STOP Dropouts! Indoor Cycling Setup Tips: Wireless Optimisation!

Look at that an exploding WRT54g. I've been using ASUS ZenWifi XT9's (three of them) with variable results, not the greatest.

When doing sponsorships, they should have NOTHING to do with the topic of the video. Don't camouflage ads as advice.

Disappointing

Switch from ANT+ to BT? Blasphemy! The Devils speaks out of you, we need to start an exorcism fast as possible! :)

On top of that, my tip for the best setup, run Swift on a pc or laptop physically connected to your network via 1Ge Ethernet cable. Then use the cast feature of Chrome to cast your pc to your big tv in front of your bicycle. If you're using a desktop pc in another room, use a wireless keyboard with integrated laptop keypad to control it while sitting on your bike. Don't run swift on a cell, tablet or apple tv.

You will need a 30$ Google Chromecast hooked to your TV for casting, and a 10$ USB ant dongle for your pc.

I've had no end of issues with the TP-Link UB500 on Windows. Switching to a no-name alternative based on a Nordic chipset resolved the issue.

I've been using 4 x ASUS ZenWifi XT8s since 2020 - works perfectly across a 4 storey house - covers basement and garden...

Only issues what I faced recently is Companion App doesn't connect immediately with Zwift. I have 2018 MacBook Pro and iPhone 16 Pro. Only way to handle this issue is go to my MacBook settings -> Privacy/Security -> Local Network: Zwift turn off and turn on back again. After that Companion App start to loading map. Other room I have 2021 iMac which is in a same wifi and Companion App work well with that.

Most of my devices are on 5Hz because they interfered with my BT headphones :D

Is there a device that will take a single Bluetooth signal and split it into two signals for use by 2 different applications. I want my Taxc neo bike to connect to both Zwift and TR.

HRM connections are crummy - for either ANT+ or BT, I find you need the transmitter sensor relatively close to the HRM (compared to other BT devices). Any hacks for that (other than put the sensor at the end of a long cable)?

Llama house 😂

I have 1 Gb ethernet outlets in every room in my house including my pain cave. Yes, I have WiFi as well (2.4, 5 and 6)

bluetooth for trainier (core), ANT+ for HRM, as I need to auto-reconnect during rides as I have to leave the room enough times for BT to be a pain as it doens't auto reconnect.
both dongles are no more then half a meter or 19 inches from the HRM/ Trainer.
Wi-Fi, well I understood it, couldn't explain it better then Shane, do wonder if those that need to know will..?
Access Point best if wired into main router with cat 6 (or better) cable, where I'm at with Wi-Fi, well I've got two 4 port switches around the house as well :)

I got the biggest cat cable i could find so I'm wired to my computer.

my new bluetooth stick connects my kikr really fast, but connecting to my 4iiii PM is pretty terrible, seems to take long to find it and disconnects sometimes while the kikr works flawlessly.

Not gon lie... Optimisation vs Optimization threw me off for a second.... (American vs British Spelling)😅

At least 95% of connection issues are just the result of crappy software implementation of the respecive protocols, wether it`s some kind of WiFi, Bluetooth, ANT+ or any other protocol.
For some illuster reason the programmers working at the bigger fitness electronics firms have a harder time following simple protocol then their counterparts at other fields of business.
About 2 years ago i started Zwifting, at the time some apprentice or so had fakd up, lots of people having issues with dropouts and so, well, Zwift`s response : it`s not us, it`s you, our software has to be compatible with an enormous variety of software combinations, some just wont work, not our fault, or the problem would be "too busy", tho much devices intervering with another, blahblahblah.
Complete HC, over 20 devices kept functioning as usual, no problems, it was just Zwift on Apple TV and other platforms having issues, other cycling apps worked just fine.

Garmin is an other example, the last few firmwares of the XX30 series introduced a random dropping of sensors error, both in ANT+ and BLE, that ofcourse was also blamed on external factors outside their control at first, Garmin faffed a while with having a few users doing their alpha and beta testing firmware versions, free ofcourse, but with the launch of the XX50 series, all support for the XX30`s just stopped overnight, not even a follow up or a notice on the Garmin support forums.
As of today, with the final firmware there is almost guaranteed one random sensor drop every ride, no matter BLE or ANT+. The years before, with a simple Bontrager Ridertime elite, same Wahoo sensors and Polar H10 strap, never a problem.
The whole Edge software is buggy and crappy btw, at least on my 1030+, but that`s an other story.


I drive a crappy old car, with a crappy Parrot about 15y old carkit, it just connects, never drops, with every phone i have destroyed over that time, even in busy places where 100`s of devices are screaming for attention.

Ever see a hippie dude with a hippie headset glued to his hippie ears fool around frustrated with his hippie music or hippie podcast streaming device and headset because he`s walking throug a crowded street or mall with 1000`s devices that constantly make his connection drop? Nope, the protocols can handle that environment just fine, as long it is implemented right.

Another option, if you have a Wahoo Kickr v.5 or higher, is the Wahoo Direct Connect. This option puts the trainer directly on your network via Ethernet, eliminating the WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity concerns.

Any MacOS equivalents for the TP-Link device? It seems that only works with WindowsOS.

In my case, the major problem I have is forgetting to turn off the phone's VPN.

If for some reason you need to have a long USB cable (say from a laptop to a bluetooth dongle closer to your trainer) then make sure you have a ferrite choke on that cable. Some come with it but most don't, but they are cheap, readily available and easy to put on.

Also, if you are going to change your 2.4Ghz channel, you might want to use the WiFi Analyzer app (or similar) to select a band that isn't being used by all of your neighbors.

Bad connectivity is not bad because of the connectivity, but because Zwift doesn't allow to continue a ride after a lost connection, overheated laptop or any other problems that can occur every time, no matter how good my setup is. After 10 years, one should believe, that Zwift programmers should have figured out how to do that, but obivously they can't

Another banger, sir! And well done for the Asus collab. Kinda huge 👀

Another tip is to just run ethernet to your zwift machine, if possible. You'll completely eliminate the interference near the PC and a "trouble point".

I have an older mac (2017) that seems to be working fine. All of the sudden I am having my trainer drop out on races, but not when I do workouts or causal rides. I am thinking that it might be my bluetooth connection (which everything is connecting that way) from my trainer to my computer. I looked on Amazon and could not find an adaptor to upgrade the bluetooth from 4.2 to 5+. Any recommendations?

Asus Mesh is horrible... switched over to google and it's way better.

google mesh 🤟 I have 500/500 mbit line 😁

I have so many devices going through bluetooth for zwifting, its unreal.
I use a UGreenBluetooth Adaptor 5.3 which supports upto 5 devices at once so.......
Wahoo Kickr Core
Zwift Clicker
Heartrate Monitor
Ear Buds from Soundcore
Works perfect, though I do also use an Extension cable just to bring the Bluetooth adapter closer to everything.
just dont get a cheap usb extension

+1 on getting a BT dongle. Faster and more concurrent connections solved the device overload (trainer, 2 controllers, HRM, headphones, etc.) on my old PC when zwifting. I got the TP UB500 off amazon. The drivers failed to auto load, so had to manually install to get it working on both win10 and win11 (frustrating), but works great once that was done.

My pain cave is 2.4ghz free. I have a unifi IW that only broadcasts in 5ghz inside the room. PC & Apple TV are wired in. The shed is also foil insulated so it significantly reduces any rogue 2.4ghz radio waves coming in. I have had zero drop outs using Ant +.

Great tips, love your work Mr Miller. I'm getting the old "Your connection is not private" error when I click on your ASUS EBM68
link...

If you use a mesh network, use the ethernet cables for wired backhaul and will ensure very robust broadcasting from the access points and connect as many devices and computer as possible to ethernet. I have nearly 1gb upload and down load on Fios here in the US. Never had my apple TV or trainer lack connectivity.

Honestly moving to a (free to me) Apple TV that you don't even need to be a paid subscriber to apple to run Zwift and is ethernet hard wired has been a game changer for me.

When I had a laptop I had a USB extension with a bluetooth dongle right by the trainer as suggested to pick up the trainer and heart rate. Doesn't look nice but made the signal very reliable for the sensors.

It's crazy that trainers do not also come with a USB connection...

Sounded kind of like you were speaking English - but it may as well have been Chinese or Finish for the sense that tech stuff made to me!

Shane great video and I agree with everything you said I have mentioned Network myself. The only suggestion would be I would get a Bluetooth 5.4 device as that is the latest specification has the additional improvements over 5.3. Not many devices support 5.4 yet, but it has advantages over 5.0 and 5.3.

The one you like to is for 5.3 and there is a model from Ugreen on Amazon same price at 5.4. I use both TP link and Ugreen equipment throughout my house and they both are very good.

The only other thing I would add is to connect devices to wired Ethernet if possible That is what I do and have my PC and smart TV connected to ethernet.

Reminds me I must work out why Zwift Companion will only connect in my sessions if the iPad/iPhone it's running on is on my 2.4Ghz network. Zwift is running on an M2 Mac Mini and that is on the 5Ghz network.

Great video, thanks. I realize that it covers connectivity in general and not for a specific app. I use a gaming laptop w/eternity cable on wifi6 router. Always run Zwift devices through Companion App as a bridge. Never had a drop since doing that

Iv. Not had an issue with WiFi, ANT+ or BLE but people should try to link their fixed network devices via good old ethernet. I do need to replace my TP link power lines to unlock some serious speed however not got round to that project yet lol