Top positive review
25 people found this helpful
Google WIFI, The Real Deal
By Jeremy Verhines on Reviewed in the United States on May 29, 2018
Just thought I’d share some info. I know most if not all of us always hate those dead spots in the house with regards to internet and WiFi connectivity. I purchased up my service with a higher speed (500Mgbs) because I have up to 15 devices running at any given time. Gaming, 6 Smart TVs, 6 IPhones, 3 Mac Computers, 2 Alexa’s, my Security System, etc. It adds up fast. I had cox out to my house this past weekend and asked him how I can get more connectivity in places where the signal is weak. I told him I purchased a faster speed and it is still too slow. The rep told me it has nothing to do with speed as much as it has to do with the signal and connectivity. He said you can have 1G of speed but still be slow if your connection is weak throughout the house. The key is getting a strong signal everywhere so that speed is not compromised when weaker areas are attempting access in whatever capacity/form ie Iphone, Netflix, gaming etc. The cox rep told me that standard extenders do not do the trick. You know, the 10-20 dollar jobbers that plug into an outlet and look like a little cheap box. He also said the standard extenders are garbage because in order to benefit, they need to have a strong signal to them to begin with then the user has to manually connect to it time and time again. If the user is in their room on their iPhone and they leave, go down stairs then they lose the connection to the extender, have to reconnect to the main WiFi router and so goes the story. That is why extenders are cheap. They rarely serve their purpose. Trust me, I have tried this route in the recent pass. WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY. So, on to the solution that I am so so so stoked on. Totally worth the money, totally worth the investment. This is a real live, real life, real deal review of product I chose and it’s validity. My cox rep told me to look into replacing my current modem/WiFi router with a 2 part solution. Currently, I have a cable/WiFi combo. I decided to take my cox reps advice and purchased specific technology with the best most up to date technology. Part 1: I purchased a stand alone cable modem. I chose the Next Generation Arris SurfBOARD SB8200 with 3.1 DOCSIS technology. Before the purchase it is extremely important to make sure your cable provider supports the modem technology. It will say in the description what providers support it. If unsure, call your provider first. A lot of times the providers update what they support but don’t let the manufacturers know. Very important step. Part 2: Once you remove cable provider modem/WiFi combo, install new modem. Plug it in and attach the cable coax only. Call your cable provider and tell them you installed a new cable modem and need them to update their end and establish the connection. This does not take long. After that you are done and ready for part 3. Part 3: For the WiFi part (because I got rid of combo modem and went back to a 2 part solution) I purchased Googles WiFi System, the 3 pack because of my square footage. First, download Googles WiFi app. Sign in with your google account and follow the onscreen setup tutorial. Google makes it fast and easy. Second, unpack and plug in power of your first Google WiFi router and connect it to your chosen stand alone cable modem via ethernet cable. Once that is done, the app on your phone will have you scan the primary Google WiFi router. Once you scan it, you name it Family room, living room etc). This way you know it’s your primary point. Then google takes you through naming your WiFi network, setting up the password etc. Super easy! Once you set up your primary, it is connected, the tutorial tells you to set up your second location. I bought the 3 pack so I had 3 total to set up. I took my second WiFi router and put it in my master bedroom as this is a familiar dead spot and is a location that was a great perimeter point of reference to create a triangle line effect with regards to covering the entire house. Once you plug it in the wall, the Google app goes to work, connects the second location, allows you to name it and extends the entire primary signal to this second location. And I mean ENTIRE 5 bar signal strength. Finally, I took my third Google WiFi router device up stairs to the great room which is the furthest most point from the primary point. The google app finished the connection and synced them all together creating this triangle like coverage effect. Yes, the end point gives me 5 bars. Full signal. The Result: So, just to see how strong the signal was, I ran a test from the google app, then from my son’s Xbox and finally from my cox at home app just so I had an unbiased result with real congruence. Well, the result, full 5 bar strength with over 399Mgbs down load speed and over 60Mgbs upload. This was with multiple devices connected and probably 10 running and from the farthest distant part of the home. Now, I am finally benefiting from the speed I purchase, don’t have to reconnect to different extenders and DON’T need my entire house rewired for data access. The cost: roughly 400 bucks. (I’ll save 120 year from the modem rental and after 3.5 years essentially have my investment paid off). PS. Also purchased these cool brackets that the Google WiFi access points clip into and plug into the wall. No chords or cables showing. Very clean for those minimalist types.
Top critical review
12 people found this helpful
GREAT BUY IN 2020 for College Students or $99 Budget if you need ONE Router
By Amazon Customer on Reviewed in the United States on July 28, 2020
I've studied mesh systems a lot recently. Here's my take on why you should/shouldn't get this router. Most mainstream mesh systems favor ONE SSID (main network) meaning that you can't have 2.4Ghz/5.0Ghz named networks in order to setup smart devices that only allow a 2.4Ghz connection. That's common with EERO/NEST/GoogleWIFI nowadays. If that doesn't bother you. Cool. You can also setup a "Guest Network" but this would not be the same thing as having 2 different main networks for devices like microwaves/coffee makers vs. laptops/cell phones/tablets. Catch my drift? DESIGN: NOW, design is decent looking. not ugly. But it does feel cheap in some ways compared to some of the competition. The hole that routes the cables is too narrow in my opinion (IMO) because different ethernet cords have different heads and some heads will be longer and stick out too much to be hidden beneath the unit seamlessly. A con about this is that you also have to turn the router/point upside down in order to connect another Ethernet Cable. The last con about the ethernet ports is that only one of them is dedicated for the internet and the other for connecting a device. I'm sure you can get by if you switch it and aren't tech savvy. But if you look at the competition like on the EERO PRO 2nd Gen the ethernet ports are automatic meaning that they can both be used for either the internet connection/a device that you want to be hard wired with the fastest speeds. WHY I PURCHASED: The app has great capabilities as far as monitoring devices usage data. You can view your real time data per device and you can view your weekly or even monthly usage. This is a pretty cool feature that enticed me to compare the GoogleWiFi one pack with the EERO PRO 2nd Gen Tri-Band Router. The EERO app DOESNT allow you to see any usage data other than real time activity which to me is just kind've a missed opportunity for the newly owned amazon based company EERO. It IMO is a HUGE advantage to be able to see that type of measurable date at any given time and with different metrics as well. COVERAGE: My logic was this when researching these different mesh routers/systems. I live in a 900sqft Condo that doesn't require much coverage. So most routers would do just fine with the 1500sqft standard that tends to be on all of these devices. Different devices have different coverage consistency and if you have a big home and are looking for 3 pack mesh systems then I'd recommend going with TPLINK DECO m5 or EERO 3rd Gen or EERO PRO with 2 Beacons (expensive) if you don't need the extra ethernet ports (which most people won't unless they're power users). The problem with the 3 pack systems is that certain ones will connect your devices to the furthest access point. This is not good for the outdated google wifi system because the newer systems have better range overall. Although, don't be fooled by the more expensive NEST WIFI ACCESS POINTS because there are differences in the router output at AC2200 and the access points output at AC1200 and the original google WIFI at AC1200 does tend to have more coverage at a significantly lower price overall. Just keep in mind that google WiFi might not perform as well as far as range consistency goes as a system like EERO 3rd Gen or the Updated Nest system. The Nest System is really worth it if you get just ONE Router or TWO routers (expensive) or the one router with the 2 wifi points included (expensive/financing option on Googles Site). But if BUDGETING is your goal THE ORIGINAL GOOGLE WIFI SYSTEM (2016) WILL DO JUST FINE in comparison to the EERO & Updated NEST systems. PRICE: Another thing I was considering was that with the price of a EERO Pro being $199 and this being $99 and both of these products were released 3-4 YEARS AGO that the extra $100 wasn't really worth paying for when it comes to the EERO PRO 2nd Gen because NO MAINSTREAM MESH SYSTEMS SUPPORT WIFI 6 and that's going to mean that these will all be obsolete within the next 5 years. So with repurchasing in mind due to lack of future proofing on most of these mesh systems why would you not go with the Google WiFi Router? Full Blown Router? Well, the reason is that this router is technically a NAT Connection and can't be used across the board with all ISP's and other Models of Modems and Routers as easily as a dedicated router could. This will not be a problem for MOST average users. Power users will steer very clear IMO because of this. Trust me you won’t notice if it’s something you’ve never heard of but check with your ISP that these systems are compatible. APP UI: My experience between the EERO app and the Google WIFI App (NOT the Google Home App that the updated Nest system requires) was that the Google WiFi App didn't allow me to manually input IPV6 DNS Servers from the free DNS Server of my choice. This is disappointing to be honest. Because the GWIFI App allows for IPV6 but no manual entry for IPV6 DNS Servers? Weird. The app also was completely outdated when compared to the EERO app. It had some cool animations but those only go so far. The app that wins is the EERO app because I can manually input IPV6 Servers and because it just is simpler and less convoluted to use vs the GWIFI App. The GWiFi App requires you to maneuver in and out of different "directories" and is somewhat redundant and unintuitive compared to the EERO app IMO. GWiFi App has a gamers preferred option and I didn't use it personally but it is cool. The app also allows you to prioritize devices for up to 4 hours (not indefinitely though sigh) unlike the EERO App which is a HUGE PLUS for the google WiFi App yet again. SETUP: EERO wins by a mile. 4-5 minutes and I'm up and running. I did it before I had to drive 45 mins for a doctor's appointment and said, "If I can't set it up in a rush I'll return it ASAP" This would NOT HAVE been the case with the GWIFI App. Setup had trouble consistently near the end when setting up the network. It also, can get stuck since there's no real loading indicator so you're just kind've left wondering if it worked or not (it most likely does not work if you suspect it to not be working LOL). SPECS: Between the EERO PRO 2nd Gen YES the 2nd Gen that came out in late 2017 vs the Google WIFI 1pack that came out a little more than a year earlier, the specs are NEARLY IDENTICAL other than the fact that the EERO Pro 2nd Gen is a TRI Band router with a dedicated backhaul network that is used to communicate between other EERO Devices leaving room for the 2 different bands of the main network to be optimized for use. Note: if you don't have a EERO PRO Router PLUS another EERO device like in my case then you will NOT BENEFIT from the Tri band feature that significantly for price. That would be for a bigger home set up in my opinion that was a LESS price conscious household. So the EERO PRO 2nd Gen is a good router if you're planning to expand on the system later but is still very expensive for the specs. It's AC2200 vs the Google WiFI AC1200 meaning that the signal is overall theoretically outputting more with the EERO Pro. This isn't worth $100 difference though if you're very price conscious (college, mid twenties, broke). Both have Wave 2 and MU-MIMO technological capabilities so consistency and coverage should be VERY GOOD on both of them. The processors are literally the same. The tests I ran ultimately gave me the same internet speeds. 700mbps Download and 200mbps Upload on Google WiFI consistently near the router or through a physical connection. The EERO PRO 2nd gave me a little more at 900+Mbps Download and 210 consistent Upload. The Google Wifi router began to slow down speeds in the FURTHER sections of the condo which is expected and not astronomically alarming by any means. They both automatically assign your devices to the most optimal network. I personally would prefer 2 SSID's on a main network but this has not interrupted/complicated setup with smart devices whatsoever in my personal experience so I don't REALLY care that much. I'm hoping that the technology as a whole becomes more integrated and we truly don't need multiple SSID's one day but we will always need multiple VLANS and I know for a fact that the EERO doesn't support that but I'm not sure about the Google WiFI. I think that it does. But I could be wrong and for my current intended purposes I'm not running my own servers or anything and if I were, I'd probably get something more expensive that does all of the things but has a more robust setup process from TP LINK because I'm smart like that and you are too! Should you get the Updated Nest Model? Not if you're price conscious but I'm pretty sure on Google's website that you can pay for either of these models with special financing and that could be a game changer for you if you can afford 5 monthly payments on a more expensive system that will be more current and have different features for you than paying $99 for one or $199 for 3 or whatever the price is (I don't need a 3 pack of GWiFi so I didn't really know the price and I'm not gonna take a second to confirm it) but I'm confident you can find a 3 pack of GWiFi for a fair shake. Nest is supposed to have more coverage on paper and I've never tested one so I can't speak to that. Nest does have WPA3 which is better password security. It's more updated and the coverage from reviews on YouTube have claimed the NEST is a better iteration of the Google WiFi but the biggest drawback is that the Nest Model requires you to use the Google Home AND the Google WiFi app and this is stupid no matter how you look at it. If you disagree, then yes, you're probably not a technologist like myself, sorry. But it's true. Why have 2 apps that do the same thing unless you couldn't live without either. Why have 2 control panels for 1 device that's meant to be simple. I prefer the Google Home app for smart devices because they allow you to see all of your devices with pictures that represent those devices (pictographic descriptions) and it's really legible! If Setup and app were better I'd pick the Nest any day because its the 2019 iteration vs. any 2017 or 2016 model of anything. But Nest doesn't support WiFi 6 either. This won't matter for most users. All of these routers are better than your 10 year old or 8 year old router I guarantee that. But you must keep the future in mind because these devices could be used by you for the next 5-10 years and you want to get the one that is best fit for you! CONCLUSION: I say that if you're VERY PRICE conscious then go with THE GOOGLE WIFI ROUTER of any pack! or the TPLink Deco M5 if you have a house! That has a simple setup with great performance so I've heard! If price is not an issue in the slightest I'd go with any of the following setups: EERO PRO 2nd Gen ($199 financeable through amazon over a 5 month period), 2 EERO PRO 2nd Gens ($400), 1 EERO PRO 2nd Gen and two Beacons if you don't need the ethernet ports ($500), Nest Router ($169), 2 Nest Routers ($340), Nest 3 pack (1 Router and 2 AC1200 Access Points) ($350 financed over 5 month period through Google's site directly) or a TPLINK AX3000/6000 for the more geeky guys and then add access points at your leisure in order to have the most bang for your buck, coverage, performance, multiple SSID's/VLANS, and ETHERNET PORTS (Drooling Emoji). Again, the Google WiFi Preformed JUST AS GOOD as my EERO Pro 2nd Gen so is it worth the difference of $100? NO NOT AT ALL. But I already have had both and EERO tends to be a little better with the extra 250 sqftrange and overall usability/ease of use/manually inputting IPV6 server numbers. But I didn't get anything from the parental controls from either system and I'll never use EERO Secure because I use Custom DNS and this is a HUGE CON chosen by EERO and their systems IMO. Idk why they did this and the single SSID/VLAN it just isn't common practice and doesn't make sense but they're assuming that their user base knows NOTHING about networking whatsoever and unfortunately they're probably correct to assume that. EERO targets simple setup and forgetting about it! and they did it flawlessly. I definitely like the design of the Eero or the nest systems far more than I like the design on Google's original mesh WiFi system but google's isn't ugly by any means (unlike the ugly and oblong but well preforming Orbi mesh system) Google Wifi took 4-5 tries to setup in total wasting an hour or so of my time but nothing I couldn't get past on a 1 time setup. The performance was great overall and dropped to lower but feasible speeds in the deeper corners many square feet away from the router (always placed on my kitchen counter because that is the center of the condo). IN 2020 I STILL THINK THE GOOGLE WIFI SYSTEM IS A GREAT BUY! Functionally, the app is great but it just doesn't look as good or navigate as easily as the EERO's and that is just the way it is when buying any system that is 3-4 years old at this point. Google should retarget their marketing and continue production of this product for budgeting college students. It would be a huge hit. Already is at 10k reviews. Thanks for reading my review.
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