You want to create a fast wireless network for your office or home. In order to do that, you have put your attention on Linksys Velop vs Eero Pro. Both products will allow you to set up a powerful wi-fi mesh as quickly and easily as possible. Below, we will see the differences between Linksys Velop and Eero Pro.
Continue reading to find out more information about:
- Which unit that is more compact and easier to place
- The available connectivity options on each system
- The set-up process on each system
- The mobile apps of Linksys Velop and Eero Pro
- The coverage of Linksys Velop vs Eero Pro
- Which wi-fi system that is generally more recommended for you
Design
Linksys Velop is available in several bundle options that include one, two, or three units. Just like many other products from the company, Linksys Velop is clad in a white finish featuring a gray logo. However, compared to other wi-fi mesh routers in the market, the style of Linksys Velop is rather unique. Read also: Linksys Velop vs Asus Lyra Trio.
It measures 7.3 inches x 3.1 inches x 3.1 inches, and weighs about 630 grams. It has a rectangular shape, and is notably taller and less compact compared to Eero Pro. It is also slightly heavier, though the weight shouldn’t be a real problem.
Eero Pro, on the other hand, can be bought in a set of three units, one unit and one beacon, or one unit and two beacons. A beacon works like a wi-fi extender which simply plugs to a power outlet to operate. You can add as many beacons as you want to a single Eero Pro unit.
The design is more similar to the other wifi mesh routers in the category. It is white, small, and minimalist. It measures 1.2 inches x 4.8 inches x 4.8 inches. The weight is approximately 240 grams. Compared to Linksys Velop, Eero Pro is definitely much more compact and easier to place.
Connectivity
Each Linksys Velop unit is a tri-band wi-fi mesh router that is able to pair with other Linksys Velop units via a special radio band that is different from the ones used by the actual wi-fi network. It is armed with six internal antennas, high-powered amplifiers, a 716 MHz quad-core processor, 512MB of RAM, and 4GB of flash storage. It is seriously powerful.
One notable difference between Linksys Velop vs Eero Pro is that, on each Linksys Velop unit, you can find two physical ethernet ports. On the primary node, you will need to use one of these ports to plug your ISP cable. However, on any other node, you can use the two ports freely.
Linksys Velop supports beamforming on its simultaneous 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 5GHz bands. The bandwidth on each of these frequencies is 400 Mbps, 867 Mbps, and 867 Mbps, respectively. For security, the router supports the WPA2 Personal encryption.
Eero Pro is also a tri-band wi-fi mesh router. However, only the primary Eero Pro unit has two physical ethernet ports. The beacons don’t have any. So, if you need ethernet connections for some of your devices, you will need to either purchase multiple Eero Pro units (as opposed to just using the beacons to expand the wi-fi coverage) or set-up a network switch that is connected to the main unit.
The components inside Eero Pro include a 700 MHz quad-core processor, 512MB of RAM, and 4GB of flash storage. In addition to supporting beamforming on the simultaneous 2.4GHz, 5.2GHz and 5.8GHz bands, Eero Pro also supports Bluetooth LE 4.2, which can be useful for some smart devices.
Eero Pro comes with several advanced features including WPA2 encryption, IPv6, Static IP, DHCP, NAT, VPN Passthrough, and Port Forwarding. If you want to implement specific rules on the internet access for every device in your network, these features can be very useful.
Setup
In terms of setup, both Linksys Velop vs Eero Pro are generally easy and quick. They both rely on their respective apps to configure the settings. On either app, you will be guided through every step, so there is almost no room for mistake.
Linksys Velop requires you to start with the primary node or the “parent”. First of all, download the Linksys app. Then, follow the instructions on the app to connect the main node to your ISP. Next, you will need to wait for a short moment for some firmware update. Finally, the app will ask you whether you want to add additional units or not.
Connecting a child node to the parent node is actually not complicated, but it requires some patience. After placing the new unit, you will need to run a diagnostic test that runs for roughly five minutes. You will know whether the placement is good or bad only after the diagnostic test is completed. If it is failed, try placing the new unit a little closer to the parent.
Eero Pro is quite similar in that it requires you to start with the primary node. After installing the Eero app, you will be guided through a setup wizard which smartly asks some questions related to your home’s layout. Then, you will be asked to connect the primary node to your ISP. Once the primary node is up and running, you will also need to wait for some firmware update.
Next, you can try adding the beacons to your network. There is also a diagnostic test for checking whether the placement is good or not, and thankfully, the diagnostic test is much shorter. Unfortunately, Eero Pro tends to be picky with the beacon placement, so make sure that you don’t put the beacon too far away from the primary node.
App
Next, we will compare the apps of Linksys Velop vs Eero Pro. Both are well-designed and feel intuitive, easy to use. However, Linksys Velop has fewer advanced features than Eero Pro.
On the Linksys app, you can adjust the settings of your network remotely. You can also view some statistics such as the number of connected devices and who they are. You can prioritize the bandwidth for specific devices. There are also guest access settings and parental controls. For most home users, these features are already sufficient. Linksys provides a 3-year warranty and 24/7 customer support.
On the Eero app, there several features that are available for free, such as the automatic update for ensuring ongoing security and performance improvement, remote management, statistics view, and guest access. You can also schedule, pause, or block internet access for specific devices; this is particularly useful for parents who don’t want their children playing or streaming all day long.
Interestingly, there is a premium subscription plan called Eero Plus. With this subscription, you can get more advanced security features, parental controls, and 24/7 access to their so-called experts. Whether this subscription is necessary or not depends on your particular requirements.
Performance
Linksys Velop is superior in terms of coverage. With a single unit, you can already cover an area of 2,000 square feet, which should be equal to two adjacent bedrooms. With two units, you can cover 4,000 square feet, which is about equal to three or four bedrooms. With three units, you can easily cover the entire home.
The overall stability of Linksys Velop is very good. Indeed, it may occasionally drop a connection or suddenly reboot, but the cases were rare. If you are worried about the internet access reliability for some devices, you can just use the ethernet ports.
The connection speeds are very solid, too. You can expect a stable wireless connection of 30 – 60 Mbps, depending on how far you are from the nearest node. With an ethernet connection, you can expect a consistent 60+ Mbps. Compared to other similar systems, Linksys Velop is one of the best in terms of throughput.
Eero Pro, on the other hand, does not specifically mention the maximum coverage that you can get from each node or from the entire system. The company simply says that, with three Eero Pro units, you can cover a typical house of five or six bedrooms. Of course, if you prefer to use just one Eero Pro unit and pair it with some beacons, the maximum coverage will be smaller.
The stability of the wi-fi is very good. Eero Pro rarely drops a connection. As long as you are not too far away from the node you are connected to, you don’t need to worry about sudden disconnection.
The connection speeds are also good. Eero Pro consistently provides a connection of 45 – 60 Mbps, regardless of where you are in your home. However, if you need to use an ethernet port, you will be limited to the main unit.
Linksys Velop vs Eero Pro
Conclusion
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Both of these wi-fi mesh systems have their own advantages and disadvantages. In the end, however, we recommend you to choose Linksys Velop. It is better in terms of coverage, and each Linksys Velop unit has ethernet ports which can be handy for connecting some devices. In addition, it also provides 24/7 customer support without requiring a premium subscription.