Anyone using google WiFi?

OU812 · 16-10-2018 4:59pm #1

Any reason to switch to this from an Apple network?

Currently using an express and an extreme. Everything I read about these things proclaim them as the next big thing but I’m unsure as to the truth of the claims.

Anyone with real world experience?

The high horse brigade · 16-10-2018 5:09pm

OU812 wrote: »

Any reason to switch to this from an Apple network?

Currently using an express and an extreme. Everything I read about these things proclaim them as the next big thing but I’m unsure as to the truth of the claims.

Anyone with real world experience?

Do you really need a mesh wireless system? There is no mesh system can compare to a system using hard wired wireless access points. Mesh is a huge attraction in other countries where they don't build with concrete and block walls like we do.

garion · 16-10-2018 5:30pm

OU812 wrote: »

Any reason to switch to this from an Apple network?

Currently using an express and an extreme. Everything I read about these things proclaim them as the next big thing but I’m unsure as to the truth of the claims.

Anyone with real world experience?

I have one OnHub and 3 Google Wifi units in my house. My first mesh network and overall I'm happy with them. I'm using them a little different than most though as I have each one plugged into an ethernet port in various locations around the house (I've cabling throughout the house) so they aren't strictly boosting the wifi signal from the primary unit. The result is the same though, one single strong wifi network throughout the house.

The smart features are nice though. Easy view of all devices connected to the network with option to prioritize a specific device for a given period. Family wifi option allows you to disable wifi access for specific devices during specific periods and there's also a Guest wifi option if you want to share your wifi access.

They look great and are also very easy to setup. I'm sure there are similar products with more advanced features but for me they work well and I'm happy with them.

bk · 16-10-2018 5:46pm

My general advice is to avoid the mesh stuff unless you have exhausted every other option first and have no other choice.

The mesh stuff is mostly just marketing and IMO for the majority of Irish homes it isn't really suited and it just creates different issues (with handover, etc.). For most people a high quality router positioned at a central location will give excellent performance.

It is only those with an extremely large house who might benefit from mesh and even then, as THHB points out they would be better running ethernet and wireless access points off that.

I actually use to have Airport Extremes a few years ago, but now I get much better performance from a well located Netgear R7800 router. I get almost 500mb/s throughout my home from that!

Of course your results might differ depending on your home, but I wouldn't jump straight to mesh, I'd try other options first.

bk · 16-10-2018 5:50pm

garion wrote: »

I have one OnHub and 3 Google Wifi units in my house. My first mesh network and overall I'm happy with them. I'm using them a little different than most though as I have each one plugged into an ethernet port in various locations around the house (I've cabling throughout the house) so they aren't strictly boosting the wifi signal from the primary unit. The result is the same though, one single strong wifi network throughout the house.

Yes, this is definitely the way to use these if you are going down this route. You are basically using them as wireless access points rather then pure mesh. They have pretty decent performance in WAP mode.

Stoner · 18-10-2018 10:38pm

I've had a single onhub, but I fried it.
Loved it

Switched to the new Google wifi two weeks ago. It's been very good.

I've had a few high end routers in my house but these units are very good.

I found that I couldn't get around my house with a decent signal from one units. I've solid walls inside and out

I recommended them

I've two of them wired and one not. I'll wire the third one in soon but don't need to

It's very easy to use and it's an iot router. I didn't think I'd use it as much but it do, I won't go into that now

It's very simple to use, easy to see everything on the app. Easy to add rules and the family plan is very useful,

I have a second router that I can use for different services as Google WiFi is a little restricted when it comes to messing with VPNs and such

However I highly recommend it.

I've about 5 or 6 iot Bridges at home and about 100 different smart devices around the house. So at any time I have about 15 devices on the Google wifi network

I've have a number of small 8 port switches and a larger one in the attic

I've plenty of wired devices
General rule, wire what you can wire

So I wire into the Google router and feed an 8 port switch form them.

This allows me to have wifi network and to keep the wired points wired.

Overall I'm very happy with Google wifi.

I'd recommend it for many reasons including how simple it is. I tried it in simple mesh set up and I'm happy with that too.

I purchased a corporation house it's very solid and I've it pumped with installation and have external insulation on it too.

The three units allow me to pick up iot units in the front and back garden.

I've one upstairs
One downstairs at the front of the house and one downstairs at the back of the house

All is good with it at the moment

I'd also recommend it to just lash into a big house if you didn't want to do all the fluting around that some of us here do.

Again most of that fluting around can be and is often better off being carried out on a different router. Although it's handy enough to divert some traffic through different routes with some routers and software, it's a not for everyone

Its so simple to put children's devices on timers and safe browsing too. All from your phone, fast and convenient

OffalyMedic · 23-10-2018 9:08am

I'm living in an old cottage with thick solid walls everywhere. Recently bought a Netgear wifi extender as out wifi in sitting wasn't fast enough to run Netflix seeminglessly. Problem is we have a lack of plugs in the house and where extended is now it's dropping router but next socket is only 5yards from router so wouldn't solve our Netflix problem. So question is would a Google WiFi be a better option or would we still have the same difficulties?

The high horse brigade · 23-10-2018 9:14am

OffalyMedic wrote: »

I'm living in an old cottage with thick solid walls everywhere. Recently bought a Netgear wifi extender as out wifi in sitting wasn't fast enough to run Netflix seeminglessly. Problem is we have a lack of plugs in the house and where extended is now it's dropping router but next socket is only 5yards from router so wouldn't solve our Netflix problem. So question is would a Google WiFi be a better option or would we still have the same difficulties?

Run cables. Your have walls obstructing your signals so you need to cable beyond them. Mesh is a bad solution for you

ablelocks · 23-10-2018 11:36am

thanks for that feed back Stoner and garion - i purchased the google wifi that's in the bargain alert forum.

I will be getting fibre to the home broadband before Christmas, with Eir. Every room has an ethernet port, it's a large dormer bungalow, with extension to the back and solid concrete block walls.

From reading a couple of threads where BK and high horse are also giving great advice, do i have this right :

1. continue to use the ASUS router rather than the eir supplied one (or replace with a newer router). (this is already high up, in central location)
2. continue to wire as many products as possible to the ethernet ports (i have network switches at the TV and in home office for consoles, receiver, xbox, pc, etc)
3. connect each google wifi unit directly to ethernet ports (one upstairs, one towards the back of the house, possibly buy one more and place to the front of the house) and set up as access points instead of mesh system.

Wait for fibre or install google wifi now?

I have an old Airport base station (one of the dome shaped ones) in a box deep in my attic - I assume that is redundant?

bk · 23-10-2018 1:28pm

ablelocks wrote: »

I will be getting fibre to the home broadband before Christmas, with Eir. Every room has an ethernet port, it's a large dormer bungalow, with extension to the back and solid concrete block walls.

Nice, lucky you

ablelocks wrote: »

1. continue to use the ASUS router rather than the eir supplied one (or replace with a newer router). (this is already high up, in central location)

AFAIR Google Wifi doesn't support VLAN's unfortunately, so I think you have two options once you get FTTH:

1) Continue to use the Eir supplied F2000, but just as a modem. Put it into bridge mode and connect the Google Wifi to it.

2) If you ASUS router supports VLAN, then you could replace the F2000 with it and then connect the Google Wifi to the Asus router. Having said that having gotten Google Wifi you don't particularly need the ASUS or other third party router.

It is a pity that the Google Wifi doesn't support VLAN, it is an increasingly important feature. If it did, you could get rid of the F2000/Asus and just connect it straight to the Eir FTTH.

I'd say for you the first option above is probably the best for you.

ablelocks wrote: »

2. continue to wire as many products as possible to the ethernet ports (i have network switches at the TV and in home office for consoles, receiver, xbox, pc, etc)

Absolutely, 100%. If your device has an ethernet port, use it. Keep as much traffic off wifi as you can. Ideally wifi should only be for mobile devices, laptop, phone, etc.

ablelocks wrote: »

3. connect each google wifi unit directly to ethernet ports (one upstairs, one towards the back of the house, possibly buy one more and place to the front of the house) and set up as access points instead of mesh system.

Yes, absolutely, you will more then double the performance of the backhaul link and greatly improve reliability by using ethernet.

As a Mesh, Google Wifi is only ok performance wise, adequate would be what I'd call it, but not great, as ethernet connected backhaul it offers excellent performance.

BTW that deal you have gotten is really good price for it. Nice bargain. Any criticism I have of Google Wifi is based on a €200 or €300 normal price. At €90 for two, it is a steal

Specially if you can use it with ethernet.

ablelocks wrote: »

Wait for fibre or install google wifi now?

No reason not to start using it now.

ablelocks wrote: »

I have an old Airport base station (one of the dome shaped ones) in a box deep in my attic - I assume that is redundant?

Pretty much. Though depending on model, you might get a few bob for it on ebay, etc. They are very good kit and still in demand.

The high horse brigade · 23-10-2018 1:34pm

bk wrote: »

AFAIR Google Wifi doesn't support VLAN's unfortunately, so I think you have two options once you get FTTH:

1) Continue to use the Eir supplied F2000, but just as a modem. Put it into bridge mode and connect the Google Wifi to it.

FTTH doesn't use the modem so there is nothing to bridge. It needs a router than can do vlan10 tagging on the Wan port or else you stick with the F2000 as your router and use 'whatever' in access point mode

bk · 23-10-2018 1:53pm

The high horse brigade wrote: »

FTTH doesn't use the modem so there is nothing to bridge. It needs a router than can do vlan10 tagging on the Wan port or else you stick with the F2000 as your router and use 'whatever' in access point mode

Of course, dohhh...

matzen · 23-10-2018 2:23pm

bk wrote: »

Absolutely, 100%. If your device has an ethernet port, use it. Keep as much traffic off wifi as you can. Ideally wifi should only be for mobile devices, laptop, phone, etc.

Yes, absolutely, you will more then double the performance of the backhaul link and greatly improve reliability by using ethernet.

As a Mesh, Google Wifi is only ok performance wise, adequate would be what I'd call it, but not great, as ethernet connected backhaul it offers excellent performance.

Do you mean plugging the google wifi unit into the ethernet port in the wall and then into the unit the signal needs to go to, such as a computer or smart TV? I have ethernet ports in each room (except for bathrooms and hallway) of my house but haven't figured out how to get it to work. The connector box is in the utility room so supposedly the main router from the provider needs to be directly attached to it.

bk · 23-10-2018 2:38pm

matzen wrote: »

Do you mean plugging the google wifi unit into the ethernet port in the wall and then into the unit the signal needs to go to, such as a computer or smart TV? I have ethernet ports in each room (except for bathrooms and hallway) of my house but haven't figured out how to get it to work. The connector box is in the utility room so supposedly the main router from the provider needs to be directly attached to it.

It depends on which ISP and service you are using, but normally it looks like this:

ISP Supplied modem/router -> Ethernet -> Primary Google Wifi -> Ethernet -> Secondary Google Wifi.

In other words all Google Wifi's should be connected by ethernet.

Separately your computer, smart TV, should be connected to the ethernet by switches.

It might look like this, note -> means an ethernet cable.

ISP modem -> Primary Google Wifi -> Switch -> Secondary Google Wifi/TV/Computer

Some more info here:
https://www.provideocoalition.com/google-wifi-howwhy-interconnect-units-via-ethernet/

tuxy · 23-10-2018 2:52pm

I think that's making it more complicated than it needs be. For example 4k netflix only needs 25 mbit, this is very easy to get over wifi once you have a hotspot in the same room as the device. I'd use wifi on most devices to make things easy but you will need to wire in anything that needs the full bandwidth of whatever fibre to the home package you go for.

If you frequently need to download very large files and updates to a device then yes wired is the way to go.

bk · 23-10-2018 3:04pm

tuxy wrote: »

I think that's making it more complicated than it needs be. For example 4k netflix only needs 25 mbit, this is very easy to get over wifi once you have a hotspot in the same room as the device. I'd use wifi on most devices to make things easy but you will need to wire in anything that needs the full bandwidth of whatever fibre to the home package you go for.

If you frequently need to download very large files and updates to a device then yes wired is the way to go.

But if all you want is 25mb/s, then why spend €200 or €300 on Google Wifi (normal price) when a good quality router for €100 or so will most likely do the same or better in most homes.

It is kind of like buying a Ferrari and then just putting road tires on it and just using it to go to the shop.

If you already have a home wired for ethernet, then it is an absolute no brainer to use some €15 switches to make the best use out of that ethernet. And it really isn't complicated to setup, it is actually really simple.

tuxy · 23-10-2018 3:20pm

Ah my understanding was that he was installing a group of google wifi hot spots because the house was large or had thick walls. My mistake.
Yes if you can cover the house with a single wifi access point the best option is a router/wifi combo then plug in as many devices to ethernet as you can.

kaisersose77 · 03-12-2018 8:17pm

Anyone using google wifi and microsoft remote desktop? If so how did you get it working with remote access?

I have my google wifi connected to a fritzbox (siro modem/router). I have a pc connected to the google wifi that i would like to be able to access remotely. I have open the remote desktop port for the pc's ip on google wifi but cannot to it remotely? The google wifi was just hooked up to the fritzbox and I didnt go changing any settings on the fritzbox.

OU812 · 03-12-2018 9:52pm

Took the plunge about a month ago with two units & I have to say the difference is considerable. Full bars all throughout the house now & great speeds. Very impressed with it.

digiman · 04-12-2018 12:12am

OU812 wrote: »

Took the plunge about a month ago with two units & I have to say the difference is considerable. Full bars all throughout the house now & great speeds. Very impressed with it.

I'd love to buy them but they are missing a trick that they are not compatible with FTTH here in Ireland as they can't tag VLAN 10 on the WAN port.

tuxy · 04-12-2018 1:00am

digiman wrote: »

I'd love to buy them but they are missing a trick that they are not compatible with FTTH here in Ireland as they can't tag VLAN 10 on the WAN port.

Netgear Orbi can though.

WeleaseWoderick · 09-12-2019 11:23pm

Got a Google Wifi device a couple of months ago but only really getting around to setting it up now.

Only issue is that I have quite a number of devices connected by ethernet and none of these are visible when I'm connected to the Google network I created.

Hopefully something simple I've just missed but just wondering if anyone can advise.

garion · 10-12-2019 12:04am

WeleaseWoderick wrote: »

Got a Google Wifi device a couple of months ago but only really getting around to setting it up now.

Only issue is that I have quite a number of devices connected by ethernet and none of these are visible when I'm connected to the Google network I created.

Hopefully something simple I've just missed but just wondering if anyone can advise.

If you've a lot of devices connected via ethernet I presume you have ethernet cabling throughout your house connected via a network switch in a central location?

If so it sounds similar to my setup. Here's what I've done to have both wired & wireless devices connected to a single Google WiFi network.

1. Disable WiFi on your ISP router. Only WiFi network should be from Google WiFi.
2. Connect your ISP router to Google WiFi point via ethernet cable (connect to globe icon port).
3. Connect Google WiFi point to network switch via ethernet cable (connect to <-> icon port).
4. Connect room ethernet cable to network switch to make room ethernet ports "live" with Google WiFi network.
5. Connect room devices to room ethernet ports via ethernet cable.
6. If you have additional Google WiFi points connect then directly to room ethernet ports (via another between switch if you've multiple devices in one room) by connecting ethernet cable to <-> port on Google WiFi point. Note this will not work with new Nest Wifi points as they do not have ethernet port, only the Nest Router does.

With the above I've all wired & wireless devices connected to single Google WiFi network where I can see them all in Google WiFi app and control priority devices etc.. My mesh WiFi network is also rock solid throughout the house as its back ended by ethernet cable instead of connecting points together via WiFi.

Hope this helps.

RunDMC · 10-12-2019 4:37pm

kaisersose77 wrote: »

Anyone using google wifi and microsoft remote desktop? If so how did you get it working with remote access?

I have my google wifi connected to a fritzbox (siro modem/router). I have a pc connected to the google wifi that i would like to be able to access remotely. I have open the remote desktop port for the pc's ip on google wifi but cannot to it remotely? The google wifi was just hooked up to the fritzbox and I didnt go changing any settings on the fritzbox.

You can set up port forwarding using the Google Wifi app under Settings, Advanced, Port Management. Port 3389 for RDP.

R

JDxtra · 10-12-2019 10:10pm

AnyDesk or TeamViewer may be a better choice than RDP. Saves opening up any ports and works really well.

The high horse brigade · 10-12-2019 10:23pm

JDxtra wrote: »

AnyDesk or TeamViewer may be a better choice than RDP. Saves opening up any ports and works really well.

Don't open port 3389, use the above. I use TeamViewer for work, it just works.

WeleaseWoderick · 12-12-2019 11:19am

garion wrote: »

If you've a lot of devices connected via ethernet I presume you have ethernet cabling throughout your house connected via a network switch in a central location?

If so it sounds similar to my setup. Here's what I've done to have both wired & wireless devices connected to a single Google WiFi network.

1. Disable WiFi on your ISP router. Only WiFi network should be from Google WiFi.
2. Connect your ISP router to Google WiFi point via ethernet cable (connect to globe icon port).
3. Connect Google WiFi point to network switch via ethernet cable (connect to <-> icon port).
4. Connect room ethernet cable to network switch to make room ethernet ports "live" with Google WiFi network.
5. Connect room devices to room ethernet ports via ethernet cable.
6. If you have additional Google WiFi points connect then directly to room ethernet ports (via another between switch if you've multiple devices in one room) by connecting ethernet cable to <-> port on Google WiFi point. Note this will not work with new Nest Wifi points as they do not have ethernet port, only the Nest Router does.

With the above I've all wired & wireless devices connected to single Google WiFi network where I can see them all in Google WiFi app and control priority devices etc.. My mesh WiFi network is also rock solid throughout the house as its back ended by ethernet cable instead of connecting points together via WiFi.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for the above. Will give it a go over the weekend.

I think the only difficulty that I might run into is that I have 8 port switches both connected directly to the modem at present so might need a master switch in between those by the sounds of it.

Anyone using google WiFi?

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