This is a guest post by our EVP of Software and Services, Mark Sieglock. He and his son Teddy are quite passionate about our recently launched line of eero-branded Ethernet cables.

Over the past year, the team at eero has worked tirelessly to create premium CAT6a (up to 10 Gbps) and CAT5e (up to 1 Gbps) Ethernet cables for our customers. Since eero is a company that provides mesh wifi solutions, you’re probably wondering: why? 

While most homes and businesses largely rely on wifi, Ethernet cables play a critical role in our networks. They come standard with our eero devices as they connect to the modem or the Optical Network Terminal (ONT). Additionally, most eero devices—like eero Max 7—include several Ethernet ports so customers can hard wire devices directly into them and free up wifi bandwidth for other devices. In fact, eero customers have tens of millions of wired devices on their networks—showing just how widely used these are.

The idea to create a more premium Ethernet cable came from speaking with our customers, as we received calls from individuals reporting damaged or no longer functioning Ethernet cables. Pet owners shouldn’t be surprised to learn that each year we receive thousands of calls from customers reporting that their cat, dog, or even the occasional rambunctious rabbit or hedgehog has chewed their cables. Knowing that many of our customers were having connectivity issues due to these issues did not sit right with us, so we set out to fix them. While we were at it, we decided to design Ethernet cables that customers (including ourselves) would want in our own homes.

During the research and development phase, we aimed to develop cables that would be more resistant to tangles (and hopefully also to Fido). You’ll see that our CAT6a cables have double-braided nylon which is more durable than other materials. Additionally, our team spent a lot of time working on the design of the connectors, as design makes a huge difference in the durability of an Ethernet cable. The connectors of our CAT6a and CAT5e cables are longer, set at an angle, and designed with a swell to make it easier for customers to grip, plug in, and remove. And we also made sure these connectors give a satisfying click sound when inserted into a device—so customers know they have connected successfully. 

Lastly, we wanted to provide our customers with options so they could get the cable that best fit their needs and style. Our CAT6a cables are now available in several lengths—6 inch, 1 foot, 3 foot, 5 foot, and 10 foot—and come in Arctic White, Titanium Black, and Midnight Blue. We also offer a 3-foot white CAT5e cable as an alternative option. Six-inch cables are great for switch and patch-panel connections, while 1-foot, 3-foot, and 5-foot lengths are ideal for connecting from the wall to devices (like a TV on a wall). We recommend 10-foot cables if running a cable along the walls of one’s home or business for cameras or other PoE devices. 

The whole team at eero, and Teddy, hope you like these cables as much as we liked designing them for you. 

Mark