Feedback request to Arlo - Unable to change WiFi channels

[Edinburgh_lad1]

The topic of users being unable to change WiFi channels of the base has been discussed here countless times. It's also been a feature request, but now that section is gone from this forum. Such pleas fell on deaf ears, quite clearly.

I am now confident to say, following testing, that your base stations following the same channel as the router causes interference when it comes to my WiFi (certainly as far as my DrayTek router is concerned).

What is the point of the base station broadcasting 5G WiFi if Ultra cameras don't use it?

Can we as users/your customers finally have an expert mode on the base station, where we could select which band is broadcast and on what channel?

I really have no intention of placing my base station in places that I don't want it to be, or to run long Ethernet cables, to avoid same channel WiFi interference. Nor do I want to spend money on powerline to plug the base station to to avoid WiFi channel issue.

Dixit.

[jguerdat]

Many/most of us have been running the base stations and SmartHubs on the same channel as the router with few issues. Folks smarter and more versed in WiFi networking than I (and likely you) have done this for a reason - to REDUCE interference from different channels being physically close together. The only thing I've had to do over the years is to move my hub away from the router a bit rather than to have it almost touching the router.

A quick search on the subject brings this link, among others. 

https://www.quora.com/How-do-multiple-WiFi-routers-in-the-same-channel-avoid-interfering-with-each-o...

[StephenB]

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@jguerdat wrote:

Many/most of us have been running the base stations and SmartHubs on the same channel as the router with few issues.

That's true, but I would also like to have an option to override the automatic channel selection, and explicitly set the wifi channel I want it to use.

Although the automatic algorithm works in almost all cases, there are enough issues posted here to justify an advanced setting for this.  It would also be a useful diagnostic tool when dealing with a poor network connection.

[Edinburgh_lad1]

@jguerdat 

Why are you giving me some kind of stuff from Quora? If you find some stuff from a scientific and respectable publication, then we can have a chat about that.

I'm sure lots of people have had no problems, you including. Judging by the number of comments and requests on here and elsewhere, though, there's a number of users that have experienced problems. 

Regardless of whether the above is the case or not, my request is to have that option to decide what I want to do with devices that I bought (i.e. what channels they broadcast on and whether or not I can switch off 2.4/5GHz signal) on my WiFi network. 

In my case moving the base station further away is not an option (as I already mentioned above), and most importantly, you'll appreciate the fact that each set up is different. Therefore, there should be an option to configure (and to be flexible), rather than to have the approach: one size fits them all.

Well said @StephenB 

[jguerdat]

As I said, people smarter and more versed in WiFi than you and I have made this determination. One link isn't the whole answer but you haven't taken the time to research it yourself and/or become that WiFi expert. You remind me of all the schmucks in the various automotive forums who make modifications and think they're smarter than the engineers who have reams and reams of tests results/data. Go get that degree and then come back with an explanation as to why it's a bad idea.

[Edinburgh_lad1]

Oof, getting a bit personal here, mate. 

[cnewby]

@jguerdat - I've read through a lot of your responses to people dealing with the same issues and request. You have repeatedly been trite and flippant and regurgitate these same, seemingly canned statements which ignore a lot of detail. I think you keep misinterpreting posters to be saying that matching by default is bad design, and taking that very personally, and now getting personal back. It seems to me that most understand why the design is the way it is, but pretty much no-one understands why there isn't a way to accept the risks and make a change, probably even if it were to void warranty. There appears to be enough reports and evidence to counterpoint the general rules of "co-interference isn't a big deal" and "no access is better than potential hacking" and "arlo/ng people are smarter than you". These are obviously not solutions to the real-world scenarios being presented. Many of us are plenty smart, know what we are doing, and would be fine with assuming the risk and running plenty of our own regression testing. If you are part of the Arlo/NG team, you are doing the brands a disservice and should not be allowed to continue. Otherwise, please be part of the solution. Or stop posting.

@Arlo/Netgear (not jguerdat or anyone like them) - Please either provide, or explain why you cannot provide, a firmware update to allow setting or avoiding channels. It could default how it is, but allow some modification during initial setup, or via direct ethernet connect, or USB. It can be done security-first. Locking us out of managing our own network is not something I would recommend for long term brand viability.  

[LandJS]

I as others agree that it would be most desired to be able to set Arlo channels in the hub.  I'm not however sure it is possible as the hub must be run through your router or modem.  I would leave that to an engineer to answer and there is no reason given how long this has been discussed for Arlo mods not to have gotten one to answer this question.  At this point the only way I have found is to set a channel in the router and reboot Arlo forcing it to select those channels.  Once Arlo has rebooted you can reset your router to auto or another channel and Arlo remains on those channels but only until a reboot forcing you to repeat.

[Rob-m]

I have confirmed the Arlo base is interfering and knocking me off important work web conferencing calls as well it blocks devices or laptop from connecting back at times.  Once I disconnect the base or force my wifi to another channel all is well until the base switches over and finds the wifi channel again.  This would be the most simple fix for Alro/Netgear. but after years of customer complaints they have not.   I refuse to invest or buy any other cameras from Arlo.  still have my existing though so havent shut it down.  But am working on slowly replacing them...

[ArloC123]

I have Arlo all around my house. Most of the time it is turned off completely because a it interferes with my WiFi. As has been stated repeatedly on the internet, this company has not ability to fix simple problems.  Which leads me to believe they have ulterior motivation like monitoring our traffic. They are not here to do their job but aspire to be a data collecting entity.  Prefer to turn them off. I now use two of my cameras just to confirm my water pumps are working.  How do this happen?  LOL