Google Wifi review | TechRadar

Other mesh WiFi systems may have beaten Google Wifi, but no other mesh router is as responsible for bringing it up Mesh router for the masses like this post from google did.

In essence, Google Wifi set the standard for a mesh WiFi router, even though Samsung Connect Home or Netgear Orbic has been around for a long time. That’s because Google’s mesh router combines a stripped-down design, easy installation, and full functionality for a very reasonable price. It also blends in well with the environment in which you install it, providing a robust, continuous connection wherever you are in your coverage area. Dead spots are a thing of the past.

It doesn’t matter if you are dealing with a weak and intermittent internet signal or if you are ready to move on to a standard Router Setup, Google Wifi is an ideal solution because of its performance, features and of course its price.

Google Wifi pricing and availability

With what it has to offer in terms of accessibility and features, Google doesn’t ask much, especially for what Google Wifi can do. The first generation Wi-Fi was $ 259 (about £ 204, A $ 399 for a set of three units consisting of a main “Wi-Fi point” (that you connect to the modem or gateway) and two secondary ones Wi-Fi connections. Fi points. Points. Google promises that three Wi-Fi points can cover up to 418 square meters in one location.

The new generation of Google Wifi devices are priced at $ 60 versus the three-pack system now available in the US and the UK for $ 199 / $ 189 (about $ 499). A single Google Wifi device is available for just $ 99 (about $ 199), which is the same as the previous generation. If you are working with a small apartment this is more than adequate coverage and remains an unbeatable proposition.

If you’re in the UK, you also have the option to use Google Wifi in both packs of 2 and 3 for £ 229 and £ 329, respectively. Google Wifi has disappeared from Google’s product page in Australia, so there is no way to buy the first generation or the recently redesigned Google Wifi mesh router. This strongly suggests that while the Australian rollout is a little further behind that of the US and UK, it is likely imminent and almost certainly will see a similar price drop across the trio of network points.

The Google Wifi is phenomenal value for money – it offers more units for less than its competitors like the Netgear Orbi, and other wireless mesh routers cost $ 400, at least for the same amount of mesh. Node.

Design and configuration of Google Wifi

Not only does Google have a price advantage, it also offers the most stylish Wi-Fi units and possibly the easiest setup of all. Every Google Wifi device, a simple, small cylinder with a white LED strip in the middle, offers the same functions.

This means that each Google Wifi unit can act as the main “router” of the system while the others can extend the wired signal that is sent wirelessly to the device through the included ethernet ports and wireless internet. All three units are powered by USB-C.

Setup, like the Google Wifi hardware design, is completely smooth – with a free iOS or Android app to make the whole process easier. We won’t go into the gist of the process, but the Google Wifi app allows you to configure your network by first scanning the QR codes on the WiFi access point connected to your modem or gateway.

The app will then ask you to name your new network and set a password, then link any additional WiFi points you have by scanning their QR codes – you can then name individual nodes in the app. Here, too, it only takes a short time until the first Google Wifi node detects additional nodes and starts working.

You don’t get the same depth of access that even the Netgear Orbi provides, so changing tapes is not an option. However, behind the scenes, Google Wifi will take care of it automatically.

However, the Google Wifi app offers other useful settings, such as continuous monitoring of your network and the points and devices connected to it. The app also has a built-in internet speed test, such as: B. Ookla’s Mesh Test, which measures the health of your Points connections, in addition to a Wi-Fi test, which measures your connection strength from the network.

This is the most complete and advanced set of controls we’ve seen on a Wi-Fi mesh system to date, despite the lack of dropdowns and toggles.

In addition, you can prioritize the bandwidth on a device for a certain period of time, control smart home devices and interrupt internet access for certain devices in a family environment – all within the confines of this app.

And now Google has expanded the network monitoring functionality of Google Wifi to test multiple devices so you can identify potential bottlenecks in your network and rearrange your Google Wifi access points when trying to optimize network performance.

Google Wifi performance

The Google Wifi can match, if not surpass, the performance of the Netgear Orbi. We definitely got the best out of our 100Mbps WiFi service and we have certainly not seen a single router that offers the same service. The main difference, however, is that Google Wifi can bring this high level of performance to any room in our home, albeit a small one.

We can stream 4K video over Netflix to our Roku premiere in the basement and easily play Overwatch in the office where the modem is located. Wi-Fi mesh systems like the Google Wifi focus less on throughput than on coverage. However, this product definitely delivers.

The traffic prioritization feature ensures that your gaming session gets more of this critical bandwidth than the other devices in your home that are most commonly used for Facebook and streaming HD videos. In addition, the network can automatically restore itself if one or more WLAN points accidentally lose power.

We do know that Google Wifi uses its mesh system over existing WiFi bands (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) via the 802.11s mesh protocol and not Netgear Orbi’s tri-band system, which uses a second 5 GHz WiFi tire communicates, but we didn’t see a significant difference in performance between the two. In the 2.4 GHz band of the Orbi via Google Wifi, we see slightly higher download speeds in MB / s. However, this could also be a possible anomaly.

Where the Google Wifi really shines compared to comparable routers is the striking price-performance ratio. While you can get similar coverage from competing systems with fewer units, the flexibility you get with more units – just in terms of minimizing blind spots – is enormous.

Final verdict Google Wifi

Without exception, Google Wifi is the easiest, most hassle-free router we’ve ever installed. And that with the two additional devices required to complete the process. It offers more units than most of its competitors, plus the best setup and management app yet, for a reasonably affordable price.

Despite the lack of finer hardware control and the lack of AC3000 or AC2200 throughput, Google looked at every switch and test it was able to present in an easily understandable way via its app. There is even a control over the bandwidth priority. Combine this with a clean, tidy hardware design that’s more visible than any other router we’ve seen so far, and you have one of the best Wi-Fi systems to buy in 2019.

Image credit: moat

First review in April 2017

You can also take a look at the Asus ZenWiFi AX (XT8) review