Eero mesh wifi has been in the market for some time now and has been embraced by many customers. Eero, as a startup company invented the so called “mesh wifi” network technology, that’s why it became so popular in a short amount of time.
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In this article we will try to answer some popular questions that people ask about Eero Mesh WiFi, so let’s get started.
Table of Contents
How Does Eero WiFi Work?
The Eero WiFi system provides an alternative option to traditional wireless routers, gateways, and WiFi extenders.
Using one or more Eero routers and beacons, you can create a mesh network in your home or office to blanket the area with a strong WiFi signal. The initial setup only takes minutes, and adding more units is super easy.
The Eero router device connects directly to the modem or modem/router supplied by your internet service provider (ISP). One Eero device acts as the main gateway, while additional Eero devices or beacons can be placed to extend the coverage area.
The above setup creates a single SSID so all of your home devices (smartphones, tablets, laptops etc) will connect to a single WiFi network.
Can Eero Work with Other ISP Routers?
The Eero system will work with most ISP routers, including routers from major providers such as Verizon Fios, Xfinity, Comcast, and ATT Uverse. However, there are a couple of steps needed to use Eero with these devices.
These providers often supply a modem/router combo device. Setting this ISP device to bridge mode will turn off its WiFi features. The Eero is then connected to an ethernet port on the ISP router.
The ISP router still provides a connection to the Internet, while the Eero handles the WiFi capabilities in your home or office. The Eero acts as the gateway device for connecting other devices to the Internet.
What Is Eero Beacon?
The Eero beacon is used to extend the WiFi coverage in your home or office. The beacons are about half the size of the base Eero unit and do not require any cords or special settings. You simply plug the beacon into any electrical outlet to instantly add further WiFi coverage.
Other mesh WiFi vendors have similar functionality. For example, the Netgear Orbi system calls these extender units “Satellites”.
How Many Beacons Do I Need?
The Eero is available bundled together with two or more beacons. The number of beacons you purchase depends on the WiFi coverage you require.
The Eero main gateway can provide coverage of up to 1500 square feet by itself, which is further extended with the Beacons. However, walls, floors, ceilings, and electronics can all interfere with the signal. Depending on the layout of your home or office, you may need one beacon for each floor.
The typical recommendation is to start with one base Eero unit and one or two beacons. The Eero main unit should be placed in a central location, while the beacons can be plugged into any outlet in rooms that are further away from the Eero gateway. If you continue to experience a weak signal, you can easily add more beacons.
What Is Eero Secure and Plus and How Much Does It Cost?
Eero Secure is a subscription-based service that launched with the release of the second-generation Eero device.
The service offers additional security features and parental controls, along with a security service to help reduce the risk of threats from viruses and malware. Besides these features, more options will be added to the service without an increase in monthly fees.
The Eero Secure Plus service costs $9.99 per month. However, customers can save $20.97 per year by paying $99 upfront for one year of service.
The normal Eero Secure service costs $2.99 monthly or $29 yearly.
Can Eero Be Hardwired?
The Eero has two ethernet ports. One port is used for the connection to your modem or ISP modem/router combo.
The remaining LAN port can be used to hardwire a network-connected device, such as a printer or scanner. Another option is to connect a desktop computer or your gaming console to the wired LAN port in order to achieve the full Gigabit capacity of the device.
The beacons do not have any ports. They are simple plug-and-play devices that plug into an electrical outlet and connect wirelessly to the main Eero device.
How Much Does Eero WiFi Cost Per Month?
The Eero WiFi is free to use, with no monthly fees, unless you subscribe to Eero Secure. The Eero system simply connects to your home or office internet network and provides an alternative to traditional Wi-Fi routers. There is no service associated with this, unless you choose to upgrade to the Eero Secure (Plus).
How Secure Is the Eero WiFi System?
The Eero WiFi system is only as secure as your private network. You still need to use your traditional internet security solutions, such as firewalls and anti-virus software.
However, the Eero system is less vulnerable to certain attacks. For example, many malware attacks are carried out through the web-based interface of the router. The Eero system does not have an interface, which eliminates this threat.
For additional security, customers can upgrade to the Eero Secure service. This includes several features to help monitor network activity and protect against various malicious attacks.
Will Eero Work with AT&T?
AT&T U-verse
Eero does work with AT&T. If you use U-verse, you will need to use the modem/router equipment that AT&T provides for you, so you have to either set up an IP passthrough or bridge Eero to use it together with AT&T device.
If you have AT&T without TV service, you might want to disable the Wi-Fi on the supplied modem/router. Once you do this, you can either create an IP passthrough or put your Eero into bridge mode.
Using it in bridge mode allows you to receive some of the benefits of the Eero mesh wireless device while still allowing AT&T to manage your routing. This is necessary if you use TV services from AT&T.
AT&T Fiber
You can use Eero with AT&T fiber service but you must keep the gateway device supplied by AT&T. You will need to disable WiFi on the AT&T device and then use IP Passthrough as following:
- Connect with your browser to AT&T gateway (192.168.1.254).
- Go to the Firewall tab.
- Select IP Passthrough
- Select Passthough option in the Allocation drop-down menu.
- Select DHCPS-Dynamic
- Select Save and then Restart.
Does Eero Wi-Fi Work with Xfinity?
Eero Wi-Fi does work with Xfinity.
The Comcast Xfinity service is cable technology, so you will need to have a DOCSIS cable modem connected to the Xfinity cable. Then, you can connect an Ethernet cable from the LAN port of the Xfinity modem to the WAN port on your Eero.
The above is the simplest setup and will work great. All of the LAN hosts (internal home network) will be assigned IP address by the Eero and all WiFi devices will work via the Eero units.
The advantage is that the Eero offers greater connectivity and you can build a mesh network in your home.
Does Eero Support Wi-Fi 6?
Eero has two models that support the new Wi-Fi 6 standard:
- Eero 6 (Dual-Band)
- Eero Pro 6 (Tri-band)
The Eero 6 has dual band Wi-Fi 6 and produces speeds of up to AX1800. This is 1200 Mbps at 5GHz and 600 Mbps at 2.4 GHz (max theoretical wireless speed).
When you use this router in a mesh, it will use some of the speed to communicate with the other Eeros that are connected.
There is also the Eero Pro 6. It adds an additional 5GHz band and increases your full speed to AX4200.
This is a great option if you need more speed. These are the only two Eeros that support Wi-Fi 6 at this time.
How Fast Is Eero Wi-Fi?
Eero offers different models, and each one offers a different speed. If you are looking for the fastest speeds, you need the Eero Pro 6.
It can handle 1 gigabit Internet, and it has speeds of up to AX4200. It offers a third band, which allows it to have this increase in speed.
The Eero 6 offers dual band Wi-Fi, and it has top speeds of 1800 Mbps (theoretical speed on wireless) or AX1800. However, if you connect a computer with wired Ethernet to the Eero device, it can reach its maximum speed of the port which is 1 Gbps.
Who Owns Eero Wi-Fi?
Eero is owned by Amazon, as they acquired the company a few years ago. They have allowed Eero to exist as its own entity within Amazon, and they did not purchase the company to change it, but rather to keep it and let it continue to lead the way in mesh network systems.
The benefit is that Eero can more easily integrate with Alexa and other Amazon devices, and you can use the setup wizard to help connect your network.
Is Eero Good for Gaming?
Eero is a good option for gaming, in spite of the fact that mesh networks are not made for gamers.
It uses features to make sure that the latency is low and maintain the speed on other devices on the network.
The ideal way to use the Eero for gaming is to wire the console to the device. If you plan to go wireless, you will want to consider the faster Eero Pro 6 device because it has three bands and provides better Wi-Fi for gamers.
Does Eero Improve Wi-Fi?
Eero can improve your Wi-Fi at home because it gives you the ability to extend your network.
You are able to use the Eero system to replace your old router, but the speed difference will depend on what you are replacing as well as the speed of your Internet plan.
If you have a slow Internet plan, you won’t be able to maximize the capabilities of your Eero device. However, you will still be able to improve your system by including devices throughout your home. When you add devices to extend your network, the Eero can improve Wi-Fi in those areas of your home.
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