The eero Outdoor 7 has one 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet port, and if a wired link to it feels slow the cause is almost always the cable, the other end or the expectation, not the unit. A 2.5 Gigabit port runs at that speed only with a cable that can carry it and a partner that supports it. Cat5e or better works for short runs, but an old or damaged cable, or a joint badly crimped, can force the link down to 100 Megabit or 1 Gigabit.
The checks in more detail
Look at the link speed in your switch's page or on the port lights, and if it shows 100 Megabit, swap the cable. The Outdoor 7 is also an access point, so what slows is usually the wireless side: the unit shares its 2.1 Gbps of radio capacity between everything connected, and a phone at the far edge of the yard connects slowly however fast the cable is. Test with a device near the unit, then at the edge, to see which it is.
The wired path before the Outdoor 7 matters too. If the injector or switch that feeds it is a 1 Gigabit device, the uplink caps at 1 Gigabit, and the eero gateway's own ports and your internet plan set the ceiling beyond that. Power is a hidden factor: PoE+ is required, and a weak source can throttle the radios. Run a speed test from a wired laptop at the outdoor end and again at the gateway, and compare the results with your plan.
If the Outdoor 7 is used as a wired backhaul to another eero, check that the cable between them is also good. Keep the unit's firmware current, and avoid daisy-chaining switches outdoors. If the wired speed is right and the Wi-Fi is slow, the fix is placement and band, covered by the speed page. If the wired link negotiates at 100 Megabit even with a new cable, the port on one end is faulty.
Differential
Likely causes of “eero Outdoor 7 Ethernet link is limited to 100 Mbps or disconnects”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
A damaged or low-grade cable
What separates it The link negotiates at 100 Megabit
How to confirm Replace it with Cat5e or better
- 2
A 1 Gigabit switch or injector
What separates it Speeds cap near 940 Megabit
How to confirm Use a 2.5 Gigabit path
- 3
The wireless side
What separates it Wired is fast, Wi-Fi at the edge is slow
How to confirm Move the unit or add a node
- 4
A weak PoE source
What separates it Radios are throttled
How to confirm Use a proper PoE+ source
- 5
The internet plan
What separates it Tests never exceed the plan
How to confirm Compare with your plan speed
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The link speed shown at the switch
- The cable type and length
- Speed at the gateway versus the outdoor end
- Which device is slow
Try in this order
0 of 6 completedCheck the link speed
ReversibleAt the switch.
Swap the cable
ReversibleCat5e or better.
Test at both ends
ReversibleGateway and outdoors.
Check the switch speed
Reversible2.5 Gigabit path.
Test near and far
ReversibleTo find the Wi-Fi limit.
Update firmware
ReversibleIn the app.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- 2.5 Gigabit
- Needs a good cable and partner.
- Wi-Fi share
- The radios are shared by all devices.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If the link stays at 100 Megabit on a new cable, a port is faulty
- !If speeds are far below the plan, contact the provider
- !Ask eero support for the unit's logs
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
The Outdoor 7's PoE+ power, 2.5 Gigabit port and weather rating.
A reviewer's findings on the Outdoor 7's range, PoE requirement and wired backhaul.
Bridge mode and double NAT on an eero network.
Exact questions
Common questions
Why is my Outdoor 7 slow on Ethernet?+
A bad cable or a 1 Gigabit link in the path.
What speed is the port?+
2.5 Gigabit.
Does Wi-Fi share the capacity?+
Yes.
Does the plan limit speed?+
Yes.