diff --git a/docs/routes.md b/docs/routes.md
index 6c794ef..a252505 100644
--- a/docs/routes.md
+++ b/docs/routes.md
@@ -17,10 +17,10 @@ Each route carries these knobs:
 | Field | Default | Description |
 | --- | --- | --- |
 | `match_width` | `1` | Path-hash prefix width in bytes (1/2/3). Higher widths disambiguate nodes that share a short public-key prefix. |
-| `window_hours` | `24` | Rolling lookback window for the live status card. |
-| `packet_count_threshold` | `3` | Distinct matching packets at/above which the route is `healthy`. "Distinct" is per underlying event, not per transmission — see [How health is evaluated](#how-health-is-evaluated) above. |
-| `clear_threshold` | _(2× threshold)_ | Comfort bar for the `clear`/`marginal` split. Omit/null to use twice the threshold. |
-| `max_hop_span` | _(unlimited)_ | Caps the position gap between the first and last matched node, to reject matches that wander too far. |
+| `window_hours` | `48` | Rolling lookback window for the live status card. |
+| `packet_count_threshold` | `5` | Distinct matching packets at/above which the route is `healthy`. "Distinct" is per underlying event, not per transmission — see [How health is evaluated](#how-health-is-evaluated) above. |
+| `clear_threshold` | _(3× threshold)_ | Comfort bar for the `clear`/`marginal` split. Omit/null to use three times the threshold. |
+| `max_hop_span` | `8` | Caps the position gap between the first and last matched node, to reject matches that wander too far. |
 | `reversible` | `true` | Also match the path in reverse direction. |
 | `enabled` | `true` | When `false`, the route is skipped by the evaluator and reports `unknown`/`no_coverage`. |
 
diff --git a/docs/seeding.md b/docs/seeding.md
index 2127bc7..72bbf46 100644
--- a/docs/seeding.md
+++ b/docs/seeding.md
@@ -126,9 +126,9 @@ routes:
     description: A140 corridor route
     visibility: community
     match_width: 1
-    window_hours: 24
-    packet_count_threshold: 3
-    # clear_threshold: 10      # optional; omit/null = 2x threshold
+    window_hours: 48
+    packet_count_threshold: 5
+    # clear_threshold: 15      # optional; omit/null = 3x threshold
     # max_hop_span: 8           # optional; omit/null = unlimited
     enabled: true
     reversible: true              # match both directions (A->B and B->A)
diff --git a/src/meshcore_hub/api/metrics.py b/src/meshcore_hub/api/metrics.py
index aa04912..927558b 100644
--- a/src/meshcore_hub/api/metrics.py
+++ b/src/meshcore_hub/api/metrics.py
@@ -348,7 +348,7 @@ def collect_metrics(session: Any) -> bytes:
     )
     route_clear = Gauge(
         "meshcore_route_clear_threshold",
-        "Effective clear threshold (2x threshold when unset)",
+        "Effective clear threshold (3x threshold when unset)",
         ["route"],
         registry=registry,
     )
diff --git a/src/meshcore_hub/collector/cli.py b/src/meshcore_hub/collector/cli.py
index 8e78cc0..08b2474 100644
--- a/src/meshcore_hub/collector/cli.py
+++ b/src/meshcore_hub/collector/cli.py
@@ -806,7 +806,7 @@ def _import_routes(
                     route.match_width = match_width
                     route.window_hours = value.get("window_hours", 48)
                     route.packet_count_threshold = value.get(
-                        "packet_count_threshold", 3
+                        "packet_count_threshold", 5
                     )
                     route.clear_threshold = value.get("clear_threshold")
                     route.max_hop_span = value.get("max_hop_span", 8)
@@ -827,7 +827,7 @@ def _import_routes(
                         visibility=visibility,
                         match_width=match_width,
                         window_hours=value.get("window_hours", 48),
-                        packet_count_threshold=value.get("packet_count_threshold", 3),
+                        packet_count_threshold=value.get("packet_count_threshold", 5),
                         clear_threshold=value.get("clear_threshold"),
                         max_hop_span=value.get("max_hop_span", 8),
                         enabled=value.get("enabled", True),
diff --git a/src/meshcore_hub/collector/routes.py b/src/meshcore_hub/collector/routes.py
index cd286b2..6874d22 100644
--- a/src/meshcore_hub/collector/routes.py
+++ b/src/meshcore_hub/collector/routes.py
@@ -27,8 +27,8 @@ from meshcore_hub.common.models.route_result_history import RouteResultHistory
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 #: Multiplier for the relative default comfort bar (``clear_threshold = None``
-#: means ``effective_clear = 2 × packet_count_threshold``).
-CLEAR_DEFAULT_MULTIPLIER = 2
+#: means ``effective_clear = 3 × packet_count_threshold``).
+CLEAR_DEFAULT_MULTIPLIER = 3
 
 #: Cap on candidate receptions for preview to bound work per call.
 PREVIEW_CANDIDATE_CAP = 5000
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ def derive_expected_hash(public_key: str, match_width: int) -> str:
 
 
 def effective_clear_threshold(route: Route) -> int:
-    """The effective comfort bar: explicit value or ``2 × threshold``."""
+    """The effective comfort bar: explicit value or ``3 × threshold``."""
     return route.clear_threshold or (
         route.packet_count_threshold * CLEAR_DEFAULT_MULTIPLIER
     )
@@ -1239,7 +1239,7 @@ def preview_route(
     match_width: int = config.get("match_width") or 1
     observer_ids: Optional[list[str]] = config.get("observer_ids") or None
     max_hop_span: Optional[int] = config.get("max_hop_span")
-    threshold: int = config.get("packet_count_threshold") or 3
+    threshold: int = config.get("packet_count_threshold") or 5
     clear_bar: Optional[int] = config.get("clear_threshold")
     reversible: bool = config.get("reversible", True)
 
diff --git a/src/meshcore_hub/common/models/route.py b/src/meshcore_hub/common/models/route.py
index cf5c0a0..e44468a 100644
--- a/src/meshcore_hub/common/models/route.py
+++ b/src/meshcore_hub/common/models/route.py
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ class Route(Base, UUIDMixin, TimestampMixin):
         match_width: Path-hash prefix width in bytes (1/2/3)
         window_hours: Evaluation lookback window in hours
         packet_count_threshold: Minimum distinct packets for healthy
-        clear_threshold: Comfort bar for the clear/marginal split (null = 2x threshold)
+        clear_threshold: Comfort bar for the clear/marginal split (null = 3x threshold)
         max_hop_span: Max hops between first and last configured node (null = unlimited)
         enabled: Whether this route is actively evaluated
     """
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ class Route(Base, UUIDMixin, TimestampMixin):
     )
     packet_count_threshold: Mapped[int] = mapped_column(
         Integer,
-        default=3,
+        default=5,
         nullable=False,
     )
     clear_threshold: Mapped[Optional[int]] = mapped_column(
diff --git a/src/meshcore_hub/common/schemas/routes.py b/src/meshcore_hub/common/schemas/routes.py
index d2df380..074a0c9 100644
--- a/src/meshcore_hub/common/schemas/routes.py
+++ b/src/meshcore_hub/common/schemas/routes.py
@@ -67,10 +67,10 @@ class RouteCreate(BaseModel):
         default=48, ge=1, le=720, description="Evaluation window in hours"
     )
     packet_count_threshold: int = Field(
-        default=3, ge=1, le=10000, description="Minimum distinct packets for healthy"
+        default=5, ge=1, le=10000, description="Minimum distinct packets for healthy"
     )
     clear_threshold: Optional[int] = Field(
-        default=None, description="Comfort bar (null = 2x threshold)"
+        default=None, description="Comfort bar (null = 3x threshold)"
     )
     max_hop_span: Optional[int] = Field(
         default=8, description="Max hop distance between first and last node"
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ class RoutePreviewRequest(BaseModel):
     )
     match_width: int = Field(default=1, ge=1, le=3)
     window_hours: int = Field(default=48, ge=1, le=720)
-    packet_count_threshold: int = Field(default=3, ge=1, le=10000)
+    packet_count_threshold: int = Field(default=5, ge=1, le=10000)
     clear_threshold: Optional[int] = None
     max_hop_span: Optional[int] = Field(default=8)
     observer_public_keys: Optional[list[str]] = None
diff --git a/src/meshcore_hub/web/static/js/spa/pages/routes.js b/src/meshcore_hub/web/static/js/spa/pages/routes.js
index f86a128..8ba9c89 100644
--- a/src/meshcore_hub/web/static/js/spa/pages/routes.js
+++ b/src/meshcore_hub/web/static/js/spa/pages/routes.js
@@ -405,13 +405,13 @@ function renderRouteModal({ modalState, onSave, onCancel, saving }) {
                         <div>
                             <label class="text-sm opacity-70">${t('routes.threshold_label')}</label>
                             <input type="number" id="route-modal-threshold" class="input input-sm w-full"
-                                .value=${route.packet_count_threshold || 3} min="1" max="10000" />
+                                .value=${route.packet_count_threshold || 5} min="1" max="10000" />
                         </div>
                         <div>
                             <label class="text-sm opacity-70">${t('routes.clear_label')}</label>
                             <input type="number" id="route-modal-clear" class="input input-sm w-full"
                                 .value=${route.clear_threshold || ''}
-                                placeholder="${2 * (route.packet_count_threshold || 3)}" min="1" />
+                                placeholder="${3 * (route.packet_count_threshold || 5)}" min="1" />
                         </div>
                         <div>
                             <label class="text-sm opacity-70">${t('routes.span_label')}</label>
@@ -633,7 +633,7 @@ export async function render(container, params, router) {
         }
 
         function handleAdd() {
-            modalState = _newModalState('add', { visibility: 'community', enabled: true, match_width: 1, window_hours: 48, max_hop_span: 8 });
+            modalState = _newModalState('add', { visibility: 'community', enabled: true, match_width: 1, window_hours: 48, max_hop_span: 8, packet_count_threshold: 5 });
             renderPage(routes);
         }
 
@@ -804,7 +804,7 @@ export async function render(container, params, router) {
                 visibility: visEl.value,
                 match_width: parseInt(widthEl.value, 10) || 1,
                 window_hours: parseInt(windowEl.value, 10) || 48,
-                packet_count_threshold: parseInt(thresholdEl.value, 10) || 3,
+                packet_count_threshold: parseInt(thresholdEl.value, 10) || 5,
                 max_hop_span: spanEl.value ? parseInt(spanEl.value, 10) : null,
                 enabled: enabledEl.checked,
                 reversible: reversibleEl.checked,
diff --git a/tests/test_api/test_routes.py b/tests/test_api/test_routes.py
index 8d01c97..0d1cdfb 100644
--- a/tests/test_api/test_routes.py
+++ b/tests/test_api/test_routes.py
@@ -390,7 +390,7 @@ class TestRouteQualityAvg:
                     quality="clear",
                     matched_count=1,
                     threshold=route.packet_count_threshold,
-                    effective_clear=route.packet_count_threshold * 2,
+                    effective_clear=route.packet_count_threshold * 3,
                     quality_avg=value,
                 )
             )
diff --git a/tests/test_collector/test_route_evaluator.py b/tests/test_collector/test_route_evaluator.py
index 463521b..f7af1f0 100644
--- a/tests/test_collector/test_route_evaluator.py
+++ b/tests/test_collector/test_route_evaluator.py
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ class TestRunEvaluation:
         route = _make_route(
             db_session, "R1", [node_a, node_b], packet_count_threshold=3
         )
-        for i in range(7):
+        for i in range(10):
             _make_reception(db_session, f"pkt{i}", ["AA", "BB"])
         db_session.commit()
 
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ class TestRunEvaluation:
         assert result.state == RouteState.HEALTHY.value
         assert result.quality == RouteQuality.CLEAR.value
         assert result.threshold == 3
-        assert result.effective_clear == 6
+        assert result.effective_clear == 9
 
     def test_evaluation_error_logged(self, db_manager, db_session, monkeypatch):
         """An exception evaluating one route is caught; count stays 0."""
diff --git a/tests/test_collector/test_routes.py b/tests/test_collector/test_routes.py
index dac2da6..892a073 100644
--- a/tests/test_collector/test_routes.py
+++ b/tests/test_collector/test_routes.py
@@ -212,14 +212,14 @@ class TestEffectiveClear:
         )
         assert effective_clear_threshold(route) == 20
 
-    def test_default_2x(self, db_session):
+    def test_default_3x(self, db_session):
         route = Route(
             from_label="t",
             to_label="t",
             packet_count_threshold=5,
             clear_threshold=None,
         )
-        assert effective_clear_threshold(route) == 10
+        assert effective_clear_threshold(route) == 15
 
 
 class TestDeriveExpectedHash:
@@ -681,7 +681,7 @@ class TestPreviewRoute:
         node_a = _make_node(db_session, "aa" + "0" * 62)
         node_b = _make_node(db_session, "bb" + "0" * 62)
 
-        for i in range(7):
+        for i in range(10):
             _make_reception(db_session, None, f"pkt{i}", ["AA", "BB"])
         db_session.commit()
 
@@ -695,7 +695,7 @@ class TestPreviewRoute:
             },
             since,
         )
-        assert result["matched_count"] == 7
+        assert result["matched_count"] == 10
         assert result["quality"] == RouteQuality.CLEAR.value
         assert result["truncated"] is False