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IoT Network Security with eero

I've using using eero for over a year now and really like it. But I'm still trying to understand some of it. Currently I want to add a smart drip irrigation system (not lawn sprinkling) to my IoT. I was thinking I'd need a HomeKit enabled one to ensure it didn't become a weak point in my system, but I can't find a HomeKit compatible one. Then I realized maybe eero itself will prevent any security issues by walling off its connection to the network from the other devices. If all the devices are walled off from one another by eero, what is the advantage of adding HomeKit compatibility? Is it just to run programs in the HomeKit app? That's valuable, but maybe I am safe to add a non-HomeKit compatible smart irrigation system to eero?

4 replies

    • eero_support
    • 3 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    Hello happyhummingbird ,

    eero, like most routers, has a firewall that protects all devices on the network. Unless you are opening ports to the device you shouldn't have any issues just connecting it to your network. Now, if the device itself is sending reports out to it's manufacturer you might want to reach out to them to find out what information they are obtaining to determine if you want that device on your network.

    If you don't want the device talking with any device on your network at all you can just add the device to your guest network. Just keep in mind that this will prevent it from talking to any device connected to your primary network as they are different SSIDs.

    HomeKit information can be viewed at this link: https://support.eero.com/hc/en-us/articles/360036319531-How-to-use-HomeKit-with-your-eero-Network

    It is entirely up to you whether you want to look for a IoT irrigation system that doesn't support HomeKit. If you are worried about security using such a system you should reach out to the manufacturer of that system to find out what data they obtain from your network.

      • happyhummingbird
      • 3 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      James Thanks James. Ugh. It's getting harder and harder to trust this digital world in any way shape or form.

      I read elsehwere in these forums that customer support had told a poster that eero walls off each device on the network from all the others, so the provider of one device can't tap into information from others. Is that right?

      • happyhummingbird
      • 3 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      happyhummingbird I think I've got it sorted. The devices are walled off only when they are HomeKit compatible and connected through HomeKit :) 

      • eero_support
      • 3 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      Hello happyhummingbird ,

      That would most likely be the guest network or through HomeKit. I'm not entirely sure about the guest network preventing the manufacturer from accessing the IoT device, but the guest network prevents IoT devices from even being useful really because you cannot access the device on the guest network from your primary network. The guest network creates a connection from the device going to the internet just for that device. 

Content aside

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