If your new smart home hub keeps disconnecting from your Eero or mesh network, you’re not alone. Here’s the simple, reliable fix for your Home Assistant setup.

You just unboxed your new Home Assistant device, maybe the sleek Home Assistant Green. You followed the instructions, plugged it in, and expected that “plug-and-play” magic. But instead, you got… frustration. Maybe it didn’t connect at all, or worse, it worked for a few minutes and then vanished from your network. If this sounds familiar, especially if you’re using a mesh Wi-Fi system like Eero, you’re not alone. Getting the initial Home Assistant setup right is the most important step, and it often comes down to one tiny, non-obvious detail about your network.

It’s a common story. You plug the device into your main router, and it doesn’t work. So you try plugging it into a nearby Eero node, and suddenly, it connects! Success! You start setting things up, run a few errands, and when you come back, your Home Assistant app is showing an error, and the device is offline again. What gives?

Let’s walk through why this happens and how to fix it for good.

The Mesh Network Mystery: Why Your Hub Disappears

Mesh Wi-Fi systems like Eero are fantastic for spreading a strong internet signal throughout your entire home. They work by using multiple “nodes” that talk to each other to create a single, seamless network. However, this brilliant design can sometimes cause confusion for devices that act as a central hub, like Home Assistant.

Here’s the simple breakdown:

• The Gateway vs. The Node: In any mesh system, there’s one primary unit that acts as the “gateway.” This is the one physically connected to your modem with an Ethernet cable. All other units are “nodes” or “satellites” that repeat the signal from the gateway.
• Stability is Key: Your Home Assistant device is the brain of your smart home. It needs the most stable, direct, and reliable connection to your network possible. A wired connection is always the best for this.
• The Problem with Nodes: When you plug your Home Assistant into a satellite Eero node, its connection to the rest of your network might depend on the wireless signal between that node and the main gateway. This connection can fluctuate, causing your device to drop off the network unexpectedly. It creates a weak link right at the core of your system.

So, while it might seem to work at first, plugging into a satellite node is often the root cause of those frustrating disconnects.

Your Guide to a Stable Home Assistant Setup with Eero

The fix is usually surprisingly simple. You just need to make sure the brain of your smart home has a direct, wired connection to the brain of your network.

The Golden Rule: Plug your Home Assistant directly into your main Eero gateway.

This is the Eero unit that is physically plugged into your internet modem. By doing this, you give it the most direct and stable path to your network and the internet.

“But my main Eero only has one other port, and it’s taken!”

This is a very common issue. The solution is cheap and easy: an unmanaged network switch. Don’t let the name intimidate you. A switch is basically a power strip for your internet, letting you turn one Ethernet port into many.

Here’s the ideal connection order:

1. Modem –> Main Eero Gateway
2. Main Eero Gateway –> Unmanaged Network Switch
3. Unmanaged Network Switch –> Home Assistant Device (and other wired devices)

You can find a reliable 5-port or 8-port unmanaged switch from brands like TP-Link or Netgear for around $20. It requires no setup—just plug it in, and it works.

Still Stuck? A Quick Troubleshooting Checklist

If you’ve corrected the physical connection and are still having issues with your Home Assistant setup, run through this quick checklist.

• Power Cycle Everything (in the right order!): Unplug your modem, your main Eero, your switch, and your Home Assistant device. Wait 60 seconds. Then, plug them back in in this specific order, waiting for each one to fully boot up before plugging in the next:
  1. Modem
  2. Main Eero Gateway
  3. Network Switch (if you have one)
  4. Home Assistant Device
• Find Your Device’s IP Address: Once everything is back online, your Home Assistant should be accessible. The easiest way to find it is to open a web browser on a computer connected to the same network and go to `http://homeassistant.local:8123`. If that doesn’t work, you can use the Eero app to see a list of connected devices and find the IP address assigned to “HomeAssistant” or your device.
• Check the Official Docs: The team behind Home Assistant has excellent documentation. If you’re running into other issues, the official installation page is a great resource. Likewise, the Eero support site has detailed information on how their system works.

Getting that initial network connection sorted is often the biggest hurdle to starting your smart home journey. It can feel like you’re doing something wrong, but it’s usually just a small physical wiring mix-up. Once you give your Home Assistant that solid, stable foundation, you’ll be ready to build the reliable and fun smart home you were hoping for. Happy automating!