Amazon Eero 6+ Review: Is the Zigbee Hub and Extra Ethernet Worth the Upgrade?

The Amazon Eero 6+ occupies a specific slot in the eero lineup: it costs more than the entry-level eero 6 but delivers three upgrades that actually matter in real-world use — 160 MHz channel support on 5 GHz, two Ethernet ports on every node, and built-in Thread alongside Zigbee. Whether those upgrades justify the price depends almost entirely on how you live on your network. We tested the three-pack across a 2,200 sq ft two-story home with 28 connected devices to find out.

What’s Different From the Eero 6?

The base eero 6 is an AX1800 dual-band system with a maximum 5 GHz channel width of 80 MHz and, critically, no Ethernet ports on its extender nodes. The eero 6+ corrects both of those limitations:

• AX3000 vs. AX1800: The 5 GHz radio on the eero 6+ supports 160 MHz channel bonding, doubling the theoretical throughput ceiling to roughly 2,402 Mbps on 5 GHz (versus 1,201 Mbps on the eero 6). In practice, this means peak single-device speeds around 557 Mbps versus the eero 6’s 455 Mbps — a meaningful gain when your plan delivers gigabit speeds.
• Ethernet on every node: Each eero 6+ router — including the satellites — carries two Gigabit Ethernet ports. This lets you wire a gaming console, desktop PC, or smart TV directly into a mesh node in any room, without routing a cable all the way back to the gateway. The base eero 6 extenders have zero Ethernet ports, making this a genuine quality-of-life upgrade for wired-device households.
• Thread support: The eero 6+ adds Thread protocol support alongside Zigbee, making it compatible with Matter-over-Thread smart home devices. For households investing in newer Matter-certified accessories, this future-proofs the gateway hub. See our explainer on Matter and Thread for home networks for what that means in practice.

Specs at a Glance

• WiFi standard: WiFi 6 (802.11ax) dual-band AX3000
• 2.4 GHz band: Up to 600 Mbps (2×2)
• 5 GHz band: Up to 2,402 Mbps (2×2, 160 MHz)
• Processor: 1.0 GHz dual-core
• Memory: 512 MB RAM / 4 GB flash
• Coverage per node: Up to 1,500 sq ft claimed
• Ethernet (all nodes): 2× Gigabit (1 WAN + 1 LAN on gateway; 2 LAN on extenders)
• Smart home: Built-in Zigbee + Thread hub (gateway node)
• Security: WPA3, automatic firmware updates
• Supported devices: 75+ simultaneous

Setup and App Experience

Like every eero, the 6+ sets up entirely through the eero app. The process is genuinely effortless: plug in the gateway, open the app, follow the video prompts, then add satellite nodes one at a time. Our three-node system was running and all nodes healthy in under 14 minutes — faster than any competing mesh system we’ve set up. An Amazon account is required, and there is no way to use the router without one, which remains a dealbreaker for privacy-conscious buyers.

The app shows a clean topology map, connected device list, per-device data usage, and guest network controls. Port forwarding, static IP assignment, and band steering preferences are accessible via the app. What you will not find: a browser-based admin page, VLAN configuration, per-device QoS rules, or any meaningful traffic prioritization controls. For households that want simple management and nothing else, the app is excellent. For anyone who wants router-level granularity, the eero platform is a closed garden.

Eero Secure Subscription

Basic features — WPA3, automatic updates, port forwarding — are free. eero Secure ($2.99/month or $29.99/year) adds ad blocking, threat protection, and content filters for parental controls. eero Secure+ ($9.99/month) bundles 1Password, a VPN, and Malwarebytes. The parental control paywall is the eero platform’s most criticized element: routers like the ASUS series provide lifetime AiProtection Pro at no ongoing charge, and TP-Link’s HomeShield free tier covers basic threat filtering. If content filtering matters to your household, factor the subscription cost into the total price comparison.

Performance

The 160 MHz channel support is the eero 6+’s most meaningful spec upgrade, and it shows in throughput tests. At close range (under 15 feet), the gateway delivered approximately 557–562 Mbps on 5 GHz — nearly matching the plan speed on a 600 Mbps cable connection. At 35 feet with one wall between client and router, we recorded around 346 Mbps — entirely usable for 4K streaming, video calls, and gaming simultaneously. On the second floor, a satellite node delivered roughly 304 Mbps to a laptop in the back bedroom.

The limitation is the dual-band architecture. Because there is no dedicated backhaul radio, the eero 6+ uses the same 5 GHz radio for both client traffic and node-to-node mesh communication. Under heavy simultaneous load — two people video calling while someone else streams 4K and another device runs a large download — the satellite nodes feel the contention. Throughput at the second satellite (furthest from the gateway) dropped to around 185–210 Mbps under full load. That is still workable for most households, but a tri-band system with dedicated backhaul maintains higher satellite speeds under identical conditions. Our guide on mesh WiFi backhaul explains the trade-off in detail.

Latency on the gateway was excellent: average round-trip under 10 ms at close range, and consistent behavior in gaming sessions. The satellite nodes added 2–5 ms of mesh overhead, which is imperceptible in practice. For competitive gaming or cloud streaming from a satellite node, the eero 6+ performs well enough that wired Ethernet — now possible via the node’s ports — is a realistic option for eliminating wireless variability entirely.

Zigbee and Thread Hub

The built-in Zigbee and Thread hub in the gateway node works via the Amazon Alexa app. Pairing Zigbee devices (smart bulbs, door sensors, motion detectors) is straightforward, and Thread-enabled Matter devices paired cleanly in our testing. For households consolidating smart home hardware, eliminating a separate hub device is a real convenience. The hub is limited to the gateway node, so the gateway should be placed within reasonable range of your densest cluster of smart home devices — typically the living room or kitchen.

Who Should Buy the Eero 6+?

The eero 6+ makes the most sense for:

• Amazon / Alexa households with Zigbee or Thread smart home devices who want to eliminate a separate hub
• Homes with wired devices at satellite locations — the per-node Ethernet ports are the clearest upgrade over the base eero 6
• Plans up to 1 Gbps where the 160 MHz 5 GHz radio actually gets a workout (on a 100 Mbps plan, the extra headroom is invisible)
• Two-story homes under 4,500 sq ft with a 3-pack, or single-floor homes under 1,500 sq ft with a single node

If you have wired-backhaul options via MoCA or Ethernet runs between floors, the dedicated-backhaul advantage of a tri-band system matters less and the eero 6+ becomes more competitive. For wired-backhaul setup, see our guide on using MoCA for mesh backhaul. For homes that need more coverage depth or want more router-level control, the eero Pro 7 or a TP-Link Deco system are worth a look. Before committing, run a speed test from your worst-coverage room — if the bottleneck is already your ISP connection, the extra MHz won’t move the needle.

Verdict

The Amazon Eero 6+ is a clear step up from the base eero 6 where it counts: Ethernet ports on every node and 160 MHz 5 GHz channel support address the two most actionable complaints about its predecessor. Setup remains best-in-class for simplicity, and the Zigbee-plus-Thread hub is a genuine value-add for smart home households. The dual-band architecture and subscription paywall for parental controls are the primary reasons to look elsewhere. For a simple, capable mesh system in the mid-tier — especially one where your devices need wired drops at satellite locations — the eero 6+ earns a confident recommendation.