Hi all. I'm tech literate but not a network pro by any means. I just bought my Slate and I'm trying to get it set up with my eero mesh network. My goal is to preserve full eero network function, which doesn't happen if I put it in Bridge mode. I have Surfshark installed on the Slate as a VPN client, following the clear documentation to do that. Here's what eero customer support said:
As you mentioned, your goal is to set up a VPN across your entire network, while still using the eero mesh Wi-Fi. Based on your desired topology—modem → VPN router (Slate) → eero —this is a supported setup for VPN passthrough. eero supports VPN passthrough, meaning the VPN traffic can pass through the eero to the Slate router, which will handle the actual VPN connection. This will allow your devices on the eero mesh to use the VPN without needing to set it up on individual devices.
To achieve this, you should connect your modem → VPN router → eero (with the eero in Automatic mode ). The eero should not be in Bridge mode for this to work correctly, as this could disable some of the features you're looking to preserve, such as HomeKit integration.
If you're concerned about double NAT (Network Address Translation), the best solution is to keep the eero in Automatic mode and put the GL-A1300 Slate Router in Bridge mode . This way, the Slate will act as the VPN gateway without introducing double NAT, and eero will still manage your mesh network and all other features, including Apple HomeKit.
Questions for this group:
- Is eero support correct? Should I put the Slate in Bridge mode?
- If so, what's the best way to do that? I found in the documentation that I should change the network mode to something other than router, but it wasn't very clear which mode was best for bridging.
- If not, any other recommendations to accomplish my goal of full eero network behind the Slate VPN?
Thanks for any help.