18 Tips To Avoid Bluetooth and ANT+ Dropouts on Zwift (Zwiftalizer Video)

February 17, 2024

LAST UPDATED February 17, 2024

Have you ever had a data dropout in Zwift, where the game suddenly stops receiving data from your smart trainer or heart rate monitor? Data dropouts on Zwift are the worst, especially in the middle of an important group ride or race!

The great Mike Hanney, creator of Zwiftalizer, has dropped another helpful video packed full of tips to avoid data dropouts on Zwift. Watch it below, or read our summary below that!

Tip #1: Use Wahoo Direct Connect

Owners of certain Wahoo hardware can eliminate the need for Bluetooth or ANT+ altogether by purchasing the $100 KICKR Direct Connect module from Wahoo. KICKR Direct Connect is compatible with KICKR MOVE, KICKR v5, KICKR V6, KICKR ROLLR, KICKR BIKE SHIFT, and KICKR BIKE V2.

Note: I would expand this tip by suggesting you use your Wahoo device’s built-in WiFi connection if available. KICKR V6, KICKR Move, KICKR BIKE SHIFT, and KICKR BIKE V2 all support WiFi connections.

Tip #2: Use Ethernet

One of the best ways to reduce or eliminate interference from WiFi is to not use WiFi! Hardwire your Zwift device (PC/Mac/AppleTV) into your network.

Tip #3: Use 5.0 GHz WiFi

Using only 5.0 GHz WiFi instead of 2.4 eliminates the interference 2.4 may have with ANT+ signals.

Tip #4: On 2.4 GHz WiFi, Avoid Channel 10

Channel 10 uses the exact same frequency as ANT+ (2.457 GHz) and will thus interfere with those signals. If you must use 2.4 GHz WiFi, use channels 1-5, and do not use the auto channel selection feature on your WiFi router.

Tip #5: Remove Physical Obstacles

Low-power radio signals do not travel through objects well, so remove obstacles between your trainer and Zwift device.

Tip #6: Turn Off Other WiFi Devices

Lots of devices in the home use 2.4 GHz WiFi, which could interfere with ANT+. Turn them off, or force them to use 5.0 GHz.

Tip #7: Use USB 2 Ports

Use the black USB 2 ports on your computer, not the (usually blue) USB 3 ones. USB 3 is an interference generator – Intel wrote this white paper all about it.

Tip #8: Enable High Performance Power Plan

If your power plan in Windows is set to “balanced” or “power saver”, set it to “High Performance” as this will increase the performance of your PC for gaming.

Tip #9: Disable USB Selective Suspend

Windows 10 includes the “USB Selective Suspend” feature which puts USB devices into a very low-power state when not in use. This may cause dropouts when Windows thinks your ANT+ dongle’s USB port isn’t in use when it actually is.

Tip #10: Use USB 2 Extension Cable

Use a simple USB 2 extension cable to move your dongle away from your computer’s WiFi card and into unobstructed proximity to your trainer setup.

Tip #11: Always Plug In Your Laptop

If you run Zwift on your laptop on battery power, you’ll never get good performance since the CPU will be throttled down to save power.

Tip #12: Disable Old ANT+ Protocols

On the Tacx Neo, disable the old ANT+ protocols to “clean up” the signal. See this video from GPLama with more info >

Tip #13: Disable Garmin Connect

Stop the Garmin ANT agent if it’s running in your system tray so it doesn’t try to take over control of your ANT dongle from Zwift.

Tip #14: Don’t Put the Dongle Too Close

If you place the receiver too close to the transmitter, the signal can get distorted and lead to corrupted data.

Tip #15: Update Firmware

Update your trainer/power meter firmware if possible. Newer firmware may improve device pairing, support updated ANT or Bluetooth profiles, or include options for turning off old profiles.

Tip #16: Avoid Sweat

Sweat kills electronics. Put your dongle in a small plastic bag and seal it with a cable tie.

Tip #17: Change Your Batteries

A regular dropout pattern in Zwiftalizer is a sure sign that the battery in your heart rate monitor or power meter is dying.

Tip #18: Line of Sight Positioning

Ensure that your ANT+ and Bluetooth devices have line of sight to your ANT+ or Bluetooth receivers, and those lines of sight don’t overlap with the line between your WiFi router and receiver.