The way forward for Wi-Fi is dear

I am obsessed with new and thrilling applied sciences. One space that I am notably excited about is healthier Wi-Fi speeds. Some argue that after just a few hundred megabits, velocity actually does not matter anymore. Nonetheless, there is no denying that there is one thing cool about super-fast Wi-Fi.

Once I first tried Wi-Fi 6, I used to be disenchanted to seek out that it did not considerably enhance my community. Then, I attempted Wi-Fi 6e. Accessing the 6GHz band offers considerably improved speeds, usually twice as quick as what I used to be getting earlier than. In order Wi-Fi 7 has quietly emerged, I have been keeping track of it, ready for Apple to improve it as soon as it releases suitable gadgets.

Not way back, I had the pleasure of interviewing a member of the Eero product workforce. After the dialog, the corporate supplied to ship me a three-pack of Eero Max 7 nodes, together with some new CAT 6a Ethernet cables. I have been utilizing this superior Wi-Fi setup on an iPhone 15 Professional, M4 iPad Professional, M1 MacBook Professional, and over 100 HomeKit gadgets for over a month.

The timing could not be higher, as Apple lately launched its first Wi-Fi 7 gadgets with the iPhone 16 sequence. After every week of experiencing the influence Wi-Fi 7 has on my iPhone and the broader net, I am unable to await Apple (and others) to roll out extra Wi-Fi 7 gadgets.

Highly effective however costly

Eero Max 7

Eero Max 7 is Amazon’s first mesh Wi-Fi system powered by Wi-Fi 7 expertise, delivering wired speeds of as much as 9.4 Gbps and wi-fi speeds of 4.3 Gbps, supporting greater than 200 related gadgets on the similar time, and thru Layer 3 networks The highway covers the house with 7,500 sq. ft. Moreover, the Eero Max 7 can be utilized as a sensible house hub suitable with Thread, Matter, and Zigbee gadgets.

benefit

• Straightforward to arrange
• carry out nicely
• nice design

shortcoming

• costly
• Technical assist is weak
• Sensible gadgets take time to combine into the community

Value, availability and specs

You would possibly roll your eyes on the considered one more new Wi-Fi commonplace. I get it. However Wi-Fi 7 brings many thrilling advantages. By way of velocity, Wi-Fi 7 is 4.8 occasions quicker than Wi-Fi 6e, as evidenced by the Eero Max 7’s theoretical most switch speeds of 4.3 Gbps wi-fi and 9.4 Gbps wired. These speeds are loopy, particularly contemplating that households are unlikely to get anyplace close to these speeds from their ISPs. Max 7 has 4 Ethernet ports (two 2.5GbE and two 10GbE) to assist ship unbelievable speeds. I actually like having 4 Ethernet ports. The Eero Professional 6 and 6e solely have two ports every, making a swap an absolute should if you want a sensible house hub or to attach a number of gadgets immediately.

Wi-Fi 7 additionally provides decrease latency, higher effectivity (particularly in dense community environments), and higher connection stability and reliability. One other neat function is assist for Multi-Hyperlink Operation (MLO), which permits gadgets to concurrently make the most of the bandwidth of two.4, 5 and 6GHz networks for optimum velocity and efficiency. For avid gamers, Wi-Fi 7 is predicted to enhance AR and VR experiences and cut back latency in cloud gaming.

The Eero Max 7 is accessible on Amazon beginning at $599.99 for a single node and as much as $1,699 for a three-pack. Every node takes up roughly 2,500 sq. ft, that means three nodes can assist as much as 7,500 sq. ft and greater than 200 gadgets. Every node is powered by a 45W USB-C energy brick, which may be simply changed when you’ve got points with the cable. Better of all, you continue to get a tri-band mesh Wi-Fi router with unbelievable efficiency and free buyer assist.

Why I like Eero Max 7

Quick, trendy and simple to arrange

The Eero setup expertise is unparalleled. I actually miss Apple’s AirPort wi-fi routers as a result of they have been really easy to arrange. Though I’m a nerd, I admire simplicity. I’ve at all times admired Eero’s dedication to offering a easy onboarding expertise. Each Eero setup expertise I’ve had has been really easy that my mother might do it. Changing my Eero Professional 6e nodes with Max 7s was equally straightforward, the Eero app walked me by it and mechanically configured the brand new nodes.

Since putting in the Max 7, I have been amazed at how nicely they carry out. Utilizing my iPhone 15 Professional, M1 MacBook Professional, and iPad Professional, I’ve achieved spectacular speeds of 300-400Mbps. Excitingly, with my new iPhone 16 Professional, I am getting speeds of 600-700 Mbps. My house has gigabit fiber. Whereas I respect and admire the advantages of utilizing Ethernet, I dwell a wireless-driven way of life. Regardless that 5 sensible house hubs create their very own networks, I nonetheless needed the perfect Wi-Fi expertise attainable.

Within the subsequent part, I am going to dive deeper into my initially irritating expertise with lots of my HomeKit equipment turning into sluggish and experiencing connectivity points after switching to the Max 7s. Fortuitously, the problem appeared to resolve itself. I swear my sensible household has by no means appeared higher. It is quick, dependable, and appears extra responsive than ever.

The Eero workforce additionally despatched some new CAT 6a braided Ethernet cable. It will be cool in the event that they have been CAT 7 or greater. Nonetheless, they’re nice cables which are superbly designed, carry out nicely, and are sturdy and sturdy. The Eero Max 7 three-pack comes with a white cable, and Eero additionally despatched me black and blue cables. Eero’s CAT 6a cable is accessible on Amazon for as little as $4.99 for a half-foot cable and as a lot as $9.99 for a 10-foot cable. Order a 5-pack for extra financial savings. The worth of those cables could be very aggressive, particularly for the standard and look they provide.

What I don’t like concerning the Eero Max 7

Eero’s e mail assist is lackluster

I have been an Eero buyer for a number of years, proudly owning an Eero Professional 6 and 6e earlier than reviewing the Max 7. So changing the wi-fi entry level worries me much more. Now, studying this, you is perhaps pondering that swapping mesh Wi-Fi nodes is simple so long as you retain the identical SSID and password. Plus, the Eero app could be very user-friendly.

Sadly, lots of my HomeKit gadgets grew to become sluggish or unresponsive once I switched the Eero Professional 6e node to the Max 7, no less than for just a few days. Irritating and day out. I am unable to let you know the precise time, however after just a few software program updates and a while, all my HomeKit points disappeared. As I write this, they appear to run higher than once I used the Eero Professional 6e.

Till my HomeKit connectivity points resolve themselves, I am getting more and more annoyed, not solely with myself, however with my associate as nicely. Extra annoyingly, the worst a part of the expertise was once I tried to ask Eero for assist.

Like most firms, Eero first tries to get you to learn a assist article earlier than supplying you with a method to speak to a human. This expertise has been and at all times might be troubling. Lastly, I despatched an e mail to Eero explaining how my HomeKit system was having connectivity points. My guess is that the issue is expounded to the two.4GHz community. It took me three emails to assist the agent perceive that my drawback was not that I used to be in search of a HomeKit safe router, however that I wanted assist with a connection subject. I needed to inform the agent, not as soon as, however twice, to return and browse my earlier emails as a result of they appeared to solely learn the phrase “HomeKit” and thought I should be questioning why my model new Eero does not work with Apple Use House as a HomeKit safe router. Really, I am not stunned by this.

When a problem arises whereas reviewing a product, the reviewer could also be tempted to contact their media contact for a fast decision. I can perceive why the reviewer would do that. I hope I by no means must contact the corporate’s assist workforce. I would like the product to work. However once I do want a serving to hand, I need to have the identical expertise as everybody else. Frustratingly, it was a depressing expertise. Fortunately for me, my connectivity points have been resolved shortly. In any other case, I am going to most likely be switching again to my Eero Professional 6e node quickly.

Must you purchase the Eero Max 7?

For many of us, most likely not proper now. See, the Eero Max 7’s best energy can be its best weak point. With Max 7, you get the newest wi-fi networking expertise, all bundled into a trendy package deal that is straightforward to arrange and delivers unbelievable efficiency. Let’s say you might be somebody who loves the newest expertise and has the disposable revenue to improve your community settings. In that case, the Eero Max 7 (and its excessive price ticket) is ideal for you. With Max 7, you get tomorrow’s expertise at the moment.

Nonetheless, at the moment’s tomorrow’s expertise is essential. Aside from some high-end smartphones such because the iPhone 16 sequence and Samsung Galaxy S23 Extremely, there are literally no gadgets that assist Wi-Fi 7. Nonetheless, you will nonetheless be spending some huge cash and getting little outcomes – no less than for now.

Along with future-proof wi-fi, you continue to have entry to 4 high-performance Ethernet ports, unbelievable mesh Wi-Fi networking, and a powerful 7,500 sq. ft of Wi-Fi -Fi protection. That stated, the Eero Max 7 and its superbly woven Ethernet routes make for an incredible mesh Wi-Fi setup. Nonetheless, on the similar time, it is most likely higher fitted to nerds and lovers like me earlier than it turns into your grandma’s Wi-Fi node. That being stated, there are many nice choices on the market for Eero. So, it is exhausting to complain.

Highly effective however costly

Eero Max 7