachment from your post to preserve your privacy.

With all other analysers, please follow my instructions below.

Collect the screenshots that I require and include them in your reply.

Please post the screenshots to me in a PM (to protect your privacy), which I have requested in my guide. No photos, please, as they can be difficult to read, because the text can get out of focus when zoomed in. Please ensure that the analyser window is maximised (if Windows) before taking the screenshots & upload them via the "Insert Photos" button (in a mobile browser it's the picture icon) on the post editor's toolbar with the Size parameter set to Large.

[CarolineK5]

@KeithFrench Can you send me the document please?

[CarolineK5]

It is on top of a small cupboard, a window is behind it, and there is a metal filing cabinet in the room, my PC, NAS drive and dect phone, but only one of these is connected at a time as I am waiting on the splitter due to lack of ethernet ports on the eero. They do not have wifi. I can unplug them all but I can't move the filing cabinet 😞 sorry there is also a wifi printer

[KeithFrench]

Hi @CarolineK5 

What is the eero near with respect to electronic equipment, large metal objects or glass or water tanks? Is it out in the open or in a cupboard or similar?

You may need another eero, but you won't get one unless we work through the document I referred to in my previous post.

[CarolineK5]

So my previous router was fine, and the connection was stable to the cat flap.  I have one eero, it is in a slightly different place, about six feet further away from the flap, due to the fibre coming through the wall in a different place. The previous router was in my hall, the eero is in my office off the hall but pointing towards the hall. The usb lead connecting the eero to the fibre box is not long enough for me to put it in the hall. The cat flap can see my neighbours' wifi, with a weak signal, but not mine. I wondered if another eero might be needed, although everything else connected with no issues. The cat flap is at the back of the house and the eero at the front.

Thank you

Caroline

[KeithFrench]

Hi @CarolineK5 

Thanks for that then, it is 2.4GHz only then, in which case the post from @ferguson should have helped. However, you keep saying that you cannot detect your eero WiFi network, so something else is causing this, possibly WiFi interference or very poor signal strength, both of which I can help with. How many eeros do you have & where are they situated in respect of the cat flap?

Slow speed, intermittent dropouts, breaks in the signal or no signal on some or all devices or no internet access might be caused by Wi-Fi interference from other local networks, which can also lead to a permanent reduction in speed. No ISP can be responsible for your local environment, this is mainly a byproduct of the popularity of Wi-Fi.

Generally speaking, the 2.4GHz band suffers a lot more from interference than the much faster 5GHz band, but the 2.4GHz one can sometimes have a better range, but this all depends on your local area.

In other words, I try to help you optimise your Wi-Fi connection. The next stage involves sending out a guide to you to help you get me some important diagnostic results so that I can analyse them for you and recommend changes to your router configuration to solve them.

I only send this out to people who request it.

Whilst the eero is supposed to manage Wi-Fi interference, if this is very bad, particularly in the 2.4GHz band, then it cannot do anything about it, no router can. The same goes for any router at that point. Other things that may then need to be investigated are its location within your property and the WiFi bands that you use. It is possible that you may also need to purchase additional eero nodes as it is supposed to operate as part of a mesh system. I can help with any of this. However, I would suggest that you follow my help to find out what the root cause of the problem is, before throwing money at it.

[CarolineK5]

Thank you Keith, here is the link https://www.onlycat.com/?gad_source=5&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI9ZjFi5ORjAMVkZpQBh1kaB9aEAAYASAAEgIqpPD_BwE  it operates on 2.4 ghz.  

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Thanks @KeithFrench  🙂

[KeithFrench]

Hi @CarolineK5 

@Debbie-TalkTalk has asked me to help you. Please can you supply me a link to this cat flap on the manufacturer's website, so that I can check out its WiFi specification.

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Thanks for your reply. @CarolineK5 

Are you able to offer any additional advice @KeithFrench 

KeithFrench is one of our valued Community Stars and can help with a range of issues related to wireless and networking. At times he may ask you to send him test results via a Private Message to help analyse/diagnose an issue.  Although Keith does not work for TalkTalk, he very kindly shares his time and knowledge to help with others.  If you need further help or, if we need to take any details such as personal information about your account like phone numbers, account numbers etc.  one of the TalkTalk team will jump in and help out.

[CarolineK5]

Hi I have already tried that and also the legacy option, several times, nothing works thank you

[CarolineK5]

Sorry tried that and also legacy and it does not see the wifi thank you

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi CarolineK5

I can see that ferguson has offered some advice. How are you getting on?

[ferguson]

Open the eero app and go to Settings > Troubleshooting > My device won't connect and select My device is 2.4GHz only and your Eero system will temporarily pause the 5GHz band to help you get connected. Let us know if that works.