How to Fix Wi-Fi 7 Interference With Smart Home Devices (2026)

by
On this page

Wi-Fi 7 brings huge performance upgrades in 2026 – multi-link operation (MLO), 320 MHz channels, 4K QAM and smarter band steering. Great for laptops and phones, but not so great for cheap smart home gadgets. Many Zigbee, Thread, Matter and Wi-Fi IoT devices were never designed with Wi-Fi 7’s radio behaviour in mind.

The result: lights that randomly go offline, sensors that stop reporting, smart plugs that show as “unreachable” and Matter devices that refuse to pair. All of that usually comes down to one thing – RF interference and channel chaos.

This guide shows how to configure a modern Wi-Fi 7 router so it plays nicely with Zigbee, Thread, BLE and Wi-Fi-based IoT devices. Follow the steps below and you’ll stabilise your smart home without giving up the benefits of Wi-Fi 7.

1. Turn off 320 MHz channels on 6 GHz

Most consumer Wi-Fi 7 routers ship with 320 MHz wide channels enabled on the 6 GHz band. These ultra-wide channels are fantastic for raw throughput, but they generate a lot of RF energy. In dense flats and houses, that “noise” spills into the 2.4 GHz space where Zigbee, Thread and BLE live.

Typical symptoms:

  • Thread or Zigbee devices that drop offline whenever someone starts a big download.
  • Matter devices that pair successfully but become flaky a few hours later.
  • BLE sensors that lag or stop updating.

Fix – limit 6 GHz to 160 MHz:

  • Log into your router’s web interface.
  • Open the 6 GHz band settings.
  • Change channel width from 320 MHz to 160 MHz.
  • Apply and reboot if required.

Router settings showing Wi-Fi 7 channel width set to 160 MHz and MLO disabled.

In real homes this single change often turns an unstable smart home into a rock-solid one, while still keeping Wi-Fi 7 speeds more than fast enough for daily use.

2. Disable MLO for low-power IoT devices

MLO (Multi-Link Operation) lets Wi-Fi 7 clients use multiple bands at once. That’s brilliant for premium phones and laptops. For smart bulbs and plugs, it’s a nightmare. Many low-cost IoT chipsets simply don’t fully support MLO and get stuck in a join/rejoin loop.

Fix – create a dedicated non-MLO IoT SSID:

  • Create a second SSID, for example Home-IoT.
  • Limit it to 2.4 GHz only, 20 MHz channel width.
  • Use WPA2/WPA3 mixed mode, MLO disabled.
  • Connect all smart plugs, bulbs, cameras and appliances to this IoT network.

Keep your main SSID with Wi-Fi 7 features enabled for phones, TVs and laptops, and let smart home devices live on a simpler, more predictable network.

3. Avoid Wi-Fi / Zigbee / Thread channel overlap

Zigbee and Thread run in the 2.4 GHz band using narrow channels that overlap Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz channels. If your router sits directly on top of a Zigbee channel, packet loss and latency skyrocket.

Zigbee and Thread hub showing channel overlap with 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi.

Typical problematic combinations:

  • Wi-Fi channel 6 + Zigbee channel 17–20
  • Wi-Fi channel 11 + Zigbee channel 21–24

Fix – align Wi-Fi and Zigbee/Thread channels correctly:

  • Set your Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz band to channel 1 or 6 (20 MHz width only).
  • Configure Zigbee/Thread hub to use channel 20 (if possible).
  • Keep both values fixed – disable automatic channel selection for 2.4 GHz.

Once channels are locked to a good combination, previously “random” dropouts tend to disappear.

4. Turn off DFS channels on 5 GHz where possible

DFS (Dynamic Frequency Selection) channels share spectrum with radar. When your router detects radar activity, it must immediately hop to another channel. Wi-Fi clients handle that reasonably well; tiny IoT radios often don’t.

If you see smart home devices frequently disconnect in the evening or during bad weather, DFS channel changes might be the culprit.

Fix – use non-DFS 5 GHz channels:

  • In router settings, set 5 GHz channels to 36/40/44/48.
  • Disable automatic DFS channel selection.

Your laptop may lose a small amount of peak throughput, but your smart home gains stability.

5. Keep IoT devices on 2.4 GHz, not 6 GHz

Most IoT chipsets in 2026 do not support 6 GHz Wi-Fi, WPA3-only networks or advanced Wi-Fi 7 features. If your router tries to steer them onto 6 GHz or a mixed MLO link, pairing may never complete or devices will drop off after a reboot.

Fix:

  • IoT SSID = 2.4 GHz only, 20 MHz, no band steering.
  • Disable “Smart Connect” or “Band Steering” for this SSID.
  • Use simple WPA2/WPA3 security without enterprise options.

2.4 GHz is slower on paper but offers far better range through walls and for low-power radios.

6. Tune mesh backhaul for smart home stability

Wi-Fi 7 mesh systems typically use 6 GHz as a dedicated backhaul and aggressively move clients around nodes. That behaviour is good for roaming phones but can confuse fixed-position IoT devices at the edge of coverage.

Key problems:

  • Backhaul switching between DFS and non-DFS channels.
  • Nodes placed too far apart, creating weak signal “valleys”.
  • IoT devices stuck between two nodes, constantly re-associating.

Fixes:

  • If possible, use Ethernet backhaul to each mesh node.
  • Lock 6 GHz backhaul to 160 MHz fixed channel.
  • Move nodes so that IoT devices clearly belong to a single node’s coverage area.

7. Reduce 2.4 GHz transmit power

Wi-Fi 7 routers can be far louder (in RF terms) than older hardware. Cranking 2.4 GHz transmit power to maximum can drown out Zigbee and Thread, especially if the router sits close to your hub.

Fix – don’t blast 2.4 GHz at full power:

  • Set 2.4 GHz transmit power to Medium instead of High/Max.
  • Keep channel width at 20 MHz.
  • Place the router at least a metre away from your Zigbee/Thread hub.

The goal is a clean signal, not the loudest one.

8. Keep firmware updated on router and hubs

Early Wi-Fi 7 firmware (2024–2025) had plenty of bugs around MLO, channel selection and coexistence with IoT. In 2026, most vendors push regular updates to fix this, but only if you actually install them.

Update everything that speaks wireless:

  • Your Wi-Fi 7 router or mesh system.
  • Smart home hubs (HomePod, Echo, Nest, Hue Bridge, Aqara, Home Assistant Yellow/Green, etc.).
  • Any dedicated Thread Border Routers.

After major firmware updates, reboot the router, hubs and a couple of representative devices to make sure they re-join cleanly.

9. Separate heavy clients from IoT devices

4K cameras, VR headsets, Wi-Fi 7 laptops and consoles can easily saturate channels with high-bitrate traffic. If they share the same 2.4 GHz space as low-power sensors, the sensors lose.

Fix – segregate clients by SSID and band:

  • Main Wi-Fi 7 SSID (2.4/5/6 GHz, MLO on) → phones, laptops, TVs, consoles.
  • IoT SSID (2.4 GHz only, no MLO) → smart plugs, bulbs, sensors, appliances.
  • Optional Guest SSID → visitors and untrusted devices.

This way, heavy data flows don’t directly compete with tiny IoT packets.

Diagram of optimal Wi-Fi 7 and smart home IoT network layout.

10. Fix Matter and Thread instability on Wi-Fi 7

Matter over Thread promises more reliability, but only when RF is well-behaved. Wi-Fi 7 interference, bad channels and overpowered 2.4 GHz can still break the experience.

To stabilise Matter/Thread:

  • Lock Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz to a fixed channel (1 or 6) with 20 MHz width.
  • Configure Zigbee/Thread channel around 20 where supported.
  • Disable band steering and MLO on the IoT SSID.
  • Reboot all Thread Border Routers and give them several minutes to rebuild the mesh.

Once the RF environment is clean, Matter devices generally stay connected for months without issues.

11. Pick smart home hubs that handle RF coexistence well

Some hubs manage Zigbee/Thread/Wi-Fi coexistence much better than others. Cheap USB dongles and router-integrated hubs often struggle when Wi-Fi 7 turns up the noise.

Platforms that typically behave well in Wi-Fi 7 homes:

  • Apple Home with HomePod mini / HomePod (Thread Border Router).
  • Philips Hue Bridge (latest generation).
  • Aqara M-series hubs with Zigbee 3.0 and Thread support.
  • Home Assistant Yellow/Green with official Thread/Zigbee modules.

If your current hub frequently loses devices even after fixing channels and power levels, consider replacing it. When shopping, use Amazon UK search to compare current options:

12. When to replace your Wi-Fi 7 router

Sometimes the problem isn’t configuration – it’s the router. Consider replacing it if:

  • You can’t disable 320 MHz channels.
  • There is no way to turn off MLO or band steering per SSID.
  • 2.4/5/6 GHz channels cannot be set manually.
  • DFS channels are forced with no override.
  • The router crashes or reboots under moderate load.

Look for models that give you full control over channels, widths and SSID features. On Amazon UK, start with:

13. Related Wi-Fi troubleshooting you should read

If you’re dealing with Wi-Fi 7 interference, it’s likely you’ll also see issues with wireless audio and Bluetooth devices around the house – crackling soundbars, dropping earbuds or controllers that lag. Many of the same RF principles apply.

For a deeper dive into wireless stability, check our guide Fix Bluetooth Headphones Disconnecting on iPhone / Android (2026). It covers interference sources, router placement and advanced radio tweaks that pair well with the fixes in this article.

14. Quick checklist – fix Wi-Fi 7 interference with smart home devices

  • Limit 6 GHz to 160 MHz – no 320 MHz channels.
  • Create a 2.4 GHz-only IoT SSID with MLO and band steering disabled.
  • Lock 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi and Zigbee/Thread to non-overlapping channels.
  • Use non-DFS 5 GHz channels where possible.
  • Reduce 2.4 GHz transmit power to Medium and keep hubs away from the router.
  • Update firmware on your Wi-Fi 7 router and all smart home hubs.
  • Segregate heavy Wi-Fi 7 clients from IoT devices by SSID and band.
  • Replace routers or hubs that don’t give you enough RF control.

Do those things and your Wi-Fi 7 network can deliver next-gen speeds without wrecking the reliability of your smart home. Fast internet and stable automations can absolutely coexist – they just need a bit of careful RF planning.

Recommended for you

More articles in Fixes →

Leave a Comment