Review: Google Wifi mesh networking solution easy to set up, configure

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Comments

  • Reply 21 of 37
    macseeker said:
    gatorguy said:
    macseeker said:
    Besides Google WiFi Mesh phoning home for one's user account, does it phone home for user's data?
    I was just about to ask how Google is using these devices to sell ads.

    Maybe skim URLs and log those?

    Just wondering...
    Nope
    https://support.google.com/wifi/answer/6246642?hl=en
    Because of their past transgressions, I wouldn't believe it.  Google burned themselves.
    Well, since you have to have a Google account, and the Privacy Policy states "When you share information with us, for example by creating a Google Account, we can make those services even better – to show you more relevant search results and ads".  So, just how would they do that without collecting URL info or something that indicates to them your "interests"?
    edited September 2017
  • Reply 22 of 37
    What routers has Appleinsider given a 4.0, 4.5 or 5.0 rating to?
    baconstang
  • Reply 23 of 37
    rob53rob53 Posts: 3,241member
    "First of all, if you're going to use Google Wifi, a Google account is required. It just is. If you're a hold-out rejecting any and all Google services on principle, you probably weren't considering a product named Google Wifi anyway."

    Yep, that's me perfectly. No Google services at all and I get upset when the on-line stores I frequent make use of Google Services. 
    baconstangrotateleftbytewilliamlondonmike1
  • Reply 24 of 37
    nchianchia Posts: 124member
    Dear Appleinsider,

    Where it's more appropriate, and especially more correct, please use dB instead of db, and Mbps instead of mbps.

    Mega is definitely not the same as milli!!

    Thanks!
    Solibaconstangmike1
  • Reply 25 of 37
    Rayz2016Rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    macseeker said:
    Besides Google WiFi Mesh phoning home for one's user account, does it phone home for user's data?
    I was just about to ask how Google is using these devices to sell ads.

    Maybe skim URLs and log those?

    Just wondering...
    Doesn't need to. 

    The device requires a Google account, like all Google services. Each device and service can collect the bare minimum of information on you, but together, when all linked to the same account, the service as a whole has a complete picture of your activities. 

    Before you switch off the tracking stuff on this device, it already knows who and where you are, so Google knows who you are, where you are, and that you are interested in mesh routers. So now your ads will contain a load of new stuff about mesh routers. 

    To to be honest though, there is no point skimmed and logging URL from a router when its far easier to do it from their other services. It's better to track your Android phone because, unlike your mesh router, it's always with you. 


    edited September 2017 williamlondon
  • Reply 26 of 37
    Can't imagine why anyone would be so stupid as to let google run their home/network.
    williamlondonargonautrob53
  • Reply 27 of 37
    I nearly stopped reading at 'A google account' but I carried on. I got as far as 'Scan a QR code'.
    Oh, how quaint, how 2013 of Google.

    As has been said, Google gets to know even more about you than before.
    Thanks but No Thanks, I'll pass.
    williamlondonargonaut
  • Reply 28 of 37
    techrulestechrules Posts: 53unconfirmed, member
    The Google WiFi supports 2.4 ghz and 5 ghz for connecting and will sense which is optimal and use accordingly. There are nice iPad and iPhone apps you can see who is connecting and what channel and I oftentimes see a mixture of 2.4 mhz and 5.8 mhz connections.    Just open the app and click devices which is the bottom of the screen and then each device you can select and see if 5 ghz or 2.4 ghz or wired.    Ours mostly uses 5 ghz connections for devices and I really do not see any connected on 2.4 ghz.   But going through devices right now the Nest thermostats connect 2.4 ghz and seems most of our home automation stuff does but ipads and iphones are all 5 ghz.   We use wired for things that can be wired.    Since we have so much home automation stuff that is using 2.4 ghz might be why our devices all use 5 ghz.  BTW, we also have a lot of devices so early morning here and 51 devices.

    When word came late last year of Apple ending AirPort support we replaced our AirPort Extremes with the Google WiFI and been really happy we did. The last Airport update was 7.7.8 which came out late last year and nothing since. So we are coming up on a year without any updates and that is never a good thing.    Would be replacing any AirPort hardware with something.

    Been really happy with the Google WiFi. The app makes all your pucks look like one and you can manage your network like it is one thing.

    I have a networking engineering background, stack development specifically, and can not do what the Google WiFi (GW) is doing. The reason is has network intelligence built in that I have learned over the years but the GW is able to apply dynamically or on the fly which I can not do. I have a huge family as in 8 kids and our house is the house to play. We also have a 100 mbps Internet connections. I use to segment our network which did cause issues with some things that wanted a flat network. But I did this to isolate traffic. I did this with static configuration of routes.

    The Google WiFi is monitoring the network and optimizing by segmenting traffic dynamically and on the fly. While also making the network look flat and like one network even though it has multiple access points. This is all transparent to the user.

    It is like having your cake and being able to eat it to. Then the cherry on top is the app to manage.

    Probably my favorite thing is able to use IFTTT to get alerts for people in my house. So I can lay in bed and get an alert when kids get home. Plus I can check if kids brought extras with them. So one night saw an girlfriend device extra passed curfew in our basement. Now do not tell them how I knew. Big fan of the Google WiFi and highly recommend. Had not had any issues. BTW, iPad makes a great device for monitoring the network. Google has an iPad map that works really well.
    edited September 2017 dws-2gatorguy
  • Reply 29 of 37
    techrulestechrules Posts: 53unconfirmed, member
    One thing... I can't understand why the router companies haven't addressed the issue of signal saturation (not sure if that's really the technical term). Routers that are heavily used, at least in my experience and I've had confirmation of this from some tech podcast folks, will become oversaturated with signal data and slow down. My router is to the point now where at nearly the same time every day it needs to be unplugged and restarted because the signal gets spotty and it slows down Internet access. If I'm diagnosing the problem correctly, and if it's a common problem, I wonder why a router shouldn't be able to be restarted on a schedule?
    This issue is what Mesh products like the Google WiFI is taking care of.    You have multiple access points scattered in your home where each is being communicated with instead of everything going back to a single router/AP combination like the past.   Traffic is then managed as needed without going back to the single unit often times in the basement.   So if you are streaming video from your iPad to your TV in your master bedroom for example the Google WiFi is issoloating that traffic so the router in the basement is not at all involved and able to be servicing other traffic as needed.   But then your son in his room playing a game on his Xbox it is the same and he is not inferring with your streaming or anybody elses.    

    The traffic is then segmented as needed and the effect of routing is actually done a layer below.    So this allows your network to look like it is flat and one thing which is needed with some devices and in particular iOT devices.   But underneath it is segmenting traffic and using intelligence to do it dynamically.   Versus in the past we set up static routes.   There was never an if/then/else for traffic that was possible in consumer networking to do this.   Here you do not have to do that but Google has put an algorithm to do it for you based on changing conditions.    In a way it has an experienced network admin inside the box but able to do it dynamically which was not possible in the past.   Plus selling it as a consumer product.    Eventually all home networks will be mesh.   As more and more devices come into the home.

    Now ideally you use wired backhaul and not wireless if possible.   That is how we use our Google WiFi.

    Not exactly sure what you are trying to achieve with a "restarted on a schedule"?     
    edited September 2017 gatorguy
  • Reply 30 of 37
    techrulestechrules Posts: 53unconfirmed, member
    rob53 said:
    "First of all, if you're going to use Google Wifi, a Google account is required. It just is. If you're a hold-out rejecting any and all Google services on principle, you probably weren't considering a product named Google Wifi anyway."

    Yep, that's me perfectly. No Google services at all and I get upset when the on-line stores I frequent make use of Google Services. 
    If this is a concern you would just create a dummy account and not use for anything else.   Rather simple solution if a concern.   For me I love it uses my Google account because I have multiple times lost the account for network gear I have to manage.    The Google WiFi has an app that I use with my Google account and makes it a lot easier plus I have access anywhere I need.

    I also am my up and side family (parents and siblings) network admin and also now my down family with kids starting to move out.   Love that I can easily admin their network if needed remotely and using the app with multiple networks all tied to my Google account.
    edited September 2017 williamlondongatorguy
  • Reply 31 of 37
    mike1mike1 Posts: 3,275member
    One thing... I can't understand why the router companies haven't addressed the issue of signal saturation (not sure if that's really the technical term). Routers that are heavily used, at least in my experience and I've had confirmation of this from some tech podcast folks, will become oversaturated with signal data and slow down. My router is to the point now where at nearly the same time every day it needs to be unplugged and restarted because the signal gets spotty and it slows down Internet access. If I'm diagnosing the problem correctly, and if it's a common problem, I wonder why a router shouldn't be able to be restarted on a schedule?
    I had the same problem with my previous router. Would need to reboot every two or three days. I replaced with a Netgear Orbi mesh system that has worked flawlessly for about seven months now.
    edited September 2017 Soli
  • Reply 32 of 37
    rob53rob53 Posts: 3,241member
    techrules said:
    rob53 said:
    "First of all, if you're going to use Google Wifi, a Google account is required. It just is. If you're a hold-out rejecting any and all Google services on principle, you probably weren't considering a product named Google Wifi anyway."

    Yep, that's me perfectly. No Google services at all and I get upset when the on-line stores I frequent make use of Google Services. 
    If this is a concern you would just create a dummy account and not use for anything else.   Rather simple solution if a concern.   For me I love it uses my Google account because I have multiple times lost the account for network gear I have to manage.    The Google WiFi has an app that I use with my Google account and makes it a lot easier plus I have access anywhere I need.

    I also am my up and side family (parents and siblings) network admin and also now my down family with kids starting to move out.   Love that I can easily admin their network if needed remotely and using the app with multiple networks all tied to my Google account.
    It's still safer to not even create a Google account. I did a long time ago and regretted it, closing it soon afterwards. As for being a tech person who rules, I would label you as a Google, Android, Apple-hater but that's just how I see your comments coming across. 

    I've never seen the use of up-, side-, and down-family when discussing family members. As far as being your family's network admin, I spent 33 years doing the same thing for a living including being heavily involved in cyber security. I speak from experience when not wanting Google in my live, as well as Facebook and Twitter. None of these are secure and possess way too much personal information, something you should be protecting all of your family from happening.
  • Reply 33 of 37
    techrulestechrules Posts: 53unconfirmed, member
    rob53 said:
    techrules said:
    rob53 said:
    "First of all, if you're going to use Google Wifi, a Google account is required. It just is. If you're a hold-out rejecting any and all Google services on principle, you probably weren't considering a product named Google Wifi anyway."

    Yep, that's me perfectly. No Google services at all and I get upset when the on-line stores I frequent make use of Google Services. 
    If this is a concern you would just create a dummy account and not use for anything else.   Rather simple solution if a concern.   For me I love it uses my Google account because I have multiple times lost the account for network gear I have to manage.    The Google WiFi has an app that I use with my Google account and makes it a lot easier plus I have access anywhere I need.

    I also am my up and side family (parents and siblings) network admin and also now my down family with kids starting to move out.   Love that I can easily admin their network if needed remotely and using the app with multiple networks all tied to my Google account.
    It's still safer to not even create a Google account. I did a long time ago and regretted it, closing it soon afterwards. As for being a tech person who rules, I would label you as a Google, Android, Apple-hater but that's just how I see your comments coming across. 

    I've never seen the use of up-, side-, and down-family when discussing family members. As far as being your family's network admin, I spent 33 years doing the same thing for a living including being heavily involved in cyber security. I speak from experience when not wanting Google in my live, as well as Facebook and Twitter. None of these are secure and possess way too much personal information, something you should be protecting all of your family from happening.
    Up is the family tree.  So parents and siblings are up and to the side and my kids are down.   Just trying to explain.   

    Google wifi has a hardware token locked to the boot image which is locked to running image which not aware of other consumer network gear doing and will improve security.   But the biggest thing is the evergreen model that Google uses will reap the biggest security benefit.

    Google must be most targeted properties by hackers and stayed secure so think Google would be better than anyone else.   Google has found a bunch of security flaws like the broadcom one recently so think the best.   Been able to keep my family secure and think Google has helped with that.

    We actually have a lot of apple hardware and I personally have both an iPhone and Android phone.   Had every model of iPhone and a bit of a gadget nut.

  • Reply 34 of 37
    larryjwlarryjw Posts: 1,031member
    I have AirPort Extreme and Airport Express devices. Works fine. Enough speed. Enough coverage. 

    No reason technically to log into Google. This is purely to allow google to track the users, plain and simple. 

    No one should ever review this product without giving it a big thumbs down.
    williamlondon
  • Reply 35 of 37
    larryjw said:
    I have AirPort Extreme and Airport Express devices. Works fine. Enough speed. Enough coverage. 

    No reason technically to log into Google. This is purely to allow google to track the users, plain and simple. 

    No one should ever review this product without giving it a big thumbs down.
    Where would today's parents be without Google's help to turn their children into good little consumers and obedient citizens, tracking all their activities life long, gathering accurate bucket loads of information on everything they do in life so they can serve those kids as they go through life with the most perfect advertisements and messages which are so good because such great data for so many years that they are unable to say no to a single message or advert whether from a company or the government.

    "Google, helping raise children to do what *we* (business and government) tell them to do without question, all life long. Google, your partner in parenting."

    Fucking creepy bastards.
  • Reply 36 of 37
    k2kwk2kw Posts: 2,075member
    Can you plug one node into one modem and another into a modem for another internet provided to have a fail over capability .
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