Nearby devices bypass pods and connect directly to router anyway (pods are not new)

Is there any way to specifiy the best pod for a device to connect to? I have had two pods connected for nearly a year. Right now nearly every device in the house except 2 are connecting to the main router, so the pods are useless. My office computer has a pod plugged in literally right next to it. Instead it's connecting to the upstairs pod across the house. The only thing connecting to the "office" pod is the wireless xfinity tv box we never use (the tv itself is wireless capable and connecting directly to the router). An upstairs bedroom (farthest from the router and with the poorest connection in the house), is closest to the upstairs pod and yet not connecting to it (when my office computer on another floor across the house is).