Amazon isn't done updating its Eero router lineup this year, if not quite in the way you'd expect. To start, the brand's new Echo Dot speakers will now double as Eero WiFi extenders. Plug one in and you'll get as much as 1,000 square feet of additional network coverage. That speaker on your nightstand could improve the internet connection in your office, in other words.
The base Echo Dot is available for pre-order today at $50, while the Echo Dot with Clock and colorful Echo Dot Kids will sell for $60. Given that an Eero 6 Extender costs $79, this is an easy choice if you use one of Amazon's routers — you can pay less to bolster your WiFi network while adding speaker functionality.
There's also a meaningful update to existing routers. The Eero team is prepping an Internet Backup feature that will automatically switch to an alternate connection if there's an outage, and switch back when things return to normal. You can lean on your phone's hotspot while your cable service is down, for instance. The technology will be available in the "coming months," although you'll need either a $99 per year Eero Plus subscription (formerly Eero Secure+) or service from a supporting internet provider.
You can expect new dedicated Eero hardware as well, although this time it's aimed at sophisticated home networks and businesses. As the name suggests, the Eero PoE 6 router (shown above) takes power over Ethernet and is thus easier to mount on the ceiling or wall. The dual-band device tops out at 1.5Gbps and a maximum 2,000 square feet of coverage. It will be available through installers in the US and Canada this October for $300, and will reach Amazon's store in early 2023. An Eero PoE Gateway ($650) is also due early next year through Amazon's website and ISPs. It can share up to a 10Gbps internet link through two 10Gbps Ethernet jacks and eight PoE-capable 2.5Gbps jacks.
There are services to match: Anyone who buys Eero PoE hardware will get five years of access to a Pro Installers software suite to help technicians optimize networks for customers. Companies, meanwhile, will have the option of a $299 yearly Eero for Business plan that offers hardware and software for outfits with little to no IT infrastructure of their own. It arrives in early 2023 in the US and UK.
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