eero Pro 6E review

The eero Pro 6E is a tri-band mesh unit released in March 2022. It is sold by eero LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Amazon. You can buy it as a single unit, a 2-pack or a 3-pack. The UK compliance page lists it as model S010001.

The feature list covers profiles, WPA3, WPA2, TLS v1.2+, IPv6, NAT, UPnP, port forwarding, DHCP and static IP. Cloud connectivity is listed alongside them.

The Pro 6E uses 802.11ax with 2:2:2 streams across 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz and 6 GHz. Both the 5 GHz and 6 GHz bands support 160 MHz channels. That tri-band radio, with wide channels on two of the three bands, is the core of the wireless specification.

If you have 6E devices, or expect to buy some, the 6 GHz band is listed and ready on every unit in the pack.

eero rates each unit at up to 2,000 sq ft, and a 3-pack at up to 6,000 sq ft. The 1-, 2- and 3-pack options let you size the system to the building. A flat or small house may be served by one or two units. The 3-pack rating suits a larger property.

These are manufacturer figures.

This is the most limited part of the hardware. Each unit has one 2.5GbE port and one Gigabit Ethernet port. Both auto-sense, so either can act as WAN or LAN.

That has a clear consequence. If one port takes the incoming connection on the main unit, only one port is left for a wired device. A switch would be needed for a desk with a PC, a NAS and a printer. The 2.5GbE port gives you the option of a faster wired link, but with two ports per unit, the Pro 6E suits wireless-first homes more than wired-heavy ones.

The spec sheet lists WPA3 and WPA2, and TLS v1.2+. eero also publishes a software security updates page, which gives a place to check how the company handles fixes. Profiles are listed as a feature, along with cloud connectivity.

The gaps are worth knowing before you buy. The spec sheet lists VPN passthrough only, so there is no VPN server function to let you connect back into your home network. eero doesn't publish VLAN or guest-network support. If you plan to separate IoT devices, a lab or visitors onto their own networks, check that with eero before you commit.

There is also an optional eero Plus add-on, offered with a one-month free trial. It is a paid subscription on top of the hardware, so factor it in if you are considering it.

With one 2.5GbE port, one gigabit port and a tri-band 6E radio, the Pro 6E suits a household that mainly connects over Wi-Fi. It works best where the broadband line is the only wired link in the house. The scalable 1-, 2- and 3-pack range lets you add coverage as the size of the property demands.

The spec lists no VPN server, two Ethernet ports per unit and no published VLAN support. That makes it a poor match for a homelab or a small office that needs any of those. For anyone who wants fast wireless and a mesh that grows with the home, the specification is a sensible match.

The strengths are on paper: tri-band 6E, 160 MHz channels on two bands, a 2.5GbE port and rated coverage that scales to 6,000 sq ft. The limits are equally clear: two Ethernet ports per unit, VPN passthrough only and unpublished VLAN and guest-network support. Match those against your devices and your network plans before buying.