Building out a strong Wi-Fi network can be a challenge for network professionals, let alone the typical home user who just wants a network that’s reliable enough to avoid constant complaints from family members. One of the more interesting approaches lately is the mesh network, in which a few Wi-Fi devices scattered around a house work together to provide reliable and consistent performance.
One of the early innovators in this space is Eero, maker of the Eero Home Wi-Fi System, which merges the router and extender concepts into one device and creates a mesh network that’s impressively resilient. Today, Eero is announcing a significant upgrade to their line of products that both improves the network’s speed, performance, and reliability, and adds in Amazon Alexa skill support to boot.
The first objective, improving performance, speed, and reliability, is being addressed with a complete rewrite of the core software used by the mesh network components. Dubbed TrueMesh, the new software represents what the company is calling the next-generation of mesh technology. TrueMesh goes beyond merely switching automatically between 2.4GHz and 5GHz radio bands by dynamically identifying the best route for passing data through the network.
Eero estimates that users can expect up to twice the local area network (LAN) speed between Eero units, with an average increase of 40 percent. TrueMesh also understands the importance of layout and dynamically assesses the best path for data to pass for the best performance. The new software architecture supports an unlimited number of Eeros to support large networks.
Next up is Alexa skill support. Eero now supports a number of Alexa voice commands through an Amazon Echo connected to the mesh, such as finding a device wherever it’s located in the house, pausing the internet when it’s time for dinner via customizable Family Profiles, and turning off the LED lights on Eero units. The company is working closely with the Amazon Alexa team, and so future updates will likely bring new functionality.
Eero boasts hundreds of thousands of units installed, and according to CEO and co-founder Nick Weaver, “This is the most significant product update we’ve shipped since we launched Eero nine months ago. By redesigning Eeero’s mesh technology from the ground up with TrueMesh, we can now better utilize the capabilities of Eero hardware, increase network speeds, and make Eero even more resilient. With TrueMesh Eero will continue to raise the standard for home Wi-Fi.”
The Eero system is available at a number of online retailers including Amazon, and physical retailers such as Best Buy and Fry’s Electronics. Pricing starts out at a single eero for $200 and moves up to a three-pack for $500. The updated software will roll out to units over the next few weeks, and the Eero app can be downloaded today via the iOS App Store and Google Play Store.
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