Tech
Amazon's new weatherproof Eero is the dream Wi-Fi extender for smart home enthusiasts – and I'm excited
Whether you’re a remote worker who enjoys a morning coffee on your deck or a business owner running a cafe in a busy college town, getting reliable Wi-Fi outdoors can be challenging. While some users have gotten creative with their weatherproof Wi-Fi solutions, Eero is now launching what may be the answer for many: the Eero Outdoor 7.
This Wi-Fi extender is an IP66-rated outdoor device that supports Wi-Fi 7 speeds and projects up to 15,000 square feet of your Eero network. The Amazon company says the device can withstand the harshest weather conditions, including snowstorms, rain, and the summer heat, so you can count on it to stay connected with outdoor security cameras, smart lights, or speakers that struggle to maintain a reliable connection.
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“To make sure it (Eero Outdoor 7) was ready, we tested it in the heat of Arizona, a commercial refrigerator, on beaches, and in a tunnel with 100 MPH winds,” Nick Weaver, CEO and Eero co-founder, wrote in the announcement. “After our team’s rigorous testing, it’s safe to say eero Outdoor 7 is ready to weather the elements — it has an IP66 rating and can operate in temperatures ranging from -40F to 130F in the rain, snow, and sun. So, if you’re a café owner figuring out how to get wifi to your patio during the summer or a homeowner in Northern Michigan just trying to keep your security cameras online, eero Outdoor 7 is your solution.”
The Eero Outdoor 7 is meant to reliably extend your Eero network across your property, including detached offices, sheds, and other buildings. With support for wireless speeds of up to 2.1 Gbps, it can, theoretically, deliver connections strong enough to stream media on an outdoor projector.
The extender uses Eero’s patented TrueMesh networking technology, which determines the best path for the signal to travel and automatically reroutes the Wi-Fi signal to another unit with the fastest path when necessary. It also supports TrueChannel to avoid interference from other networks that may slow down your connection and TrueRoam to seamlessly hand off the Wi-Fi connection from one Eero to another as you move about your home and, now, potentially your entire property.
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The Eero Outdoor 7 features a 2.5GbE port for power-over-ethernet (PoE) use with a device like the Eero PoE Gateway. Amazon also offers an optional 30W Outdoor PoE+ adapter that plugs into any outdoor AC outlet. The new weatherproof Eero can be mounted on stucco, vinyl, wood, or fiber-cement siding and includes installation accessories.
Customers can purchase the new Eero Outdoor 7 starting on November 13 for $350 or with the 30W Outdoor PoE+ power adapter for $400.