An eero Pro 6 has two Gigabit Ethernet ports on each unit, and the commonest complaint on the eero community about wired speed is that the app or a device shows a link of 100 Mbps on a one gigabit plan. The cause is nearly always the cable or the port at one end, because Gigabit Ethernet needs all four pairs of wires in the cable to be good, and a damaged or poorly crimped cable, an old Cat5 cable or a connector with one broken pin makes the two ends agree on 100 Mbps instead.
The checks in more detail
The eero community thread on a gigabit line showing a rate of 100 and the thread about an eero Pro 6E with a data rate of 100 both ended in a cable or port swap. Start with the cable between the modem and the eero: replace it with a short Cat5e or Cat6 cable and look at the link speed in the eero app, under the eero's details, or on the modem's status page. Do the same for the cable from the eero to the device. Try the second Ethernet port on the eero, in case one port is the problem.
Check also what limits a wired speed beyond the cable. The eero Pro 6 is a Gigabit device, so a single wired computer cannot exceed about 940 Mbps whatever the plan, and a faster plan is shared across devices. The modem or ONT may have a 100 Mbps port, or a setting that limits it, so check the modem's specification. A switch between the eero and the computer must be Gigabit, and an old unmanaged switch at 100 Mbps caps the link.
Wi-Fi is separate from this: the Wi-Fi speed depends on the device and the signal and cannot be judged from the wired test. Test the plan by connecting a laptop directly to the modem, then through the eero, to see where the speed is lost. In the eero app, check that no speed-limiting feature such as a profile pause or a bandwidth cap is on. Restart the modem and then the eero. Update the firmware. If the link negotiates at 100 Mbps with several good cables and ports, the eero's port may be faulty, and eero support can replace it under warranty.
Differential
Likely causes of “eero Pro 6 Ethernet link is limited to 100 Mbps or disconnects”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
A damaged or old cable
What separates it The link is 100 Mbps
How to confirm Replace it with Cat5e or Cat6
- 2
A faulty port at either end
What separates it One port negotiates low
How to confirm Try the other port
- 3
A 100 Mbps switch or modem port
What separates it Speed caps at 100 Mbps
How to confirm Replace the slow device
- 4
The Gigabit limit
What separates it A wired device never exceeds about 940 Mbps
How to confirm Expect that ceiling
- 5
A modem fault
What separates it The direct test is also slow
How to confirm Contact the provider
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The link speed in the app
- The cable type
- The speed direct from the modem
- The devices in the path
Try in this order
0 of 6 completedCheck the link speed
ReversibleIn the eero app.
Replace the cable
ReversibleCat5e or Cat6.
Try the other port
ReversibleOn the eero.
Check any switch
ReversibleIt must be Gigabit.
Test direct from the modem
ReversibleThen through the eero.
Restart modem then eero
ReversibleAnd recheck.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Four pairs
- Gigabit needs all four wire pairs.
- Direct test
- It shows what the line delivers.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If the link stays at 100 Mbps with good cables and ports, contact eero support
- !If the direct test is slow, contact the provider
- !Update the firmware
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
An owner whose eero sees only 100 Mbps on a gigabit line.
An owner puzzled by a data rate of 100.
Discussion of what limits eero speeds on a gigabit plan.
Placement, guest access and other eero tips.
Exact questions
Common questions
Why does my eero Pro 6 show 100 Mbps?+
A damaged cable or a faulty port.
What speed do the ports run?+
Gigabit.
Can one device exceed Gigabit?+
No.
Is Wi-Fi the same test?+
No, it is separate.