You need to keep three main things in your head when you’re picking out a mesh WI-Fi kit: coverage, speed, and software. Mesh Wi-Fi kits work by using multiple compact routers working together to create a blanket of coverage in your home. This allows the user to add more routers to expand coverage as needed but your mesh system needs enough speed to keep up with your needs, even as interferences become more of an issue the further away from the main router you move.
The eero 6+ mesh router from Amazon comes with an AX3000 Wi-Fi 6 connection with 160MHz support. Unlike some earlier generation Wi-Fi 6 mesh kits, this one supports 160MHz connections essentially doubling the 5GHz band speed over the base eero 6. This not only benefits your connected devices but also strengthens the mesh link.
In my eero 6+ review, the eero 6+ was able to deliver very fast speeds all over my home, even when connected to the mesh node. Despite the congestion in my apartment building, the connection was consistent and reliable for streaming at 4K HDR and can even be optimized for gaming. The main question for most people is how many they need.
Amazon reckons each eero 6+ router can cover up to 1,500 square feet, thus 3,000 square feet for two, and 4,500 square feet for three. Your mileage will vary depending on the materials used to build your home and the congestion in your area. Luckily, you can easily expand this eero mesh with more eero6+ nodes if it turns out you didn’t get enough. If you live in a small apartment or something like a dorm, a single eero 6+ could be all you need.
One thing eero does very well is maintaining compatibility between new eeros and older models. This is nice since you can upgrade your system and still use your older eeros to improve coverage. Amazon has also added eero functionality to some Echo devices to create an even denser mesh. Something to keep in mind is that these older and slower devices don’t support the 160MHZ band the eero 6+ uses to link the nodes. As a result, your entire mesh could run at a lower speed by adding in older eeros or Echos. Your best bet is to only use eero 6+ in your mesh.
The software experience on eero is one of the best but eero keeps things simple. The app allows you to set basic wireless settings as well as see connected devices. This is also where you can use parental controls and security options if you’ve signed up for an eero Plus subscription. This software is one of the main things that keeps the eero 6+ as one of the best Wi-Fi 6 mesh routers you can buy.
Of course, there are still plenty of other mesh Wi-Fi options with Cyber Monday sales but if eero has caught your eye, for gigabit connections of slower, the eero 6+ is the way to go.
