In Control of Your WiFi with eero

As a busy family of 5, in the afternoons and evenings, we find that we have a lot of WiFi devices running – tablets, laptops, chrome books, phones, X box, the TV as well as other smart home devices.

We were recently introduced to the eero WiFi system which boasts fast speeds, covers a large area, and is reliable. We were excited to try it out and see for ourselves if it was as good as it promised.

The eero WiFi System that we tried out comes with three identical units that work together to create a wireless network that is seamless no matter where you are in your house, even when you are moving from one room to the next.

No more need for range “extenders” which don’t live up to their name. If you have a larger home, you have the option to add up to seven more Eero units to increase the range.

Set-up was very easy. You need to download the eero app which is available for both Android and iOS. It is important to note that the device that you are using to set up the eero must be an Internet-connected mobile device (you can’t set up the system using a browser or a computer.) Once you log in, it will walk you through the set-up process.

The app will have you connect the first eero to your cable modem. Your phone will then connect to the Eero using Bluetooth. You will need to pick a name for that eero, a name for your WiFi network and a password.

Once the first eero is set up, the app will help you find the right location for your next eero (which needs to be plugged into an outlet), have you set it up and name it. You can continue this process for the rest of the eeros that you have purchased. (A typical home takes 3 eeros for complete coverage.) In total, it took me less than 10 minutes to get everything set up.

Is eeroFast?

Yes! The eero app has a speed test that allows you to test your download and upload speeds. The package that we have through our internet provider boasts speeds up to 100 Mbps. When I check the speed with the eero app in different rooms of our house, the speeds were roughly around 110 Mbps Download and 11 Mbps Upload.

I found that one room had slower speeds at one point when I was testing but then the following day it was boasting similar speeds to the other rooms. When I contacted customer service and asked about that, I was told that some devices have an issue switching from one eero to another once in a while and the app might have been doing a reading of one of the eeros that was farther away.

He said that if you find that a specific device is moving slow, you might try going into your settings, turning off your WiFi and then turning it back on. While this is not the most convenient, he assured me that they are aware of this situation and are continuing to make improvements to the eero.

These updates, as well as the latest security updates, happen automatically meaning your system keeps getting better with time.

Does eero Cover a Large Area?

Yes! Our home is a single story, 1,800 square foot home. In addition, our home is a bit unique because all of our outer walls are concrete which can cause interference as well.

We found that our modem could generally cover the majority of our house with the exception of our Master Bedroom and Bathroom in the back corner of the house. Most of the time I would have a little coverage with our modem, sometimes I would have no internet access at all.

We have the third eero set up in our Master Bedroom and it has made a huge difference. I always have WiFi now and it even extends to our Master Bathroom which was never the case with our modem. We also have better coverage outside, both in the front yard and back yard.

Is eero Reliable?

Yes! We have found that overall our devices are all working great with the eero. Buffering seems to be less and no matter how many devices we have going at the same time, we don’t seem to have any issues.

I did have an issue with one of my tablets.  I found that every so often the tablet seemed to lose its WiFi connection. I had the opportunity to talk with customer service and they talked me through some trouble shooting and everything seems to be working great. (BTW – I give two thumbs up to eero’s Customer Service. They were extremely helpful and easy to work with.)

Parental Controls

When I started using the eero app, I found that there were features that made this system very appealing for a family with kids. You can create profiles that enable you to specify certain devices and control them.

So, I can turn my son’s WiFi off on his iPod at night from a specific time until a specific time in the morning. Or, we can turn off access to the X box Monday – Thursday during certain hours.

Any device can be paused at any time if someone needs a “time out” from that device.  Any device that is connected to your home’s WiFi can have a profile that allows you to turn that device off and on either for a one time use or on a regular schedule.

Guest Access

Do you have guests that want internet access? You can send an email invite through the eero app that gives your guests the name of your Guest WiFi along with the password.

No need to look for the crazy password with all those tiny letters and numbers on the modem box or in the kitchen drawer. Plus, they will be on your guest network, not your regular family network, which means they won’t be able to access your files.

Features :

• Connect eero directly to your modem. Additional devices only need to be plugged into an outlet
• If you have Ethernet wiring, you can hard wire some or all of your eeros
• The eero app shows you how many devices are connected and the internet speed you’re getting from your Internet provider
• eero is protected with state-of-the-art WPA2 encryption
• eero updates automatically so that you always have the latest features and security
• Features a powerful dual-core 1 GHz CPU, two state-of-the-art 802.11ac WiFi radios and 5 antenna

Pros:

• Fast, reliable and great coverage
• Easy install
• Can control my kid’s usage on any device at any time

Cons:

• At $499 for the Home WiFi System 3-pack, it is a little pricey
• Some devices still struggle once in awhile with the switch over from one eero to the next

The Home WiFi System 3-pack, which is perfect for most homes, is available on the eero website for $499. There is also a Starter WiFi System 2-pack for $349. Or you can also purchase an individual eero for $199 which is perfect for a studio apartment or office. I found the 3-pack and 2-pack on amazon for similar prices.

A Mom’s Perspective

For a busy family with lots of electronic devices in use all the time, it is important that we have good coverage throughout the house and that it is reliable and fast. It is so nice to finally have WiFi that reaches to my Master Bedroom ALL THE TIME and not just sometimes.

I am also very impressed with how far the coverage reaches outside of our house. And, the speed of the WiFi has been very impressive – typically exceeding the speed that we have paid for through our internet provider.

While having WiFi that is fast, reliable and has great coverage is important, the thing that I am most excited as a mom is the fact that I am able to control various devices on our network to ensure that my kids are using their devices when I want them to.

If I need the kids to take a pause from either a tablet or the X Box, I can disable the device. In addition, I can also control devices by only allowing them to use them at certain times of the day or even certain days. I like being able to give them more access on the weekends and limiting their usage during the week. 

* I was given a Home WiFi System 3-pack for my honest review. All opinions are my own.