Hey everyone,
Just wanted to share some tips on tweaking the settings of our EX820v routers. A couple of adjustments can really help overall performance, especially if you’re dealing with a mix of old and new device. These aren’t switched on by default, but here’s why you might want to consider it.
- Airtime Fairness
So, Airtime Fairness. This one’s a bit of a lifesaver if you’ve got a variety of devices trying to get on the Wi-Fi at the same time. Without it, older devices that take longer to send and receive data can end up slowing everyone else down. Turning this on helps make sure that all devices, old and new, get a fair go without the older ones bottlenecking your network. It’s particularly handy if you’ve got lots of IoT gadgets with different Wi-Fi capabilities.
- OFDMA
Next up, OFDMA. This is for the folks with Wi-Fi 6 devices. It basically lets your router talk to multiple devices at once, splitting up the bandwidth more efficiently. It means your network can handle more at once, with less waiting around for everyone. If you’ve started adding Wi-Fi 6 gadgets to your setup, you’ll likely see a difference with this turned on.
- TWT
Lastly, there’s TWT, or Target Wake Time. This one’s about saving battery life on those Wi-Fi 6 devices. It lets devices decide when they’ll wake up to check in with the router, meaning they can spend more time sleeping. This is good for battery life on your mobile devices.
How to Turn These On
To switch these features on, you’ll want to dive into your router’s settings. Simply enter 192.168.0.1 into your browser’s address bar to access the admin panel. Once you’re in, navigate to the ‘Advanced’ tab and locate the ‘Wireless’ menu option. Here, you’ll find the settings for OFDMA and TWT—just flick them on and apply your changes. For Airtime Fairness, you’ll need to dig a bit deeper. It’s tucked away in the ‘Advanced Settings’ section, which you’ll find under the selected ‘Wireless’ tab. Enable it, save your changes, and you’re all set.
While you’re exploring, another setting to consider is BSS Color. This feature is particularly useful if you’re in an area crowded with many other Wi-Fi networks. BSS Color helps reduce interference from neighboring networks by assigning a different “color” (a number) to each network. It’s a way for your devices to distinguish between your home network and others nearby, improving efficiency in environments with lots of wireless traffic. You’ll find this option within the same ‘Wireless’ menu. Turning on BSS Color can make a significant difference in busy areas.
Just a heads-up, tweaking these settings can vary based on what devices you have and how you use them, so it might take a bit of playing around to get everything just right for your situation.
Hope this helps some of you out!