Owner's Manual

How do I set up my eero if I want to keep my
existing router?
To get the most out of your eero WiFi system, we recommend having your eero WiFi system
replace your current router and having your gateway eero plugged directly into your modem.
However, if you'd like to keep using your existing router, you absolutely can.
In this scenario, you will have two options for using your eeros: putting them in bridge mode or
double NAT-ing them. We will go a bit more into each of these use cases below.
Bridging your eeros
The first option you have is putting your eeros into bridge mode. In this scenario, you will still
get all the benefits of eeros mesh. However, you will allow your upstream router manage the
connection between your network and ISP. It should also be noted that when using eeros in
bridge mode, you will lose many advanced features.
If you'd like to bridge your eeros, please see this article.
Double NAT-ing your eeros
While it sounds a bit complicated, double NAT-ing your eeros is fairly simple.
If you have a separate router and modem, don't plug your gateway eero directly into your
modem, as the eero app suggests. Instead, plug your gateway eero into your existing router.
From there, follow the remaining setup instructions in your eero app.
If you have a modem/router combo device, simply plug your gateway eero into the combo device
and follow the setup instructions from there. In this case, you also have the option of putting
your modem/router combo device into bridge mode, so it'll only act as a modem. For more, see
this article.
When double NAT-ing, be sure to use a different SSID and password for your eero network than
your existing network. Running two networks with the same SSID simultaneously will lead to
technical complications.