I got a single Google WiFi router (home is small enough to not need the mesh) last year to pretty terrible results. I mainly got it for more frequent firmware updates, and easy administration via their phone app (easier to use then my Netgear Nighthawk; i.e. can show my wife how to use it).<p>Everything worked great with it for the first few months, but then I started getting severe speed drops - specifically I was seeing download rates of 20MBps or less, when I should be getting 350MBps or less. I did all of their recommended troubleshooting (reset router, reset modem, restore to factory settings and reupdate the firmware, move router away from potential sources of interference, etc) and could not solve the issue. I still had my Nighthawk and ended up spending an afternoon testing the two, and the Google WiFi router would consistently drop speeds, while the Nighthawk stayed rock solid.<p>I ended up just sticking with my Nighthawk and throwing my Google Wifi in a drawer. I was outside their return window, and honestly just had no desire to try and go through Google's customer service (or finding out if it even exists for their WiFi devices). Long story short, it was the worst experience I've ever had with a router and I would hesitate to ever try their WiFi devices again.
I don't really have a lot of trust with Google to deliver a great consumer product in this area. I switched from Alexa to Google Home and just because I'm a GSuite customer, I have lost the ability to access my calendar or set reminders. It's like they just wanted to tick a few boxes to show a cool concept, then forgot to make a well rounded product out of it.
> <i>You can get a two pack with one router and one point for $269</i><p>No mention of whether it supports 802.11ax. Why are WiFi devices lagging in speed advancements so much?<p>I ended up purchasing a second hand AirPort Extreme because it’s still one of the best performing 802.11ac devices (in my anecdotal experiences of running a lot of clients)... and it’s OLD!
I detest the fact that Google bought Nest. Now I have the pleasure of logging into a convoluted Google UX instead of the familiar Nest UX.<p>And here we have another intrusion of Google into our home. It's clear Google has no respect for anyone's privacy and is now a part of the problem.
Anyone know why they changed it so that you now need a router + repeater, rather than every point being a router and repeater like Google Wifi was? That was much simpler - all units interchangeable. Cost reduction maybe?
I wonder how long untill they pull the plug and people are left with a brick that isn't updated.<p>For that price, have a look at Ubiquity's Unifi line (and Amplifi). Great router, great AP's, frequent firmware upgrades and no privacy concerns.
I've been using the old Google Wifi system for several years now and its been decent.. with two big caveats<p>1) I hate the mobile only interface. It's nice to have one, but no desktop interface (unless I run an emulator) is really annoying when trying to manage and monitor the network.<p>2) You need to have a s-H-s type topology where each satellite connects directly to the main unit. Thankfully most areas of my house are hardwired so I can plug them in, but there are some areas that don't have good coverage that I'd love to chain another satellite to, but its too far for it to reach the hub over wifi (no cable is run), and it doesn't support branching off of another satellite.<p>For the new system it looks like their solution to #1 is to put the controls into an even worse app...<p>For item #2, anyone know if it will support s-s-s-s-H chaining?<p>On a related note.. I actually got into a support chat with them once asking about that and their support rep said it didn't work because my cable modem had nat enabled and if I turned that off it'd work great <i>facepalm</i>. After a lengthy discussion he thanked me for teaching him about networking.
Many of these features appear very similar to Eero[1]. It's a clear battle against Eero/Amazon for market share.<p>If you're looking for simple rock-solid mesh WiFi, Eero is what you want.<p>[1] <a href="https://eero.com" rel="nofollow">https://eero.com</a>
Having to login using a google account is pretty unsettling to me. What happens when I lose access to the account?<p>Also they now have a verified identity to all my data from my router. I know they will have that anyway given my Gmail sends them the ip, they just have a detailed view of all urls I use and every site I go to and how long i spend there. I bought one and it worked fine but in a few weeks I just couldn’t use it because of this unsettling feeling. Ended up throwing it in the drawer. May be should have returned it instead, oh well.
> <i>Many routers are ugly, which means they get hidden in a closet or cabinet, where the signal is blocked and can be reduced by up to 50 percent.</i><p>I never understood why the Apple HomePod didn't have a network-extender functionality. I'm sure it has the necessary hardware, and it would have helped justify the high price. I'm glad to see others are putting these features (smart speaker + wifi extender) together!
I don’t think I’d ever add a box to my home network that sniffed all traffic and sent it to Google, even if they paid me. Even if it had the functions of a Star Trek replicator.<p>I’m worried enough now that my Nest is doing bad things, but I can set that up on its own network that only it has access to. Giving Google such access to my home network is scary.
How does a Google's WiFi compares to the likes of AmpliFi[1]?<p>1. <a href="https://amplifi.com" rel="nofollow">https://amplifi.com</a>