Google Wifi

[eytonxav]

I am planning to install a couple of Nest Outdoor cams at my home. Before doing so, I was thinking it would be a good idea to supplement my wireless router with a mesh solution to ensure better wifi coverage. I was wondering if anyone else has used Google Wifi and how effective was it? I will probably go with a 3 pack.

 

[bloom2708]

We have the 3 unit Google Wifi. I set up my parents with a 1 unit. My wife's with a 2 unit and oldest kid with 1 unit.

With 3 units, one on each floor and spread out for good coverage, they are a great system. Easy set up. Easy to manage via the smartphone app. We use Playstation Vue, Netflix and Amazon Fire TV boxes. Plenty of bandwidth and speed for streaming and all the other smart devices.

Highly recommended and there are some good sales. Costco has had a 4 unit set for a good sale price at times. Even if you don't need the 4th unit, it could be sold or used for parents/kids, etc.

 

[eytonxav]

Thanks for the recommendation.

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

I could use a mesh system to reach our basement, although I don't need it, but I really like my current (ASUS) router's QoS, parental control, and guest network features. From some quick research just not, it looks like it's a pain to use the Google Wifi APs in bridge mode. Anyone either set up those features I mentioned with Google Wifi, or successfully kept their current router and added Google APs?

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

DFW_M5, in case it wasn't clear from my comment, you probably won't want to supplement your router with Google Wifi, you're supposed to replace it. I've tried a setup like that in the past, where I've turned off DHCP to allow one router to do QoS and let the second one do the address allocation, but it can be a bit of a juggling act.

 

[Alan]

I am planning to install a couple of Nest Outdoor cams at my home. Before doing so, I was thinking it would be a good idea to supplement my wireless router with a mesh solution to ensure better wifi coverage. I was wondering if anyone else has used Google Wifi and how effective was it? I will probably go with a 3 pack.

We added Google WiFi to our router for exactly the same reasons and it works GREAT.

Very easy to do, great app that leads you through the process. Plug one Google device directly into the existing router then the others (we used 2 others) in strategic places.

We did end up with 2 wifi networks, as our original one is still in place and operating, so once the Google wifi was running I had to move our devices onto the new Google network. The Nest devices were easy to move over, again just followed the Nest instructions.

 

[T-Minus]

When I retired, we downsized houses and I took the opportunity of simplifying our home network. I went with the Google WiFi 4-pack that you can find at Costco, which I got on sale for $269 or thereabouts. Long story short: it works great, is easy for both my wife and I to operate, it automatically updates and applies security patches, and we can stream 4k anywhere around our property (in the garage, by the pool, in any room, etc.). Sure, there may be other, faster options out there, but my metric was a 4k stream go/no-go, and Google WiFi is good enough for us.

I do have 2 wireless networks running on the Google WiFi: the primary one for our compute devices and the other (the guest network) is used for our IoT devices (cameras, thermostats, etc.) and guests.

 

[eytonxav]

I could use a mesh system to reach our basement, although I don't need it, but I really like my current (ASUS) router's QoS, parental control, and guest network features. From some quick research just not, it looks like it's a pain to use the Google Wifi APs in bridge mode. Anyone either set up those features I mentioned with Google Wifi, or successfully kept their current router and added Google APs?

I am not very familiar with wireless networks, but I was under the impression I could simply plug it into my existing wireless router and it would easily connect to the other mesh remotes.

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

I am not very familiar with wireless networks, but I was under the impression I could simply plug it into my existing wireless router and it would easily connect to the other mesh remotes.

I believe they want it to replace your router, basically, but it sounds like Alan made it work with his existing router. I'll have to do more research, because I actively manage my network and have a LOT of devices (we had a thread on that, didn't we?)....

 

[eytonxav]

I believe they want it to replace your router, basically, but it sounds like Alan made it work with his existing router. I'll have to do more research, because I actively manage my network and have a LOT of devices (we had a thread on that, didn't we?)....

I guess my existing device provided by my ISP is actually a wireless modem/router. It sounds like google wifi essentially replaces the router functionality, but the google wifi point needs to plug into that device. The ISP device is needed for my TV and digital phones. I am unclear whether all my existing network setting would be preserved when transitioning to the google wifi or whether it will be necessary to re-enter all new encryption codes on the various devices using wifi. I presently use wpa2 encryption and assume that should not be a problem for google wifi.

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

I guess my existing device provided by my ISP is actually a wireless modem/router. It sounds like google wifi essentially replaces the router functionality, but the google wifi point needs to plug into that device. The ISP device is needed for my TV and digital phones. I am unclear whether all my existing network setting would be preserved when transitioning to the google wifi or whether it will be necessary to re-enter all new encryption codes on the various devices using wifi. I presently use wpa2 encryption and assume that should not be a problem for google wifi.

The Google Wifi devices will set up a new wifi network, and you'll have to set up a new encryption key.



By the way, most ISPs say their router is required for TV service, and it usually is not. Verizon told me that with FIOS, and I put in my own router with no trouble. My phone service I set up myself with Vonage, and I use a Vonage ATA behind my router, which is basically just like a router just for their phone service. I also don't have any cable boxes, I just use CableCards in my TiVos. The ISPs hate to admit it, but legally they're required to let you use your own router, TV, DVR, or tuner box instead of theirs.

 

[Alan]

I guess my existing device provided by my ISP is actually a wireless modem/router. It sounds like google wifi essentially replaces the router functionality, but the google wifi point needs to plug into that device. The ISP device is needed for my TV and digital phones. I am unclear whether all my existing network setting would be preserved when transitioning to the google wifi or whether it will be necessary to re-enter all new encryption codes on the various devices using wifi. I presently use wpa2 encryption and assume that should not be a problem for google wifi.

That sounds exactly the same as my system. 1 ISP router from the provider plus 2 dvd/cable boxes. When that router goes down so do the TVs. Our router has multiple Ethernet jacks into which plug other devices such as the Hue Bridge for our Hue lights. The Google WiFi hubs all come with 2 Ethernet jacks and I plugged one of the hubs into the ISP routers. The other 2 hubs are situated around the house and connect via WiFi. I now have 2 WiFis available to connect to, the original ISP WiFi and new Google WiFi. You get to name the new Google WiFi to what you want and you create your own encryption password for that network. The Google app takes you through the whole process including finding the best spots to locate your hubs.

I then went around moving the devices I required such as the Nest cameras to the new network. They would have continued working on the old network but they used to drop out regularly and now they don’t.

 

[eytonxav]

Thanks for the explanation Alan, that is exactly what I needed to know.

 

[Cobra9777]

Same here. Two networks. The original (running on the ISP's router) is unchanged. The new mesh network has a different SSID, password, etc. In reality, you'll see 3 WiFi networks at our house because I set up a guest network on the mesh system as well.

I looked at the Google mesh system but the price seemed very high compared to others that get excellent reviews as well. I went with a Tenda mesh system for $129. I actually got two systems, so 6 nodes total... for the same price as a Google 3-node system. I'm very happy with the performance, especially as we install more and more IoT devices like cameras that are too far from the original router.