Google Nest Wi–Fi

Mesh networking without the complexity

- ALEX COX

$269 (router and point) From Google, store.google.com

Features 802.11ac radio, AC2200 2x2 antennas, dual–band 2.4/5GHz

Google Wi–Fi was a hit: a simple, inconspicuous mesh router that did the job. Google being Google, they’ve replaced that with a new product that does the same thing. But does its Nest Wi–Fi match up?

It’s lost a few features. Where Google Wi– Fi’s nodes each included a pair of Ethernet ports, Nest Wi–Fi offers only one useable port on the router module and none on the mesh points. No wired backhaul (or dedicated wireless backhaul channel) here. The Google Home app, used to set it up, currently lacks a few more advanced control features, meaning you’ll also need the updated Google Wi–Fi app to see, for example, which devices are connected to which mesh node. Very odd.

But let’s look at what you do get. You get coverage which, in our tests of the two–node pack, arguably reaches just as deeply into the dark corners of your home as the three–node Google Wi–Fi. You get comparable speeds — likely not what your modem is capable of maxing out at, but perfectly strong for 802.11ac wireless, particularly if you’re attached to the router node.