Amazon eero 6 vs. Netgear MK62: A Clash of Budget Wi-Fi Broadcasters

I wrote about how the eero Pro 6 and the Linksys MX4200 a little while ago, and since then, folks have been asking me to do the same with the eero 6. So here's the eero 6 vs. Netgear MK62 matchup.

And similarly, I'd take the latter in a heartbeat if I had to pick one out of the two. (Hint: I don't.)

Amazon eero 6 vs. Netgear MK62: Similarities

There are a few things in common between these two. First of all, they share the same Wi-Fi grade, which is AX1800. It's almost the lowest grade for Wi-Fi 6.

Both are also available in two types of hardware, a router, and a mesh satellite. As dual-band systems, their real-world Wi-Fi speeds are modest. But both support wired backhaul when applicable. More below.

Neither feature the 160MHz channel width. As a result, at best, you'll get a 1.2Gbps of negotiated speed out of them. The real-world sustained rate will be much lower than that.

Both the eero 6 and Netgear are pretty poor in hardware features. They don't have multi-gig ports, Dual-WAN, or Link Aggregation. They also have close to zero Wi-Fi configuration.

You can pay to get extra out of both options. The Netgear has Armor protection that costs some $70/year. The eero has a similar feature that can cost up to $120/year.

Finally, neither has a USB port to host a storage device. So, you can't expect them to work as a mini NAS server.

Amazon eero 6 vs. Netgear MK62: Hardware specifications

While both systems support wired backhaul, the eero 6 Extender doesn't have a network port. As a result, to use wired backhaul, you'll have to get extra eero 6 routers and use them as satellites.

The Netgear counterpart has a LAN port in both hardware units to allow for wired backhaul no matter what combo you get. The Netgear also features the universal EasyMesh standard, while the eero is a proprietary product.

Full Name	Amazon eero 6 Dual-band AX1800 Mesh System	Nighthawk AX1800 Mesh Wi-Fi 6 System
Model	eero 6 / eero 6 Extender	MR60 (router) / MS60 (satellite)
Wi-Fi Designation	AX1800
Mesh Availability	3-pack (three routers),  2-pack (router + eero 6 Extender)	MK63 (3-pack: router + 02 satellites),  MK62 (2-pack: router +  satllite)
Dimensions (Each Hardware Unit)	3.91 x 3.82 x 2.42 inch  (99.4 x 97.0 x 61.5 mm)	4.8 x 4.8 x 2.5 in  (12.19 x 12.19 x 6.35 cm)
Weight (Each Hardware Unit)	0.64 lb (292 g)	0.63 lb (286 grams)
5GHz-1 Wi-Fi Specs	2x2 Wi-Fi 6: 1201 Mbps	2x2 Wi-Fi 6: 1201 Mbps
2.4GHz Wi-Fi Specs	2x2 Wi-Fi 6: 574 Mbs	2x2 Wi-Fi 6: 574 Mbs
Wired Backhaul Support	Router: Yes  Extender: No	Yes
Channel Width Supported	20Mhz, 40MHz, 80MHz	20Mhz, 40MHz, 80MHz
Backward Compatibility	802.11ac/n/g/a/b	802.11ac/n/g/a/b
Wi-Fi Security	WPA2 / WPA3	WPA3 / WPA2 / WPA
Mobile App	Eero	Netgear Nighthawk
Vendor Login Required	Yes	Optional
Web User Interface	None	Yes
AP (Bridge) Mode	Yes	Yes
USB Port	None	None
Gigabit Network Ports	Router: 2x Auto-Sensing Extender: None	Router: 1x LAN/WAN, 1x WAN  Satellite: 1x LAN
Link Aggregation	No	No
Multi-Gig Port	None	None
Dual-WAN	No	No
Built-in Zigbee (Home Automation)	Yes  (Amazon linking required)	No
Processing power	1.2 GHz quad-core CPU,  512MB RAM, 4GB flash	Quad-Code 1.5GHz CPU,  256MB RAM, 128MB Flash
Suggest Retail Price	$129 (Router) $199 (2-pack) $279 (3-pack) $89 (Satellite)	$130 (Satellite) $165 (2-pack) $292.99 (3-pack)

I like the naming of the eero. It's clear. On the other hand, Netgear can be confusing. Netgear calls a 2-pack "MK62" and a 3-pack, well, "MK63". On top of that, there's also a different model name for the router (MR60) and satellite (MS60).

Note on setup: As a mesh system, the Netgear hardware is pre-synced out of the box. As a result, all you have to do is set up the router unit like you do any single router. In the case of the eero, you have to add each unit individually.

Amazon eero 6 vs. Netgear MK62: Differences

Other than the number of network ports, there are a few significant differences between these two.

First of all, the Netgear uses both a full web interface and an optional mobile app. The eero is strictly app-operated—it has no web interface at all. As a result, to use it, you must have an account with eero, and all that implies.

The Netgear comes with standard network settings, including QoS, Dynamic DNS, and an integrated VPN server. The eero has one and a simple set of network settings.

In return, the eero has built-in support for Zigbee. To use it, though, you'll need to link your network with an Amazon account. And that might cause even more privacy concerns.

Amazon eero 6 vs. Netgear MK62: Performance and ratings

I tested the two both as a single router and as a mesh system. In the latter, I used a wireless setup. If you choose to use wired backhaul, which is already recommended, you can expect the satellite's performance to be the same as the router's.

As you can see on the chart, the Netgear almost consistently edged out the eero by a lot. The only time the eero did slightly better was in the satellite test with a nearby Wi-Fi 5 client.

Which is a better choice?

If you've read all the way down here, you'll realize that there's no reason to pick the eero 6 over the Netgear counterpart. (By the way, there are other options, too.)

In fact, the eero 6 has nothing new to offer, compared to the original that came out some four years ago. And, the vendor-connect requirement alone is a deal-breaker. Again, as I said in the review, I wouldn't use it if it were free.

Looking to compare other Wi-Fi solutions? Check them all out here.