There are several likely suspects for this issue. We’ll cover them one at a time, in order of easiest solutions for you to attempt on your own, to most difficult:
Check your devices:
The first thing you’ll want to do is figure out whether you’re experiencing slow behavior on multiple devices. If it’s only on one device, simply turn your device’s WiFi off and on again. If that doesn’t work, try rebooting the device.
If you’re having an issue across multiple devices, or the above steps don’t help, read on!
Check your speed:
If you’re on a computer, try running a speed test from Speedtest.net. Or if you’re on a mobile phone, run the Ookla speedtest.net app. Make sure you take the speed test from the location where you’re experiencing slow WiFi. As a point of comparison, you’ll also want to run a speed test next to your gateway eero. To ensure you’re connected to the nearest eero when running a speed test, turn WiFi off and then on again before each test in a new location.
Note: Please be sure to run these speed tests from the sources listed above and not from the eero app dashboard. The speed test in the eero app is a WAN test. This means it checks the rate at which data is downloaded to and uploaded from your gateway eero and your ISP and will be consistent regardless of where you run it in your home.
If the speeds you see for the additional eero are comparable to the speeds for the gateway eero (both low), your entire network is slow. Check out our tips on how to fix that here.
If the speeds you see for the additional eero are significantly lower than the gateway eero, continue down this list!
Power cycle your eeros:
Try power cycling your eeros by unplugging the power cable from the back of your eero, waiting 30 seconds, and plugging it back in. This can sometimes fix connectivity issues.
The eero’s LED will turn solid white, then flashing white while booting up. It takes about a minute to start up and begin broadcasting. You’ll know when the cycle’s done because the eero’s LED will go solid white again.
Move your eeros:
Check to make sure the eero that’s causing you problems isn’t too far from your other eeros, or that there aren’t too many dense walls in between. Ideally, you want your eeros to be out in the open, with minimal to no interference between them. Check out our full placement tips here.
If your eeros aren’t very far apart (~30 ft between eeros) and there’s a minimal amount of potential interference between them, try swapping the eero locations to see if your slow WiFi issues follow the troublesome eero. If your problems do follow the location of the troublesome eero, please give us a call and we’ll exchange that device for you!