10Outdoor extender?
I have an eero system in my house which covers the house pretty well but doesn’t really cover much of my back yard.
As I walk around my yard my WiFi drops out.
What would be the best way to ensure that I can get good coverage in my yard?
I was looking at outdoor WiFi extenders on amazon but would that work with eero?
-
Hi blairdee2000 —
Thanks for reaching out. It isn't possible to add another third-party extender as an eero access point to your network.
If you'd like to extend coverage to your backyard, we recommend placing an eero on a wall on the side of your house that has the yard. Depending on the structure of the home, as well as other factors, performance reaching outside of the home can vary.
If this isn't an option, depending on the extender, you may be able to add one as a connected device to extend your coverage. However, any client devices that connect to that access point will follow any settings assigned to the extender and not the device.
We also can't ensure the same performance expectations, as eero isn't designed to work with third-party range extenders.
-
Hi Jeff,
unfortunately I already tried moving one of my eeros on the wall facing the yard and it improved the coverage in my yard but it still was not great.when you said....
"If this isn't an option, depending on the extender, you may be able to add one as a connected device to extend your coverage. However, any client devices that connect to that access point will follow any settings assigned to the extender and not the device. "could you elaborate on that?
-
blairdee2000 —
Sure thing!
Depending on the extender you purchase, there are various ways of getting it to join an existing network. To use a third-party extender with eero, you would need to have one that can connect to the eero network similar to how your phone or computer connect using the network name and password (many have a web or app interface to get this configured — make sure to avoid anything with WPS).
In regards to this part:
However, any client devices that connect to that access point will follow any settings assigned to the extender and not the device.
What this is referring to is when a device is connected to the extender (instead of an eero on the eero network), we are unable to recognize the specific device through the extender and thus can't apply any specific settings (scheduled pauses, static IPs, etc.) assigned for that device. Instead, the eero network will be seeing this as activity from the extender.
I hope this helps!
-
Jeff C. Must the extender connect via wireless interface or can it use one of the LAN ports (and PoE ethernet cable) to connect from the eero base station? Looking at an extender that access point, repeater or router modes. Thank you in advance for the information.
-
tragisj —
You could do wired as well. However, the same caveats apply from using a third-party wireless extender.
-
Jeff Separate SSID and configuration page outside of eero
-
Jeff C. We got a Hydrawise irrigation controller (HOA owned) outside our house. I tried to connect it to my home wifi but it always show “wireless connection failed” and “can’t find wifi access point.” Although the controller found my home network and I used the correct password to it, with strong signal shown on the controller’s screen. Still, I got the same result, failed. Hydrawise said it only works in these channels 1-11, and 2.4ghz frequency only. For security type, Hydrawise only supports WPA/WPA2 or WPA/WPA2-PSK. Please advise on how to resolve this issue. Thanks.
-
-
Thanks for the info! So the main purpose for outdoor coverage for me is to be able to connect to my outdoor airplay speakers from my back yard.
I used to use an asus RT-N66U router before i got my eero system and the signal from that reached outside nicely.
i like the features of my eero though and it covers the inside of my house better.
so I am wondering if I could just hook up the asus router downstream from the eero base station. I know it would have a different SSID, but If i were to connect my airplay speakers to that new SSID, then when I am outside, I would just have to switch my device over to the other SSID in order to airplay.
i would love it if I could have the SAME SSID, but I am just thinking its something to try using the equipment that I already own.
-
Eero needs to get with the competition and release an outdoor rated device. Come on already.
-
gabrielmichaels I agree. With the advancement of all the wireless home security systems and outdoor speakers, more reliable outdoor WiFi is really necessary. I’m a bit shocked Eero doesn’t have a solution already.
-
-
Annoyingly, no one at Eero knows anything nor can they comment to the status of working on it. It’s quite frustrating.
-
I'm thinking a solar panel → Li battery → DC/AC inverter with a 115 V AC plug adapter is our only choice at the moment.
Of course all of that gear and the eero would have to be put inside a Tupperware (except the solar panel).
-
I can't believe Eero doesn't make an outdoor access point. They make a great product and they are cheaper than Luxul and better than Unify. I think they might be nuts.
-
I agree with JackRoss, I had been using Eero for 2 years, it is probably better than the alternatives, the only draw back is not having an outdoor unit. Now when it is nice outside not having good coverage is a pain. I am considering changing to TP-Link Deco as TP-Link offer an outdoor extender.
-
Sadly, Eero has just taken too long, and I’ve switched out my system. I’m now using devices that are commercial grade, and cheaper than Eero. Called Ubiquiti. I have 2 indoor and 1 outdoor, and it’s absolutely perfect.
-
gabrielmichaels
GM,
There are a few models of the ubiquity, which ones worked for you to get the outdoor signal?
-
PickleRick
-
-
I have 3 of these. Ubiquiti Unifi Ap-AC Long Range - Wireless Access Point - 802.11 B/A/G/n/AC (UAP-A... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015PRCBBI/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_i_RRmcDb02B4GTB. Can buy on Amazon.
-
Jeff C. said:
What this is referring to is when a device is connected to the extender (instead of an eero on the eero network), we are unable to recognize the specific device through the extender and thus can't apply any specific settings (scheduled pauses, static IPs, etc.) assigned for that device. Instead, the eero network will be seeing this as activity from the extender.I have been playing around with a TP-Link extender and my Eero network. It seems to be working ok and connects to the eero network without any problem via wifi. I set it up with a separate SSID and clients again connect without any issue to it. It also acts as a bridge so I can see the router and its clients in the eero list of connected devices.
-
We got a Hydrawise irrigation controller outside our house (HOA owned). I tried to connect it to my home wifi but it always show “wireless connection failed” and “can’t find wifi access point.” Although the controller found my home network and I used the correct password to it, with strong signal shown on the controller’s screen. Still, I got the same result, failed. Hydrawise said it only works in these channels 1-11, and 2.4ghz frequency only. For security type, Hydrawise only supports WPA/WPA2 or WPA/WPA2-PSK. Please advise on how to resolve this issue. Thanks.
-
Lem great news. I had the same issue. Wanted eero but had a great extender for the pool area. For some reason it works with my Ethernet connection! I plugged the Ethernet into my Eero gateway unit and the other end to my existing TP Link outdoor range extender and now both work.
-
Pauliemidc Thanks for posting! I am checking to see if this solution is still working for you. Also, does it have to be connected to the gateway unit, or will any of the units work?
-
hallenpearce still great. Netflix can now stream in guesthouse. I have not tried plugging Ethernet into other eero, not gateway unit.
-
-
I wanted to extend my network to a location outside maybe 300' from the next closest Eero in my house. The location is fully exposed to the elements next to a horse barn - wind, rain, lots of dust and temp swings. I had access to power, but wired net is not an option. My set up has been working GREAT for about a year now.
- I chose an Eero Beacon for the location
- I chose an IP67 rated box to keep out all elements: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075X15V3L/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
- The box is mounted about 6.5' feet up, on top of a 4x4.
- I drilled a whole into the side of the box and routed power into the box to a 2 gang GFCI outlet
- Inside the box I have the Beacon, another small network device and the 2 gang outlet.
That's it. It has gone through 4 full seasons now and has performed quite well. I have had no reason at all to open the box again, though I chose to open the box again out of curiosity about a week ago. First time opening it since I mounted it. Interior of box was pristine - no dust, no water, perfect. Again, this is about 300' from the next nearest Eero, which is inside my house. Except for one wall between the inside Eero and the outdoor Eero, it is unobstructed line-of-sight. Network stability at the outdoor access point has been rock solid. There is of course some bandwidth degradation. I get about 90gbps throughput, which is still plenty to support Zoom sessions, phone calls, file transfers and other work.
This has worked so well for me that I will be installing another similar outdoor Eero - but with an Eero Pro and a slightly different junction box.
-
kailou I love your solution. I'm in the process of building a house which will have a 250' driveway. I currently use an eero network and love it but was very disappointed to find out now that they don't have outdoor beacons.
In my location, there are many trees along the curved driveway and I suspect the connection back to the house would degrade. I'm wondering now if I could setup one of your 4x4 posts with a beacon halfway down the driveway and one at the end (I have access to power the whole way).
Do you know if the eero beacons can "daisy chain" like that? Or do they all need to connect back to the base?
-
rcroche They will ‘Daisy Chain’. Each Eero just needs to be within ‘earshot’ of some other Eero. The closer the Eero’s in your chain, unobstructed line-of-sight, the less degradation you’ll have.
Perhaps first just try an Eero at the endpoint to see what the bandwidth and stability are like before putting another one in between as a ‘relay’?
Good luck!
oh, total cost for what i did - box, outlet, wire, conduit - was about $50 and maybe an hour of work.
-
kailou Well ... my lot is a wooded lot so there is definitely NOT an unobstructed line-of-sight path between the eero's. I'm hoping I get away with only one hop between the house and the end of the driveway.
And at $50 + a beacon, its worth it. Thank you for posting this. I've been such a fan of my eero system since installing it a few years ago and was very disappointed just recently to find out they didn't have outdoor equipment.
-
I easily solved the outside issue. I did call Eero asking for an outside solution but got the not supported answer. Understand. So, I bought a plastic electric box off Amazon and installed it on my fence about 120 feet away from the back of my house. I installed an Eero unit inside my Carriage House (external 2 car garage that is about 20 feet from the main house). I then installed Eero at the pool in that plastic box on the fence and have electric plug run inside of it. Completely sealed except for a few tiny drain holes in the bottom for condensation. I added another Eero about 40 feet on the other side of the pool near the pool equipment so I can control pool lighting effects on my iPhone. These units daisy chain from the main house > carriage house>pool fence>pool equipment. I have full internet at top speeds on my Verizon Fios 1GB fiber connection. Eero works great with it.
-
Hello. I'm new here and am considering an Eero system. I have a house and two steel buildings on my property that I am eventually going to run fiber optic lines to (at least the underground connections from building-to-building). The first building is about 50' from the house and the second building is only 20' from the other building so daisy-chaining an Eero system should be pretty easy with me needing only one outdoor extender (two at the most). Sad to say but the reality is that I probably won't get to the fiber optic for a year or two so an Eero-type system seems like a good, longish term solution.
I am pretty inspired by what kailou did with his outside set-up! My question though is If you currently do not own a system of any type, would you still go with an Eero knowing that you would have to provide your own outdoor solution in order to use the system? Thanks for any opinions.
-
Hi LPSteinmetz. My short answer would be 'yes' I would choose Eero again. To be honest, though, I'd probably happy with one of the other mesh systems as well, but I'm invested in Eero and have been really happy with it for several years now.
In your case your steel buildings are going to be a problem with signal bounce and reflection regardless of the mesh system. You may need to make a choice on whether you want good signal and band width inside or outside your buildings. At very least consider placing an Eero just outside the door of your buildings so you get a good outside capture of the signal between eeros and some chance of unobstructed, or less obstructed, signal through the doorway to the inside.
I am curious as to your choice of fiber? You could run Cat6 upto 100ft and still maintain Gig speed. Cat7 and 8 will maintain gig speed or more over even greater distance.
Any chance you can run Cat6 from your main Eero down to the Eero(s) at the steel buildings? A wired backhaul would make a huge difference.
-
kailou Thanks for the reply. Yes...steel buildings are definitely a problem. Right now when I am inside the closest building, I can get a decent signal for streaming Spotify, messaging, etc. When I close the steel door...no more signal. I was hoping that having a Eero on the backside of my house (would also help with the pool wi-fi controller) that I could then get a decent signal inside the building. I could possibly put another Eero (guess it would be a beacon) next to the window (either inside, outsider or both) on the side of the building. This would be a direct shot between the one outside the house and the steel building window.
As far as why I plan to do fiber...I have been researching this for over two years (obviously not continuously) and, although there are certainly arguments to be found, many "expert" sites and/or people recommend to not run copper underground between two buildings for data purposes. This is especially true when in lightning country like where I am at south of Houston, TX. Evidently, copper networks ran underground are much more susceptible to lightening than regular home wiring running between circuit panels and then onto your equipment. You can buy lightning surge protectors that you have to put at both ends if you run copper but evidently they are kind of spotty in performance also. BTW...I am saying this as a complete novice when it comes to networking. After reading everything that I have come across, it is really piece-of-mind for me to run pre-terminated fiber between the buildings into media converters back to Cat 5e...I would do this on both ends of the fiber. All this is subject to someone else smarter coming along and saying "not worth it" but the cost of fiber isn't as expensive as it used to be. In the end, "buy once; cry once."
-
-
Ah, got it! I'm not in lightning country...but, after our current local lightning fires I'm starting to question that!
I wouldn't call myself a network expert, but I have built corporate networks and data centers. Fiber was usually relegated to incoming feed and then as an interconnect between clusters, but not for LAN.
I see no issue at all with running high quality Cat6 underground through conduit. Though I would absolutely defer to anyone in your geographic region regarding lightning risk - there's certainly logic to that. If the cost difference is negligible between fiber and Cat6 for those inter-building connects, then go for it. I'd suggest Cat6 for your ether patches, not Cat5e. Make sure it's a known brand at 24AWG and capable of 550mhz - lots of crap stuff on Amazon. No need or benefit to Cat 7 or 8 unless you have faster than gig network OR you have a run longer than 100ft.
Your thinking is definitely on the right track with placement, IMHO. You're at least positioning yourself to get the best results you can. Check out an app called SpeedTest if you haven't already. Beyond signal strength, this app will help you get an idea of the actual throughput you're getting at various spots and placements. If possible, get a wired reading first at your primary base station, and also a wireless reading within a few feet line-of-sight - as baselines for your max throughput to compare to. In my situation I've found that even small changes in placement have resulted in a marked improvement in signal and throughput. I guess I have some odd absorption and reflection points. If it all possible run ether between your primary base station and the satellite on the back of your house so you can retain and transmit as much of your bandwidth as possible out to your out buildings.
Good Luck!
-
Hi Kailou! Thank you for your great pictures and responses. Because of this I'm going to do the same thing! My question is, how cold does it get during your winters and how hot during your summers? It can get down to -10 and up to 100 where I'm at so didn't know if that little guy would survive such extremes in that little box! Thanks again.
-
Huskerfan I ran a eero pro outdoor in the Dallas area for 3 years and replaced it last fall with a 6 pro. Had no problems.
-
txgunlover Thanks! That solves the heat problem. How bout cold?
-
Huskerfan we don't get cold, although it did survive our -2 degree day and 7+ days below 18 this year.
-
txgunlover I know, I'm a little envious. :) I'm in Nebraska so it gets cooooolllllldddddd here!
-
-
My temp swings are from about 20 to 100+. So, cold, but not -10! I have 2 outdoor boxes now and have had no issues at all with the Eeros in either box. The original is very exposed to all elements - dust and direct sun being the the prominent factors, but also direct rain, wind etc (no snow)(see pix above in this thread). The Eero Beacon in that box has never had an issue in over a year - no interruptions, no downtime and no need to open the box (though I did open it once since deployment - out of curiosity). The 2nd install is a Gen1 Eero Pro under an eave. So it's exposed to the outdoor temps, but has no real exposure to the elements. This Eero is the 'relay' Eero for the beacon out in the other box. Also, zero issues. I introduced something new to this Gen1 box - PoE! Yes, I deployed a 3rd party PoE solution for this Gen1 which has worked perfectly! Allows me to have it powered and protected by a UPS and it also saves space inside the outdoor enclosure box. So that 2nd box is smaller than the first.
-
kailou Alright, I'm gonna try it! I have 2 Arlo Ultra cameras about 75 feet from the house that barely get wifi so I'll have to have the Arlo box and Eero box in there. I'll report back with pictures when I'm done.
-
Huskerfan I have Blink2 cams and have a Blink hub in each box (they're small - post-it note sized). The original box has a 2 outlet power supply in the box along with the Beacon and Blink hub. The box that has the Gen1 Eero Pro is on PoE and *also* powers the Blink hub from its USB port. Never had an issue with these Blink hubs either. They must be emitting a small bit of heat to the box interior, but seems to be negligible.
Good luck!
-
-
Said I'd report back here when I was done so hope this helps someone else along the way. Thanks to Kailou for the pictures.
I have 2 Arlo wireless cameras about 75 feet from the house that I needed more wifi strength for. I already had an external power outlet with a light for my flag pole. I purchased an airtight external box from Amazon. See if this link works: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075WZYMNB/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I already had Eero Pro 6 in my house so I placed one of those and the Arlo Smart Hub inside the box with another outlet. Unfortunately, the Arlo Smart Hub needs to be hard wired to work. The light pole is hollow so I did most the electrical hookups inside it. I ended up burying it to please the wife. I'm getting consistent 100Mbps which isn't the greatest but better than the 10Mbps I was getting. If you want more pictures, let me know.
-
Huskerfan Awesome! Looks good, hope it gives you the same long haul results I've had. 110MBps down and 35MBps up is great, IMO, for a mesh point at a distance from its main up-haul point. *Plenty* of throughput for video.🤘
-
kailou Alright, now I'm down to only 20MBps on 3 different speed tests and the camera's are not working great. Lotta staggering video. Could it be because it's buried in the ground?
-
Huskerfan The Eero is buried or cabling is buried? If it's the Eero that is buried then yes it can certainly impact signal. Anything between the Eero antenna the device will impact signal - some materials more than others (e.g., cement is horrible). Burying any cable shouldn't have any impact at all. On thing worth double checking is that your are connected to the Eero that you think you are. Just because you are standing right next to an Eero does not mean that will be the one you are connected to. You can check which Eero you're connected to in the Eero app.
-
kailou ok, I figured out what happened. One of my closest Eero's to the outdoor one came unhooked from internet so it was working off wifi. Once I hardwired that one back up I got a stronger signal to the outdoor Eero. Thanks for replying so fast. And I believe you are correct maybe I need to not have so much earth over the top of my box but that was so my wife didn't see the big ole box in our landscaping. :)
-
Huskerfan I love it when the solutions are straight forward!
I really have no idea how much the dirt would impact signal. My guess is that the soil would absorb and rocks would reflect, and so you might wind up with really unpredictable wifi signals.
A really off the wall suggestion might be to place a parabolic dish behind the Eero to catch signal from a certain direction and also send the signal up and out in the direction you want. I experimented with these years ago when I lived in a cinder block house. I made a small curved dish out of a cereal box covered with aluminum foil - the results were surprising. It didn't solve everything, but it did give me a signal in a direction where I had none before. Anyway, the idea is to shape the dish to redirect the 'lost' signal behind the base station and send it out more in the direction you need it.
-
kailou Yes, I've also done that! I have a drone fleet and on the drone controller I'd make a directional antenna out of plastic covered with aluminum. I swear I'd get an extra mile or two out of the drones by making the controller omni-directional.
In this case, I'm not sure which direction the signal comes out but I think I'm getting a good enough signal anyway. I'll probably experiment and dig some dirt out too. Thanks again
-
-
I saw the response was about 3 years old, just wondering if this is still the case on extending to the back yard.
-
Bill payne Bill, my responses were just from the last month. I placed a Eero pod outdoors inside a water proof box and it works great to extend wifi. I get about 150Mbps but the key is to have the box above ground. When I had it below ground it appears the soil blocked some of the wifi. Good Luck!
-
Huskerfan
-
Huskerfan thanks! Sorry for being thick, but as a gator fan we work with what we have.
-
Bill payne haha, I won't hold that against you! The look on Steve Spurrier's face all during the 1996 Fiesta Bowl is still implanted in my brain!
-
Huskerfan mine to.
-
