Plume vs. Eero vs. Luma – Finding the answer to all your wifi problems
Wireless dead zones and slow speeds are problems that most internet users go through. Mesh network systems such as Plume, Eero, and Luma can be the solution you need. Find out how they compare.
We like spending our weekends watching movies as a family. Ever since our wifi started getting sluggish, things changed since streaming videos became problematic. When we started looking at different ways to boost our home wifi signal, we came across mesh networking systems. Models such as Luma, Plume, and Eero came highly recommended. Since we wanted a reliable system that could serve us for long, we took our time to compare each model and came up with the following.
Table of Contents
What are the differences between Plume, Eero, and Luma?
Name |
Plume |
Eero (Winner) |
Luma |
Radio bands
|
2 |
3 |
3 |
Speed |
Download speed-169 Mbps
Upload speed-21 Mbps |
Download speed-123.5 Mbps
Upload speed-112.1 Mbps |
Download speed-90.8 Mbps
Upload speed-88 Mbps
|
Wifi coverage |
2000 sq. ft.
|
5000 sq. ft. |
1500 sq. ft. |
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Plume vs. Eero vs. Luma- How do they compare?
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Design
Luma and Plume are hexagonal shaped units that have an elegant device. They, however, differ in that Plume devices have to be plugged into a socket. When you choose Luma, You should ensure that you place them upright for them to work accordingly. Eero, on the other hand, comes in square-shaped units that have rounded edges. Most people find Eero units aesthetically pleasing.
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Wireless connectivity
The reason why Plume and Eero units perform better than Luma is that they are tri-band routers. Luma, on the other hand, is a dual-band system that lacks dedicated band control.
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Performance
Since Plume is a tri-band router, it consists of two 5 GHz bands and one 2.4 GHz band. The first two bands can reach maximum speeds of 867 Mbps while the 2.4 GHz band delivers a maximum speed of 400 Mbps. Eero is also a great mesh network system that fast speedrates. On the 2.4 GHz band, Eero can provide speeds of up to 400 Mbps and 866 Mbps on the 5 GHz band. We noticed that Luma lags when it comes to performance. Luma delivers a maximum speed of 866 Mbps on the 5GHz network and 300 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band.
Plume vs. Eero vs. Luma – comparison overview
Plume
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If you would like to enjoy great internet coverage in your home, you need to choose a mesh wifi system that has a great reputation. The manufacturers of Plume have been making great units for a while now. Though the first units they produced had great aesthetics and easy installation process, they lacked some basic features. It did not take the company long to correct this since it introduced powerful Plume superpods that have everything you need in a good mesh network system.
The modern Plume mesh units come in a three-pack and use the tri-band format. They can, therefore, enhance the performance of your home network and help you fulfill all your internet needs. Since Plume superpods feature MU-MIMO support, they make it easy for you to stream data from different devices without experiencing speed issues. On the units, you will also notice a LAN port and a small LED that indicates the signal strength.
One of the features that most families consider when looking for a mesh network system is parental controls. Plume includes this functionality to help you monitor how your children use the internet and control the sites that they can visit online. The system also offers guest networking to give your visitors access to your home network. You should consider subscribing to the membership plan for you to be able to configure all these features.
We liked the unique appearance of Plume superpods. They are designed to be plugged into a wall outlet. The three units can offer extensive coverage in a house that features up to 4 bedrooms. Each of the superpods gives wifi coverage of up to 80 feet based on the interior structures of your home. We liked the efficiency of the adaptive wifi technology included in the Plume. This is responsible for analyzing your internet use and optimizing bandwidth allocation according to how you use the network.
Pros
- It is an attractive and powerful system
- The app is easy to use
- Plume gives you control over your network
Cons
- It lacks QoS settings
Eero
- WHOLE-HOME COVERAGE - The eero mesh WiFi system brings up to 4,500 sq. ft. of fast, reliable WiFi to your...
- WORKS WITH ALEXA- With eero and an Alexa device (not included), you can easily manage wifi access for...
Though the Eero mesh network is not perfect, it delivers a solid throughput performance. When you have a big house, you should choose a mesh unit that can offer extensive wifi coverage so that you can eliminate any dead zones. That is what you get from choosing Eero. This device can give you wifi coverage of up to 5000 sq. ft. You can even add more units if you want extra coverage of about 1500 sq. ft.
It also makes use of a well-designed mobile app. This system is equipped with superior features. For instance, you get strong parental controls from choosing Eero and can enjoy secure browsing. The manufacturers offer protection against malware and viruses. You should be prepared to pay extra for such features. From our testing, we found out that Eero delivers internet speed. This does not change even if you decide to add more units.
The three-pack contains units that have a friendly design. You will like the glossy white finish and rounded corners of these router nodes. These nodes also feature LAN ports, a power port, and an LED. You cannot, however, connect external drives to them since they don’t come with USB ports. Though the first Eero units were dual-band routers, the manufacturer now designed the latest Eero units with three radio bands making them more powerful.
Eero also makes use of 802.11 ac technology and supports simultaneous data streaming. The incorporation of automatic band steering facilitates the selection of the optimal radio band. Most customers also like the use of beamforming technology in this mesh network system. We liked this mesh unit since we could easily give it voice commands through our Alexa device.
The unit also offers guest networking. If you would like to pause network access for a particular device, you can do this easily through the Eero mesh system. Apart from that, you also get to enjoy online protection since the system offers anti-malware tools. Though you have to pay for some of the advanced services, it is a router that is worth considering.
Pros
- Easy to manage and set up
- Sleek design
- Reliable speed
Cons
- Does not have USB ports
Luma
- Fastest home on the block: Ultra-fast WiFi delivered to every square inch of your house. No dead zones....
- Serious security: All-day, every-day security automatically scans and neutralizes any virus or malware,...
People have mixed feelings regarding the wifi system. While some like its reasonable price, others are not happy with its performance. Luma is a simple to use mesh network system that comes in a three-pack. It is designed to deliver wireless networking throughout the home. Using this system makes it possible for you to invite visitors to the guest network.
With this system, you can also benefit from the filter policies. Though the mesh network delivers fast speeds at first, we noticed that the rate keeps on declining as you move further from the module. The management options of this system are also limited compared to what other mesh networks have. Luma hexagonal-shaped modules come in different colors, such as silver, orange, and gold.
You should place them at least 40 feet apart for them to work properly. This router comes with two radio bands, including 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz. It makes use of automatic band steering and supports simultaneous data streaming. Each Luma module comes with one LAN port and a USB port. Most of the functionalities of Luma are controlled through a mobile app. Some of the settings that you can modify in Luma include changing the name and password of your network. It, however, lacks advanced features such as firewall, QoS, port forwarding.
Pros
- Quick installation
- Offers content filtering
- Cool design
Cons
- It does not have dedicated band control
Conclusion
If you are looking for seamless network connectivity around your home, you should invest in mesh wifi systems. They not only give you extensive wifi coverage but also numerous control options. You can manage such a system through a smartphone app. Different mesh network systems have come up, and finding out how each unit performs can help you reduce the confusion of choosing the best model. Some of the options available include Plume, Eero, and Luma.
Verdict: So, which is better? Plume, Eero or Luma
We compared and tested the three models to find the right one for our streaming needs. Luma seems to have a long way to go to keep up with both the Plume and Eero systems. The limited management options discouraged us from choosing Luma. Plume and Eero seemed to be reliable mesh networks since they are tri-band routers with a solid throughput performance. Despite this, we felt that Eero was better than both Luma and Plume since it had numerous functionalities. It was also quite consistent and offered extensive network coverage.
FAQs
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Do I require a modem for me to use Eero?
Yes. This mesh wifi system is designed to work with a modem.
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Is it possible to expand my network with Luma?
Yes. Adding multiple Luma devices can help you expand your network.