- Competitively priced WiFi 7
- Easy setup, monitoring and expansion
- Excellent in-home performance
- Full functionality requires a subscription
- Initial firmware installation weirdness
- Chunky power adapter
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I've been testing a range of entry-level WiFi 7 gear in the past few months. That includes NBN provider-championed models like the Telstra Smart Modem 4 and the iiNet Wi-Fi Max modem-routers, plus standalone routers like the Netgear Nighthawk RS100 and the D-Link DIR-BE3602. While the Amazon eero 7 is one of the priciest of those WiFi 7 models, its straightforward expandability and real-world performance make a strong case for consideration.
If you're in the market for an NBN plan today, check out the most popular plans from providers that offer the eero 7 as an add-on below:
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#1
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Tangerine Telecom
FTTP, HFC
Speedy Max NBN 500/50
$59.90/mth
Min. cost $59.90
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#2
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Superloop
FTTP, HFC
Family Max nbn500/50
$74/mth
Min. cost $74
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#3
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Aussie Broadband
FTTP
Super-Fast Pro nbn - Unlimited
$114/mth
Min. cost $114
Link not supplied
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#4
|
More
All Fixed Line nbn®
Value Plus NBN
$100/mth
Min. cost $100
Link not supplied
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#5
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Swoop
FTTP, HFC
nbn® Home Ultrafast
$85/mth
Min. cost $85
Link not supplied
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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 7
I bought my Amazon eero 7 three-pack as part of a Black Friday 2025 deal for under $400 (factoring in extra discounts). That's a good price to pay for a WiFi 7 router, let alone a three-unit mesh WiFi system. Even at full RRP – $299.99 for a single mesh router or $649.99 for a three-unit configuration – Amazon has priced the eero 7 appropriately, basically you get a three-pack for around $100 more than a single eero Pro 7.
After a couple of surmountable setup missteps, initial configuration was a breeze, and I was online in about five minutes. Amazon has updated the eero companion app since I reviewed the eero Pro 7 earlier in the year, and it's even better at holding your hand during setup. For me, that included deleting my old network configuration – I did try creating a new eero account, but Amazon requires a mobile number for verification – and even that was only a few taps. It'll be even faster if you're new to the eero ecosystem.
Once you're online, the eero app encourages you to install the latest firmware, but that can also wait until a time that's more appropriate (by default, the wee hours of the morning). The eero app automatically performed a sneaky speed test, recording a commendable 95Mbps download and overprovisioned 21Mbps. Other speed tests are performed outside of typical use hours, or you can manually run one whenever you like. Given those speeds are above spec for my FTTC connection, I suspect they're either speeds to the NBN connection box or even potentially the telecommunications pit. Either way, it's a handy tool to report to your NBN provider if you're having speed issues.
Real-world speed testing was also impressive, even with a single eero 7 unit. For my home networking setup and test locations, networking gear typically shines in the front half of my apartment and struggles in the back. That wasn't the case with my eero 7 tests. A single eero 7 almost covered my entire apartment in speedy 5GHz wireless coverage, despite its compact size. Two units offered full 5GHz wireless coverage inside my apartment, but also at most of my outside test locations. With three eero 7s, it made the 5GHz signal strength even better.
What's more impressive is all of my speed tests were conducted on a Google Pixel 7 Pro (a WiFi 6E phone) without WiFi 7-exclusive features like MLO enabled. While it's also not enabled by default, Smart Queue Management (SQM) – Amazon's Quality of Service (QoS) equivalent – worked well in my tests while downloading files at unthrottled speeds, while also streaming video on multiple devices without impacting video quality.
QoS is one of the best user-friendly features for all WiFi users, but MLO is a new user-convenience feature that's new to WiFi 7. Short for 'multi-link operation', MLO lets WiFi 7 devices on a WiFi 7 network connect to multiple wireless bands simultaneously. The benefit for these devices is that they get faster speeds, lower latency, and better reliability, whereas older WiFi devices can only connect to the 5GHz or 2.4GHz band (WiFi 6E devices can also connect to 6GHz).
The real beauty of the eero 7 is it just worked for every networking task I threw at it. When you want more out of it, the tweaks are a few taps away in the eero companion app. Whether you're playing games, streaming music or video, voice or video chatting, transferring files on the local network, or doing any number of everyday internet tasks, the eero 7 speedily and intuitively handles it all.
If you're in a smaller home like mine or one less prone to signal interference, you can viably get away with a single eero 7 connected to your modem. But if you're in a larger home or one that has WiFi dead spots, expansion via eero mesh is a breeze. It only takes around two minutes per eero 7 unit to expand your home network, wherein each one acts as an eero WiFi extender (only better). If you're already in an eero home, use an eero 7 as the router and whatever older eero units you have to expand the 5GHz wireless coverage via the same guided steps in the app. The eero app will tell you whether placement is good for each additional eero unit, and then you can enjoy the perks of better networking.
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 7
This is a problem with most mesh gear I've tested, but the ports are seriously limited on the Amazon eero 7, especially if you only use one. For the eero 7 router, you'll need to dedicate one of the auto-sensing Ethernet ports to your NBN connection box. And then you're only left with one Ethernet port, which is fine if you have a network switch (like me). But it's likely frustrating if you're moving from networking gear where four Ethernet ports is standard and you're using two or more of those LAN ports for priority wired devices.
While the eero 7 supports Ethernet backhaul – a more reliable way to expand with extra eero satellites – you have the same problem per extra eero unit: one port would be dedicated to backhaul, with only one free for a priority wired device. Admittedly, that's less important if you're really into mesh for the WiFi.
I did encounter some issues during initial configuration. The first is that the power adapter is too wide, meaning I couldn't plug it in next to the FTTC connection box on the same two-port wall outlet. The second issue is a strange recurring theme with eeros, in that if you restart your connection box at the 'wrong' time, initial setup will fail, and you'll have to try again without an overly helpful error message. Unlike other networking gear, you're better off following the eero guidance literally, rather than defaulting to restarting your connection box before setup (which works for basically all non-eero gear I've tested).
The first post-setup issue is likely a bug that'll hopefully be ironed out in the future. You'll be told you must update your firmware when you set up your eero network, plus whenever you add another eero 7. The phrasing suggests this update is mandatory. But the firmware update didn't start for me on all three eero 7s. Instead, I had to manually force the firmware update on all three units. There was no progress bar, and the app just says "updating" until it's not. In fairness, it only took a few minutes per device for the firmware updates. You're better off waiting for them to automatically update in the wee hours of the morning. I only forced the firmware updates to test the eeros with the latest available system software.
While I was almost entirely impressed by the eero 7s speed tests, there were some oddities. With a single eero 7, the 5GHz network seemingly ended at my kitchen (connected to the lounge where the eero 7 router was positioned) and couldn't reach the laundry connected to the kitchen. Those 2.4GHz speeds, at best, meant a 22% degradation in download speeds and, at worst, a 59% speed hit.
Strangely, there were multiple tests that had minimal impact to download speeds but inexplicably had a 30%-ish drop in upload speeds. I test outside my building at the garage in a spot that's designed to catch out less penetrative networking gear. While it recorded comparatively good speeds for a single eero 7, the test failed with two eero 7s. Admittedly, it was much improved with a third eero 7 in the mix. That said, with a third eero 7, one of the external test locations recorded a 76% hit to download speeds and a 90% degradation to upload speeds. If I had to theorise, I'd say that sometimes the network prioritises maintaining a device connection to a particular eero unit for too long, instead of swapping it out for something better (particularly outside).
I don't understand why SQM and MLO were toggled off by default, given how much those features can help with preserving latency/bandwidth-sensitive tasks and boosting speeds for WiFi 7 devices, respectively. But the far bigger concern for the eero companion app is how much it incentivises you to sign up for eero Plus. In Australia, that's a $15.99 monthly fee or a $159.99 annual cost for additional security features and boosted parental controls, features that are potentially baked into competitors' products.
Amazon eero 7 – Final Thoughts
As an ex-tech support person who's still asked for networking gear recommendations from friends or family, the Amazon eero 7 is what I'd recommend as a great starting point. Practically speaking, the eero 7 is a competitively priced router that comes into its own as an easy-to-expand mesh WiFi system.
If you're already in an eero ecosystem, the straightforward expandability is even better. For everyone else, it's a user-friendly and performative place to start if you're looking at NBN 2000 plans (or with the option to upgrade to those) in a home that's starting to upgrade to WiFi 7 devices.
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.
These are the most popular NBN 50 plans with WhistleOut users this week:
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#1
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Dodo
All Fixed Line nbn®
Editor's Pick
nbn50 Unlimited Plan
$57.99/mth
Min. cost $57.99
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#2
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amaysim
All Fixed Line nbn®
NBN50
$75/mth
Min. cost $75
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#3
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Belong
All Fixed Line nbn®
NBN Standard Plus – Unlimited
$55/mth
Min. cost $55
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#4
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Tangerine Telecom
All Fixed Line nbn®
Value Plus NBN 50/20
$64.90/mth
Min. cost $64.90
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#5
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Superloop
All Fixed Line nbn®
Extra-value nbn50/20
$69/mth
Min. cost $69
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#6
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TPG
All Fixed Line nbn®
nbn50 Unlimited Plan
$69.99/mth
Min. cost $69.99
Link not supplied
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#7
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iiNet
All Fixed Line nbn®
nbn50 Liimitless
$69.99/mth
+ $10 Upfront
Min. cost $79.99
Link not supplied
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#8
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Kogan Internet
All Fixed Line nbn®
Silver Unlimited
$69.90/mth
Min. cost $69.90
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#9
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Flip
All Fixed Line nbn®
Unlimited Family nbn50
$68/mth
Min. cost $68
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#10
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Vodafone
All Fixed Line nbn®
Essential+ nbn®
$94/mth
Min. cost $94
Link not supplied
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Nathan Lawrence
Freelance Contributor
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