HomePod so buggy it's not worth it. what am I missing?

Sounds like your Wifi is connecting using the 2.4Ghz band. Make sure the WiFi network is created with a 5Ghz only band. The 2.4Ghz band suffers from severe interference from other devices and that would include a router that is close to it. This band is still available only to be compatible with older devices, but is no longer a usable technology with the many WiFi devices that are available.

After you are connected to the 5Ghz only network, reset the HomePods and it is likely to resolve all the problems.

alexfromhigh point wrote:

I double checked that early on and it is in fact running 5Ghz.

What did you do to check the network is using 5Ghz only?

Do you know the channel number that it is using?

A dual band router that supports 5Ghz, rarely connects on that band consistently. It does require creating a specific network that does not allow a 2.4Ghz connection. There is no way to check the band on an iPhone, it will require router access to either view the device list for the connection or view the settings for the network that was created to make sure it has a setting for 5Ghz only.

Are there any other wifi networks nearby? You can use something like WIFI Explorer to see what else is running near you. If you find another network try changing your wifi channel. HomePods seem to be very sensitive to needing a strong, clear signal. Good luck