Eero pro 6 router replacement help

[dalagar]

I have an Eero pro 6 from talktalk, but this is where the ONT box is, just underneath the staircase, which affects the Wireless signal. I would like to set up a modem/router (with wireless disabled) next to the ONT box and then move the Eero to the livingroom (I have a cat6 connection between the livingroom and the staircase, with another 6 ports for different rooms, so I have a gigabit switch there). Which type of router do I need to buy please? From the ONT box I get an ethernet cable to the Eero (I have the 500mbps contract with direct fiber to the ONT). Please let me know if you need any further information. Thanks in advance

[mrwrighty]

OK curious as to why the Eero under the stairs is causing a wifi issue. Is it because the signal is weak.

OK as these are Eero Pro 6 they can be used as wired nodes, my apologies as my initial thought about double NAT may not be an issue with these as I had ignored that these are Pro 6 so they recognise a WAN connection versus an ethernet connection so they should all act as nodes with a third party router and double NAT not be an issue. This is not something I have tried though.

If you Google VDSL/FTTC router without wifi you will see lots. Just bear in mind you will not be able to control a 3rd party router with the Eero App.

[dalagar]

I want to avoid having an Eero connected to the ONT box, as this is causing problems with wireless connectivity. What I would like to achieve is to have a router connected to the ONT box (without wireless) and then the 2 eeros in opposite sites of the house to get the best coverage. Which router can I use next to the ONT box?

[mrwrighty]

OK, You say you have switches around the house. So use ethernet for backhaul on each node were possible and mesh the others.

ONT > Master Eero > Switch > Eero < ---- > Other Eero in Mesh.

Difficult to envisage you layout without a sketch.

[dalagar]

Thanks @mrwrighty  for your quick replies.
I would like to avoid to feed new cables, hence I was thinking to have a router connected to the ONT and then the 2 eeros  in opposite sites of the house to get the best coverage. What router would you recommend to have connected to the ONT box (I do not need wireless there next to the ONT box)

[mrwrighty]

All Eero Pro 6 devices are the same and can be plugged in to the ONT so one is the master. The others act as nodes.

You cannot feed the WAN connection from the ONT to the Eero in a different location via a switch but you can run a longer cable from the ONT to the Eero location if possible to move it out of the Stair cupboard.

[dalagar]

Thanks @mrwrighty  I have 2 eero pro 6, so does it mean that I have 2 routers and double NAT? is there anyway that I can check it? why would talktalk then send me 2 routers? can the 2 eeros be used as a mesh solution (without double NAT)? I tried to set up the eero in the livingroom, and connecting the cable from the ONT to the switch and then the eero connected to the switch, but this did not work. Am I missing something in the under staircase? It seems that it ionly works when I have 1 eero connected directly to the ONT box.

[mrwrighty]

Firstly nobody should be selling TT kit, it belongs to TT.

Secondly, the Eero you have is already a router and effectively the first Wifi node on you network. The ONT (Optical Network Terminal) is effectively your modem, this is because the Eero does not have a modem built in. You can connect an Eero router to another router but you then end up with what is called double NAT. NAT is network address translation that allows multiple devices on you network to communicate over a single public IP address. Double NAT will work but is not ideal especially if you need to access home services when away from home. You need a mesh solution that doesn't include the router element or purchase an additional Eero node to extend your existing Eero network.

[dalagar]

Thanks @mrwrighty ,

I would be more inclined to keep 2 eeros and then buy a router, which router can I buy that it will be compatible with full fibre? or should I buy one from ebay that people sell from talktalk (the wifi hub)? or any other brand?

[mrwrighty]

The only way I can see this working for you then is use a TT router and buy a mesh wifi system to extend your Wifi. TT will not you keep both sets of kit.

Alternatively do as I have done a buy a new router and build you own wifi network. I use a Unifi Dream Machine with built in Wifi with FlexHD access points to extend the wifi. Unifi do router only devices that allow you to add additional access points. It’s a great system but can be expensive, that said Eero isn’t cheap.

There are many mesh networks out there but really depends on your budget.

One important factor to remember with cheap mesh systems, Eero included, although it depends on your interpretation of cheap, they do not have a dedicated backhaul channel for the meshing. Each hop will halve your throughput on the 5ghz channel, so the more hops the slower our Wifi. Eero have dynamic channel management to help with this, but they still have to communicate with each other. With a couple of nodes it’s probably not noticeable, but bear it in mind. If you can wire the nodes the backhaul is via cable.

[dalagar]

Hello @Michelle-TalkTalk , I would prefer to keep the eero, as this will cover the ground floor, as the second floor is covered with the second eero, if I leave only 1 eero I will have wireless  issues again ( I have tested it)

[Michelle-TalkTalk]

Hello,

If we sent a wifi hub then the eero would have to be returned to us as you wouldn't be able to keep both.

Thanks

[dalagar]

Hello @Debbie-TalkTalk 

No, I do not have a WiFi hub, can talktalk send one over please? It will help greatly with all the wireless issues that I am having.

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi dalagar

Sorry for the delay.

"Do you know if a normal talktalk router will work with the fast fibre?" Yes you can use a Sagemcom WIFI hub.

Do you have already have a WIFI hub? 

[dalagar]

Hello @martswain ,

The switch and all the cables terminate in the staircase, so I have no option to move the switch unfortunately 😞
Do you know if a normal talktalk router will work with the fast fibre?  then I can link the router to the switch and get the eero in the livingroom.

[martswain]

Where is the switch ?

If it is in the living room then there is no need for an extra router.

Move the eero to the living room connecting it to the ONT with the existing ethernet cable.

[dalagar]

Yes, I have a second eero on the first floor, but due to network ports available and the layout of the house, the best coverage will be by having a eero in the livingroom (at the front of the house on the ground floor) and another one on the first floor oppposite site to the one on the ground floor. The problem I have is that some devices in my garden are connecting to the eero downstairs instead of the one on the first floor, causing to drop connection constantly, that is why I think that if I get rid of the eero on thr ground floor and move it to the livingroom far away from the garden then the devices will connect to the 1st floor eero (which I get very good signal when devices connect to it). But if I move the eero then I will need a router (with wireless disabled under the staircase). Will a talktalk wifi hub work for Future fibre?

[Michelle-TalkTalk]

Hello,

How many eeros do you have as you can add more eeros to create a mesh network?

Thanks