Enlarge / The people in this room are smiling because they know that little Wi-Fi hub on the ceiling could power a whole bunch of cameras and access points over Ethernet.
Amazon-owned Eero announced today that its latest Echo devices can serve as Wi-Fi mesh extenders for Eero networks, using built-in hardware to expand a network up to 1,000 square feet.
Eero will also add “Internet Backup” for Eero Plus (formerly Secure+) subscribers, allowing Eero networks to automatically use a hotspot or nearby Wi-Fi during an Internet outage and use it to keep select devices connected until a dedicated connection returns. And the company announced power-over-Ethernet devices aimed at enterprise, business, and serious networking enthusiasts.
Eero Built-In, which made its debut in the Ring Alarm Pro last year, will be available on the latest (fifth-generation) Echo Dot and Echo Dot with Clock devices and the fourth-generation Echo, expected to be unveiled today. Mesh capabilities will also come to fourth-generation Echo Dot and Echo Dot with Clock devices through an over-the-air update, Eero says. (Essentially, if your Echo device is spherical, a clock, or announced today, it’s likely to have built-in Eero).
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