I tested the new Eero Outdoor 7, and it's a smart home system worth splurging for

The Eero Outdoor 7 is a mesh Wi-Fi router built to extend your network to your home or business exterior. It’s a relatively new device that could make the difference for outdoor connected devices, like security cameras. 

Testing the Eero Outdoor 7 meant upgrading my network from the two Google Nest Wi-Fi Pro routers to a pair of Eero Max 7 units. I got the Nest routers when I switched to Google Fiber, so I wasn’t particularly attached to them. 

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Truthfully, my home network was in dire need of an upgrade. The 80+ connected devices in the house were severely slowing down the network and wreaking havoc on its stability. We were experiencing issues: the kids were seeing constant buffering, and my husband and I were having video conference issues.

The Eero Max 7 pair was definitely an upgrade, but the Eero Outdoor 7 added the most significant boost.

I installed the Eero Outdoor 7 on a deck post in the backyard, where it’s surrounded by security cameras that need to be connected. The outdoor Eero is also on the side of the deck closest to the main bedroom and the furthest from my and my husband’s offices, where the Eero Max 7s are. 

We have several smart devices in the backyard, including an Echo Pop speaker in the sun room, two Ring security cameras, four Eufy security cameras that connect to the Eufy Security HomeBase 3, a Google Nest Cam, and the Mammotion Luba 2 robot mower. That’s not all — the Eero Outdoor 7 doesn’t only connect the Wi-Fi devices outside.

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My house is close to 3,000 square feet, and my home office is on one end while my husband’s is on the other. Installing an Eero Max 7 in each office and the Eero Outdoor 7 on the deck unintentionally created a triangular positioning that worked very well.

While the Eero Max 7 downstairs already connects most of the smart home devices in my home, the one outside my husband’s office powers most of the devices upstairs, while the Eero Outdoor 7 picks up the slack and connects the devices outside. 

Since the Eero Outdoor 7 is under 50 feet from my bedroom window, my phone, the Eufy HomeBase in my room, the TV, the Google TV Streamer, and many smart lights and plugs all connect to it, too. 

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The Eero Outdoor 7 also connects the Google Nest Cam in the backyard, which has been one of my least favorite cameras at home right now due to how slow it loads. Since adding the outdoor Eero, however, the Nest Cam is quick to open in the Google Home app, showing me the feed immediately when I tap on a notification. Before, I had to wait at least 60 to 90 seconds while the feed loaded — if it loaded at all. 

This is proof of something many smart home device users fail to recognize: most of the time, the problem is the network, not the device.

This outdoor Eero appears to be omnidirectional, connecting devices in front and behind it, so you don’t have to worry too much about its placement. All you need to consider is that it covers up to 15,000 square feet. 

For example, my home’s driveway has always been a Wi-Fi limbo. When I pull away from the house and open the MyQ app on my phone to close the garage, the app takes forever to load. The Wi-Fi signal is too weak to work properly but still strong enough to keep my iPhone connected.

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The Eero Outdoor 7 completely solved this problem, even if it’s clear across the property, with a house between it and the driveway. Now, I have strong Wi-Fi as I’m pulling out, and I don’t have to habitually turn off my Wi-Fi to avoid this limbo every time I climb into the car. 

Should you pay for an Eero Plus subscription ($10 monthly or $100 annually)? My hackles go up whenever I face a subscription service alongside a multi-hundred-dollar device. That said, the Eero Plus is surprisingly fair. Buying the Eero Outdoor 7 sets you back $400, not including any other existing Eero devices in your home, but you can rest assured that you’re already paying for its meat. 

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The Eero Plus subscription doesn’t guarantee huge speeds or a stable connection; it’s more like gravy that brings together the entire system. While the Eero device gives you access to Wi-Fi scheduling, a guest network, and multi-admin features with the Eero app, a subscription adds extra benefits. These include access to historical data, app blocking, Guardian VPN, DDNS, content filters, 1Password, Malwarebytes, ad blocking, VIP support, and more.

ZDNET’s buying advice

The Eero Outdoor 7 makes sense for a smart home with many connected devices, especially when many are outside and connect directly to Wi-Fi. Many devices connected to a hub don’t congest your network as much as individual Wi-Fi-connected devices. Thankfully, the Eero Outdoor 7 doubles as a Zigbee and Thread hub and as a Matter controller, which should help reduce congestion on your network. 

Aside from outdoor smart home devices, an Eero Outdoor 7 can also be a solution for business owners hosting patrons outside, like a café or a restaurant, as much as for remote workers looking for a stable connection.