Eero Pro WiFi routers get DFS feature in latest software update

The eero Pro tri-band WiFi router now supports automatic Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS) for users in the US and Canada, the company has announced. The new feature arrives in eeroOS version 3.19.0, offering improved reliability and speed while helping decrease interference. This latest version of the software will automatically be installed on the routers, also bringing bug fixes and stability improvements.

Put simply, Dynamic Frequency Selection enables the eero Pro routers to use certain 5GHz channels usually reserved for critical services like radar, relieving congestion and therefore improving network reliability and performance. Eero describes this as akin to using empty express lanes on a highway, enabling traffic to move into new lanes in order to reduce congestion in the other lanes.

The DFS system works by monitoring these channels and making sure they're clear of radar signals before using them. When these radar signals come down the pipeline, the router must switch off the channel in order to give that signal priority; by doing this, the router can leverage the channels when they're available without disrupting the other critical services that use them.

The eero Pro nodes feature two 5GHz radios, one that can monitor the channels and the other that can serve network traffic. Users won't need to do anything to use this feature or enable it — it'll be available automatically in the US and Canada once eeroOS version 3.19.0 is installed on the device.

The router features an automatic channel selection (ACS) feature that checks the channel conditions to determine whether a DFS channel can be used or if there are signals that require the router to use a different channel for a time. The ACS feature will choose the best channel for your home network to use, then conduct a channel availability check (CAC) to make sure it can transmit on the channel.

Overall, eero says that customers can expect a 'better connectivity experience.'