In February 2015, eero made their innovative home wi-fi system available for pre-order. And, as of last week, those first devices — all $2.5 million in pre-orders — have shipped. For a society dependent on wi-fi like clean water or electricity, eero’s is a launch worth rejoicing. (If you missed the pre-order, the devices are now available for all on Amazon and eero’s website.)
The eero system works the same way as a traditional router; however, while a router is able to send fast and powerful signals, it has a limited range. eero overcomes this by having a system of connected devices. The system is a set of wi-fi hubs (known simply as “eeros”) that connect wirelessly together. Three “eeros” are enough to cover most households, and one is enough for an apartment or small home. Each eero acts as its own router (broadcasting its own wi-fi signal) and range extender. When connected with one another — wirelessly — they create one ample, fast wi-fi network.
For a society dependent on home wi-fi like clean water or electricity, eero’s a launch worth rejoicing.
What’s different from the traditional tag-team of router and wi-fi extender is that the eero system can grow as big as you need it to — just add as many eeros to the network as you’d like. Normal routers usually only work with one other extender, which creates a second network, meaning you’ll be switching between networks while walking around the house. eero eliminates such redundancies.
eero also runs regular checkups on itself, so if there’s a software update needed — or a problem — eero self-corrects without you needing to intervene. It’s also simple to set up: the first eero device plugs directly into your current modem, then you place the other eero devices around the house (the eero app will tell you where), in standard wall outlets. The devices will then connect automatically to each other. Boom, done. And if you want to share wi-fi access with guests, eero doesn’t require any Bible-length usernames or passwords. Just open the app and, with a few quick touches, share the network with anyone.
The idea behind eero is simple: better, more consistent home wi-fi. For a competitive entry price ($499 for a three-pack, or $199 for one), it allows users to better access the high-speed internet they’re already paying a premium for. That means fewer Netflix buffering screens faster internet for more people, in all corners of the house.