Google Wifi Review

Table of Contents

Google Wifi review – After spending time in the US market, Google’s smart home networking system has now landed in the UK.

It’s not the only product of its kind that offers Wi-Fi available (and there are minor alternatives, like power line extenders).

Still, it is conveniently one of the most comfortable and most efficient ways to create a consistently robust and easy-to-use network—access throughout your home.

What are the Settings?

Google Wifi app for iOS and Android
Automatic detection and QR code

Before simple mesh networks became a reality, creating a whole-home wireless network would often be tricky:

Setting up routers to act as repeaters for your existing Wi-Fi requires knowledge and patience. It’s boring as hell too. With Google Wifi, it couldn’t be much more straightforward.
The first step is to download the Google Wifi app for iPhone or Android from their respective app stores, then go through the process step by step.
Hardware-wise, it’s as easy as plugging in the power supply and then connecting the Wi-Fi to your modem using the included Ethernet cable.
Once you’ve done that, the app will tell you that it has found your new router and will guide you through creating a password before asking if you want to add another Wi-Fi unit to the network.
Suppose you choose to add another Wi-Fi to create the mesh network, and Google sells them in pairs, which is where Wi-Fi’s greatest strength lies.
In that case, all you have to do is plug the second unit into an outlet in another room (preferably no more than two rooms away from the central unit).
Once it’s powered up, you use the app to prompt it to connect wirelessly to the first drive, and it will take care of the rest.

How is the Design?

106mm (ID) x 69mm (H)
Weighs 340 g
2x Ethernet ports

Unlike some fully-loaded, beastly antennae routers from Asus, D-Link, and Netgear, the Google Wifi system is designed to be as harmless as possible without being too boring to the eyes:

The units are completely round, with a thin band around the center that plays with a white LED.
They are simplistic and will fit almost anywhere in a home without looking out of place. That means the antennas are all internal.
Those who plan to have one in the bedroom, rest assured that you can change the brightness of the LED or turn it off completely, so you won’t be kept awake at night.
At the bottom, recessed into the base, is where you will find the collection of ports. Unfortunately, there are not many here.
There is one Type-C port for power and two Ethernet ports, connecting it to the modem and connecting other peripherals to that Wi-Fi point.

How are the Features and App?

Easy handling and testing
Familiar Wi-Fi to pause devices

In addition to simplifying setup, the Google Wifi app also makes managing your mesh network control almost stupidly simple. The application consists of three main screens:

The first is a Google Now-like card system that displays bits of important information.
It informs you of the network’s current condition, the latest speed test results, and any firmware update software installed.
The second screen shows you an overview of the network, including whether the Internet is connected, how many Wi-Fi products are online, and how many devices you have using the web.
Tapping the first will display your current usage and a breakdown of the automatic speed test results for the last few days.
Tapping the second shows the strength of the mesh network.
While tapping the devices, you can see which devices have connected to the network.
You can also set a priority device based on which one you use the most.
For example, if all your children have smartphones or tablets, you can tell Google Wifi to pause their Internet access.
From a specific time with the touch of a button on the screen. Directly on your phone through the application.
Just follow the family Wi-Fi setup process, add particular devices to a group (or groups), which prevents other devices (like yours) from being affected by any restrictions.

How is the Performance?

2.4GHz and 5GHz frequencies
Wi-Fi AC1200 2×2 Wave 2
Quad-core ARM processor
512 MB RAM + 4 GB eMMC flash memory
TX Beamforming

“We do the hard work, so you don’t have to,” is what Google claims on its Wifi product page:

In our experience, this is precisely how it has been. We have installed and tested two Wifi systems (one review sample and the other purchased).
One with two units (£ 229) in a large bungalow, the other with four teams (£ 458) in a two-story house with an outside office.
In both cases, the net’s consistency in strength and speed has been brilliant, including the reach through the garden.
The performance is due to various technology bits that Google has used to make it one of the most trouble-free mesh networks.
Using what it calls Network Assist, your phone, tablet, laptop, or another device will always connect to its closest point.
If it moves from room to room, it will invisibly go to the next nearest router.
As far as your device is concerned, it is still connected to the same network.

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