Amazon’s Eero Pro 6 mesh Wi-Fi arrives in the UK
Amazon launched the Eero Pro 6 mesh Wi-Fi system roughly a year ago in the US, but only now is it finally available to buy in the UK.
It differs from the Eero 6 – a system whichisalready on sale in the UK – because it’s tri-band rather than dual-band. It means there’s an additional 5GHz band that’s used purely for the satellites to communicate with each other.
This, and the fact it’s Wi-Fi 6 rather than Wi-Fi 5, does make it considerably more expensive: a hub unit with built-in Zigbee costs £229 – the full three-pack will set you back £599.
The kit follows on from theoriginal Eero,Eero ProandEero 6, arriving as the most premium option in the firm’s own-brand networking gear.
Amazon says it’s perfect for homes with fast Gigabit internet. A single Eero Pro 6 router offers two Ethernet ports and can cover up to 190 square meters (2050 square feet). Those who need more coverage can get a three-pack which can handle a total of 560 square meters.
“Getting fast, reliable coverage throughout your home is easy with the eero Pro 6, which offers support for more than 75 devices simultaneously. All eero devices use TrueMesh technology to intelligently route network traffic and help reduce congestion, buffering, and drop-offs so customers can stream 4K content, play games, and video conference with ease.” says Amazon.
The timing of the launch could be better, though. Although Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) is still new to most people, there’s already a successor called Wi-Fi 6E. And the first Wi-Fi 6E routers and mesh systems will go on sale soon.
Wi-Fi 6E’s big selling point is that it can use the 6GHz band, which will bring even faster speeds, lower latencies and greater capacity compared to Wi-Fi 6.
This will make the Eero Pro 6 feel outdated almost immediately.
Of course, as with Wi-Fi 6, you’ll need devices with 6E to take advantage of the new technology, otherwise it will just revert to using the older, slower standards such as Wi-Fi 5.
Of course, if you’re going to spend a lot of money on mesh Wi-Fi kit, then it makes sense to get one with the new technology in order to make it as futureproof as possible.
The Eero Pro 6 offers a few benefits over rivals: Amazon promises easy setup via an app and linking your Amazon and Eero accounts means devices purchases via your Amazon account will join the wireless network and even stay connected if you change the network name or password.
In addition, customers can choose to subscribe to Eero Secure for “advanced online security features and parental controls with eero Secure” at £2.99 per month or £29.99 annually. Eero Secure+ adds 1Password, Malwarebytes and Encrypt.me for £9.99 per month or £99 per year.
The Eero Pro 6 isavailable from today priced at £229 for a single or £599 for a three-pack. For lower-cost alternatives, see our roundup of thebest mesh Wi-Fi kits.
Author: Chris Martin, Reviews Editor, Tech Advisor
Chris got his break as a reporter at infamous site The Inquirer and has been at Tech Advisor for more than 12 years. With a BA degree in Music Technology, audio is his specialism, but over the years he has reviewed all kinds of gadgets, from smartwatches to mesh Wi-Fi to coffee machines.
