- Clean design, easy setup
- Futureproof speeds
- Reliable for most internet speeds
- Way too expensive for a single unit
- More potential than practical
- WiFi weirdness at range
While the manufacturers of wireless devices are still seemingly wrapping their heads around WiFi 6 and WiFi 6E, networking manufacturers are blazing ahead with WiFi 7. Similarly, gigabit Ethernet may be practically all you need for internet right now, but with NBN 2000 looming, gigabit Ethernet devices are fast becoming old tech. Cue the entry of networking gear with 2.5Gbps and even 10Gbps Ethernet capabilities, like the Amazon eero Max 7.
As is the trend with new tech on the block, flashy and futureproofed equates to an extra cost. In the case of the eero Max 7, that cost is twofold. First, the beyond-$1,000 asking price for a single mesh router. And second, the real-world applications of future-focused networking isn’t something that can be practically appreciated today.
Before we get into the breakdown of the eero Max 7, here’s a look at today’s most popular NBN plans from our comparison engine.
Home networking equipment is tested in a first-floor apartment with thick WiFi-interfering walls using an FTTC NBN 100/20 connection. The networking device is deliberately placed at one end of the apartment (instead of a central location) to test wireless range and penetration.
Basic speed tests are performed at multiple locations inside and outside the apartment, first with a Synology RT6600ax router and then with the networking device being reviewed for comparative results. Everyday internet tests are also performed with relevant results mentioned for streaming, web browsing, online gaming, video and voice calls, as well as downloading large files and transferring them across devices on the local network.
What we like about the Amazon eero Max 7
With app installed, setup is a cinch, whether you’re new to eero or upgrading from an existing eero system. Because I recently reviewed the Amazon eero Pro 6E mesh router, I was able to go from plugging in cables to online in under five minutes. Even with a firmware update thrown into the mix, it was under 10 minutes total. That’s incredibly fast setup, even by today’s streamlined standards.
If you’ve ever followed a router setup guide, you may have noticed the important distinction between WAN and LAN ports: the former to connect to the modem and the latter for wired devices in your home. The eero Max 7 foregoes that knowledge requirement with autosensing Ethernet ports, meaning you can connect an Ethernet cable to your modem, devices or use wired backhaul for another compatible eero device, and the ports will automatically detect what to do.
More impressive is the theoretical speed potential. In terms of wireless connectivity, there’s up to 4.3Gbps of shared speeds. For wired, there are two 2.5Gbps Ethernet ports and two 10Gbps Ethernet ports. That’s great news for any Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) or Hybrid Fibre Coaxial (HFC) home eyeing off NBN 2000, plus homes that like to perform hefty network file transfers.
General settings and everyday tweaks are all accessed via the eero companion app. Conveniently, my previous network settings automatically carried over from my time with the eero Pro 6E, including a change to the device IP address and a Quality of Service (QoS) toggle, which is now more logically under ‘Network settings’ rather than as a beta feature (where it used to be).
Most everyday online tasks had zero issues, including latency-sensitive tasks like online gaming and video calls. Wireless speeds are great if you’re close enough to the eero Max 7, more so with WiFi 6 gear (or newer), and there were no internet dropouts in the main areas of my apartment. There was a second firmware update during testing that automatically applied itself in the wee hours of the morning, without being thrown by a shift to daylight savings time.
Routers, modem routers, and mesh WiFi systems are compatible with most NBN connections, including FTTP, HFC, FTTC, Fixed Wireless, and Sky Muster satellite. All of these NBN technologies use respective network termination devices (NTDs), which is a fancy term for “connection box” or “modem”. If you live in an FTTB or FTTN home, you’ll need a modem router to get online. You can still connect a router or mesh WiFi system to a modem router, but the modem router first needs to be in bridge mode so it can then connect to a router or mesh WiFi system.
What we dislike about the Amazon eero Max 7
The golden elephant in the room for the Amazon eero Max 7 is the cost. The $1,099.99 RRP is a steep asking price for a single router with mesh potential, more so when the US seemingly has two-pack and three-pack options, but Australia is stuck with a single-device option. Admittedly, if those were available, the cost would be even more of an issue.
The shadow cast by the RRP wouldn’t loom as large if it had no disclaimer performance to match the price. Like my time with the eero Pro 6E, the eero Max 7 doesn’t handle WiFi interference well. Part of my speed testing is done in my apartment study, which has two thick walls and a mirror that stand as a great test for how well wireless signals can penetrate those kinds of interfering objects.
While the eero Max 7 was able to penetrate out the back of the apartment building in a spot that my everyday Synology RT6600ax router cannot, it had major connectivity issues in the back half of my apartment. Whenever I was in the bathroom for more than a few minutes, there’d usually be a WiFi dropout. And the study was a frustrating constant loop of disconnection and reconnection, with up to 20 seconds of downtime between reconnections. Worse was the 97% degradation to download speeds and 87% drop in upload speeds in the same room.
It’s truly bizarre that the eero Max 7’s WiFi can punch through an internal wall and external building wall with more reliable connectivity than it can for two internal walls. There were also noticeable hits to speed—between 31% and 46% for downloads, and up to 23% for uploads—outside the front of my apartment building. When I was manually checking the WiFi band—because eero products don’t let you switch between 2.4GHz, 5GHz or, where available, 6GHz options—the eero Max 7 seemed to prefer shorter-range 6GHz over longer-range 2.4GHz farther away from the mesh router or when there was interference. Strangely, I didn’t see the 5GHz band in use during my tests.
Amazon sent me a fifth-generation Echo Dot smart speaker to test whether it could address the WiFi coverage issues in the back half of my apartment. Any Alexa smart speaker that supports "eero Built-in" functionality can be used as an ad hoc eero network extender with a few steps. Best of all, eero Built-in is a free feature. The Echo Dot is one of those products, and it did fix the WiFi woes in my apartment, albeit with some disclaimers.
You first need to own a compatible product and then use an Amazon account to link them. I had to update the Echo Dot before it was detected, which took around 30 minutes to do. Initially, the Dot disappeared from my list of eero devices. When I dug into the why, I found out the Dot was sitting too close to the eero Max 7 for it to be used. The somewhat impractical fix was to move the smart speaker to my bathroom, where it became part of the WiFi network, using its 5GHz band.
Amazon eero Max 7 – Final Thoughts
I had similar issues with the Amazon eero Max 7 that I did with the TP-Link Archer GE800 router. It’s okay if a product has a steep investment, as long as you can see some of that promise today. But when it comes to 2.5Gbps and 10Gbps Ethernet, plus the potential of WiFi 7 speeds, there aren’t a lot of real-world uses for that kind of speed today, certainly not when it comes to internet.
What’s more frustrating is the inconsistent WiFi penetration of the eero Max 7. Sure, I was able to plug the study dead spot in my apartment with an Echo Dot, but asking people to buy another product to fix the issues of a $1,000 plus networking investment isn’t an ideal solution. It’s worse when the compact TP-Link HX510 offered zero-disclaimer whole-apartment WiFi coverage for a fraction of the cost.
We consider several factors when reviewing networking equipment, including:
- Type: Router, modem router or mesh WiFi system. Supported NBN technologies and plan speeds.
- Design: Size, weight and standing options. Internal or external antennae. Available ports, WiFi version, and single, dual or triband wireless.
- Setup: Plug-and-play configurations vs laborious setup. Companion apps and guided setups are a plus.
- Performance: Ethernet and WiFi speed tests for downloads, uploads and latency. Real-time latency test for online gaming, VoIP and/or video calls. Plus, everyday use like downloading, uploading, browsing and streaming.
- Versatility: Band steering (single SSID), quality of service and other features. Ease of configuration, plus mesh expansion.
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