A review of Eero - using US Eero in the UK
Eero, is a new type of home wifi router. It uses mesh network technology to connect several routers using their own back channel radio frequency and spoofs devices into think they a single large network.
Mesh network routers have been around for a while, but they traditionally are only available for commercial use and cost large sums of money to buy, setup and maintain. Eero puts the power in the hands of the home consumer for a reasonable price, and frankly it’s amazing. However, at the time of writing this they are only available in the US. There are many reviews online that can give you a more technical perspective if that’s what you’re looking for. I’m interested in talking about using Eero in the UK and using the US power adaptor that it comes with.
You cannot buy Eero direct from the company outside of the States, and they do not sell through their retailers outside the US either. You have to go around the system. I bought mine on ebay. I got lucky and found an American who moved to the UK recently with his Eero’s into accommodation where they were not required. You can buy direct from Americans on ebay, but be prepared to pay the import duty at customs.
The main question I had and I assume most others will have is ‘does Eero work on UK voltage?’ The short answer is yes.
I bought some cheap US to UK power adaptors (just straight pin adaptors, no voltage step down) and have been running them for several weeks now without a single hiccup. They seem to run a little warm, but I’ve not found a router that doesn’t. Eero’s own (US) Amazon page states that they can handle 100-240V AC, 50-60Hz, and so far that has proven to be true.
So other than Eero working in the UK, what do I think of them? Well, they’re great!
Previously I had 3 separate wifi transmitters in my house. It’s an average size 1930’s semi with relatively thick double-brick walls. A single source of wifi never cut it for my needs. I had my main router transmitting from the where the modem and phone line entry are located on the ground floor at the front of the house. I also had an Airport Express connected to an amplifier (for Airplaying to) feeding my kitchen sound system which also broadcast a ‘kitchen’ wifi network at the back of the house downstairs (connected via a power line adaptor), and a third network using an old wifi router sat in the office/bedroom upstairs that did a bearable job of broadcasting to the 1st & 2nd floors.
The setup worked, but it was messy. Once your device latched onto a network it usually stuck to it and used what would have been a weaker signal regardless of where you moved just because it’s the first network it attached to. I was forever manually switching networks on portable devices to optimise the connection. Each network had to have a separate name, and each came with it’s own management software. Admittedly this is beyond what your average home user is likely to do and was far from optimal.
Eero simplifies all this by having a single place to administer the network and presenting a single visible network to all devices. Connecting devices latch onto the nearest base station with the strongest signal automatically without you needing to lift a finger. The result is a strong and seamless home wifi experience that just works meaning you never have to I think about it, which is exactly how it should be.
They’re sold as 1, 2 or 3 packs (more Eero’s can be added). I was able to get a 3-pack which seemed about right for my home considering I was already using 3 routers. Setup is done via the app and was the most hassle free network setup I have ever experienced. You just hop onto the ad hoc network created by plugging in the first Eero (they’re all the same, the first one gets set up as the parent) name the network, set a password, and you’re done. Adding the other Eeros is as simple as telling the app you’re doing so and plugging them in. The range is impressive, but I did have to move one base station to a different position than I had my office router previously as the mesh network signal was not strong enough there. But seeing as all you need is a power point, my options for placement were plentiful. Now I get a strong signal everywhere in my house and never have to worry about switching networks on my devices. When friends and family visit spinning up guest access (no local network access, just internet) is done in a single tap. You can even set the on-board LEDs to be off on individual Eero’s, which I have done of course.
They’ve clearly invested in design and UX in a big way and it really shows. Eero delivers on all the promises the product makes.
I’m also happy to have a wider reaching and more stable Wi-Fi network as I begin to invest in more smart home technology that requires it. More on that in coming posts.
It’s safe to say I am very happy with my purchase, and I knew I would be, hence the effort to get these before they are officially available in the UK. I do hope they hurry up and move into foreign markets as other manufacturers will not sit on their laurels and this kind of tech will trickle down relatively quickly. As soon as it is available I highly recommend anyone having wifi signal strength or network management issues at home get on board. Anyone in the US in this situation I wholeheartedly recommend buying these ASAP. Anyone else like me in the UK who could not wait - if you are willing to pay the postage and import (or happen to be passing through the states and have room in your suitcase) you can do so safe in the knowledge US Eeros work perfectly fine in the UK.