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Eero is bringing its mesh-networking technology to the Wi-Fi 6 era with two new products: the dual-band Eero 6 ($129 to $279) and the tri-band Eero Pro 6 ($229 to $599). Prices are based on the number of nodes in each kit, which in turn determines the square footage the mesh network can cover.
The nodes in the Eero Pro 6 kit have dual ethernet ports, but only the router in the Eero 6 is outfitted with them. The only wired connection on Eero 6 extenders is a USB port for power; they therefore cannot be used for wired backhaul. Both the Eero Pro 6 and the Eero 6 have integrated Zigbee radios for smart home integration, and they both have Bluetooth LE radios as well.
It’s worth noting, however, that neither product line supports the 160MHz channels that mark the most elite routers on the market today. Those models sport theoretical maximum speeds up to 1,733Mbps using just two spatial streams, although the number of client devices that also support 160MHz channels is very limited. You can’t tap that bandwidth if you don’t have a similarly equipped client.
The Eero Pro 6, pictured above, is the more sophisticated of the two products. It’s an AX4200-class router, meaning it supports two spatial streams down and two spatial streams up (commonly notated as 2x2) to deliver maximum theoretical throughput of 574Mbps on its 2.4GHz network, while its 2x2 5GHz network offers maximum throughput of 1,201Mbps.
The Eero 6 Wi-Fi mesh router with two range extenders should be sufficient to cover up to a 5,000 square-foot home.
A second 5GHz network supports four spatial streams in each direction to deliver speeds up to 2,401Mbps (sum and round those figures up and you get 4,200—as in AX4200).
The Eero Pro 6 is powered by a 1.4GHz quad-core processor and 1GB of RAM, along with 4GB of flash memory. It has two auto-sensing gigabit ethernet ports and is designed to accommodate up to gigabit broadband service. Each puck-like node measures 5.3 x 5.3 x 2.1 inches (WxDxH). When it goes on sale later this year, a single Eero 6 Pro capable of covering up to 2,000 square feet will cost $229. For larger homes, a $399 two-pack should cover up to 3,500 square feet, while a $599 three-pack should be adequate for McMansions up to 6,000 square feet.
Eero’s new Wi-Fi-6 mesh routers will each have two gigabit ethernet ports. It appears the sole purpose of the USB port will be for power.
The slightly less-powerful Eero 6 is a dual-band, AX1800 mesh Wi-Fi system promising two spatial streams down and two up on both its 2.4- and 5GHz networks. This enables it to deliver maximum theoretical throughput of 574- and 1,201Mbps respectively. While it also has dual gigabit ethernet ports, Eero says this model is designed for broadband connections up to 500Mbps. It’s powered by a 1.2GHz quad-core processor and 512GB of RAM, and it’s outfitted with 4GB of flash memory in an enclosure measuring 3.91 x 3.82 x 2.42 inches.
A single Eero 6 capable of covering 1,500 square feet will be priced at $129. If you need more coverage, a kit with one Eero 6 router and one extender with a combined range of 3,000 square feet will cost $199; a kit with the router and two extenders will cost $279 and cover up to 5,000 square feet.
In addition to the hardware, Eero offers two online security subscriptions: Eero Secure provides parental controls and other privacy features for $2.99 per month. For $9.99 per month, Eero Secure plus adds the third-party apps 1Pasword for password management, Malwarebytes for malware protection, and Encrypt.me for VPN services.
Michael covers the smart-home, home-entertainment, and home-networking beats, working in the smart home he built in 2007.
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