Google Wifi arrived late in Brazil, but arrived. Google’s mesh router is controlled by the Google Home app, promises to be the “Wi-Fi that works” and brings internet to the entire home.
In a market dominated by manufacturers like TP-Link, D-Link and carrier modems, can Google’s product stand out? You will find out the answer in the next few moments.
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Google Wifi is marketed in two versions: individual and a kit with three units. Tecnoblog received the unitary version, but the manufacturer sent another piece so we could test the connection and experience of the mesh network.
If you’re concerned about design, Google Wifi seems to be a good choice. It is a white flat cylinder, which is very discreet, does not have that “face” router and can stay in the rack of your room without disturbing the decoration. It is quite small, even compared to other mesh equipment.
A tear divides the product in half on the front, and there is the LED indicator – which can turn on, turn off and control the intensity by the app. At the top is just the Google logo in low relief. At the bottom is a WAN port (to connect to the carrier modem), a LAN (for a computer or other wired device) and the input to the power source – which is not USB-C in this case, unlike some models marketed abroad.
Also at the bottom is the tag with configuration information, including a QR Code to use with the Google Home app. It looks like a physical reset button was missing, but it’s actually there, hidden under a circle drawn on the label.
Google Wifi Base (Image: Lucas Braga / Tecnoblog)
Configuration
Installing mesh routers is usually much friendlier than traditional routers, and with Google WiFi is no different. You’ll need to download the Google Home app from the App Store (iOS) or Google Play (Android), sign in with your Google account, and tap the Set Up Wi-Fi option.
From there it is necessary to read the QR Code which is located at the bottom of Google Wifi. During the localization process you can assign the equipment to a specific room of the house, as well create the name and password of the wireless network.
In my case, the identification of the internet access pattern was done automatically, without setting broadband parameters. You can enter static IP addresses or configure pppoe access if necessary.
QR Code reading for Google Wifi configuration (Image: Lucas Braga / Tecnoblog)
Once the main drive is set up, the Google Wifi installation process itself asks if there are any more equipment to be installed. The process for adding an extra router is simple, and mesh integration is done automatically after reading the QR Code of the additional unit.
Google Wifi mesh connection test (Image: Lucas Braga / Tecnoblog)
Resources
With the router installed, all settings and settings can be made directly from the Google Home app. And then there’s no mystery, and there’s not much to do.
Google Wifi prioritizes traffic to Google Stadia (which does not exist in Brazil) and video conferences (Image: Lucas Braga / Tecnoblog)
What’s different about Google Wifi is an option called “Preferred Activities,” where you can prioritize performance for some specific applications. There are only two options available at the moment: one of them is for Google Stadia games, but the game streaming service is not yet available here; the other is “Video conferencing”, which promises to give an up on Google Meet, Zoom and other applications (without specifying which ones).
Some of these settings can be commanded by voice Google Assistant, so if you have a speaker like a Google Nest Mini you can ask to turn the visitors network on and off, for example.
Finally, one thing I found interesting is the built-in router speed test. From the Google Home app itself, you can see if the amount of download and upload provided by your provider is delivered according to the parameters you have hired.
Google recommends using a Wi-Fi point for homes up to 110 m2, while the three-unit kit is suitable for environments up to 330 m2. You can’t take this literally in Brazil: this metric is usually indicated for residences of North American standard, which have wooden or drywall walls.
In terms of speed, I can say that Google Wifi handles most use cases, including downloading and uploading heavier files, online games and streaming video in 4K. Obviously, it all depends on the distance between the computer and the router. The product uses the 802.11ac standard (Wi-Fi 5), with a rated speed of up to 1200 Mb/s (867 Mb/s at 5 GHz and 300 Mb/s at 2.4 GHz).
