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How aware are you of your internet speed right now? With the world isolated, we all remain surprisingly connected. That is, once you have a decent internet connection. Whether it’s a video call with the family or a business meeting, the Internet has become more important than ever. Google has just conveniently launched its new Google Nest WiFi in Ireland and promises to offer better WiFi in your home. Google sent me a kit last week to test and this is what I think so far.
What is Google Nest Wifi?
Google Nest Wifi is a small kit designed to improve your Internet connection at home. Similar to the Google Wifi that I tried a few years ago, Nest Wifi can extend wifi connectivity at home, but also improve the signal.
Don’t get me wrong, if you have terrible internet speeds there is only so much the Nest Wifi Kit can do. But if you have decent internet speed and a specific room where there is weak or poor signal then this might be the solution you are looking for.
When the system is set up, a Google box next to your modem takes your Internet connection and throws it through the house to a second point. From here, the signal is picked up and spit out again. The benefit of this two-point setup is that you can extend your Wi-Fi connection over a larger area. This is called a wifi network because it is like an invisible network of connectivity that spans your home. There are also benefits in small areas. More on that later.
What you get in the box
There are a couple of options when buying your kit. Most will need the kit that Google sent me. It is a Google Nest Wifi router with an additional point. If you are in a small apartment, only the router is enough. If you have a big house or maybe you want to extend your wifi to a second building, you will want to charge the additional points.
Also in the box are two plugs and a LAN cable. There is also a quick start brochure, but the whole setup is pretty straightforward. Just remember to download the Google Home app on your phone or tablet and you’re ready to rock.
An important point when configuring. The Nest Wifi router point connects to the modem that your Internet provider sent you with a LAN cable. If, like me, you have a lot of things connected to your modem via LAN, the Nest Home router also has a LAN out port. If that doesn’t mean anything to you, don’t worry about it. For me, it is crucial because I don’t lose a LAN port. For most, it probably isn’t important.
When to use Google Nest Wifi
There are two perfect scenarios for using a product like Google Nest Wifi. Normally, I would have tried both.
- My mom’s house. Old house with very thick walls
- My apartment. Really small space surrounded by dozens of wifi connections.
I tried the original Google Wifi device at my mom’s house and it worked incredibly well. Unfortunately, with current restrictions, I can’t test the new Nest product there, but I will eventually. During setup, the general rule of thumb Google gives you is not to place the extra point more than two rooms from the nearest point, so hopefully that will give you an idea of what it can do.
I had the opportunity to test it in my department and I was much more surprised to see quite impressive results here too.
Benefits of Google Nest Wifi in small apartments
If you’ve been paying terribly close attention to where I live, you might be wondering why I need a wifi mesh system. The truth is that I did not. I really just needed the router unit because I don’t have the square footage to challenge the spread of my wifi signal. I am in an apartment surrounded by other apartments, so the problem is the congestion of the wifi signal. There are dozens of similar modems that obstruct air waves and Nest Wifi offers a solution.
Dynamic channel selection
When someone like Virgin Media or Eir sends you a modem, it is configured to work on a specific channel. That means that when your home is surrounded by dozens of other modems, the channels can become congested. Your devices get confused trying to figure out what is what.
Nest Wifi is much more than just hardware. The software that Google integrates into the mix is constantly doing its best to keep your connection strong, reliable, and fast. This includes dynamic channel swapping when one becomes too loud. Google promises that this will reduce the number of times you have to turn your modem on and off after losing the connection.
It’s funny that they mention it because I’ve been having a steamy time with my internet lately and for the last week since I installed Nest Wifi the connection has certainly improved.
Faster Internet speeds
There is a moment in each review when a product convinces me. I’m still critical, but there is one thing a manufacturer backs up what it is doing by keeping a promise. With the Nest Wifi it was faster internet.
I am connected to a Virgin Media super fast modem. Let’s be honest, it’s fast enough for anyone. After several benchmarking tests, my original Virgin Media modem was delivering 230 Mbps. I am sorry that everyone in the country is now cursing me for being impressed that I have improved on that. But when I set up the Nest Wifi system, my average speed increased 4% to 240 Mbps.
What I want to demonstrate here is not that you would generally notice that improvement. I would not have done it just for having tried it. Instead, what I want to convey here is that the Nest Wifi system had a significant impact. When I lived in the country, I was doing my best to squeeze every Mbps of my network so that 4% hit me deeply.
My Virgin Media plan is also limited to 240 Mb, which makes me think. If I went to a superior package, would it be faster without the Nest Wifi? Or maybe Nest Wifi helps me get the most out of my connection?
Other Nest Wifi Features
Like I said, I really couldn’t test the wide range of the kit. I also have no children and cannot have guests at this time, so you will have to rely on these features.
Parental controls
On paper, this is beautiful. I assume parents will love it. If your kids have tablets or game consoles, you can assign their device to them. You know how to have control over their digital lives. I say this with a certain sense of excessive drama. You cannot read any of their emails or see what they post on Tiktok. You can disconnect your tablet or console from the Internet when it’s time to study or eat dinner.
Better yet, you can put your devices on a schedule for 7 p.m. it’s cleaning time knowing that 8 p.m. Once the job is done! Naturally, you can also block adult content. Good control for integrated parents.
Wifi for guests
When we have guests back, there will be no more than 5 minutes to try and get them online. Nest Wifi allows you to create a dedicated guest network where you can keep visitors off your main network. This is a good feature for me as I have my own Western Digital Personal Cloud NAS server which I really don’t want to be prying eyes.
If you have something like a Chromecast, you can even get a QR code so all your dinner guests have to do is scan your TV. Personally, I would recommend no internet once we get back to normal dinners, but comfort is always nice.
It is also a Google home
I didn’t notice this right away! The additional point installed in the bedroom is doing more than just expanding the connection and cleaning the signal. He is also a Google Assistant and Speaker. Looking good!
It’s nice
This is not such a silly point. I admit that my Virgin Media modem is pretty good, but many modems are horrendous. If you have a fancy hack, the last thing you want is an ugly modem. What do you do? You hide it. The side effect is a bad internet connection due to the muffled signal.
Google has invested some time and effort in designing these devices to make you feel more comfortable placing them in a place where they work well. You can plug the cable into your nasty old modem and leave it wherever you want!
Google Stadia
If you’ve made the jump to trying Google Stadia, which now offers a free trial, you’ll also like Nest Wifi’s priority lane feature. Basically, it means that you can give Stadia games a priority position on the network to ensure you don’t experience an avoidable lag.
Google Nest Wifi: the verdict
I am very impressed with Nest Wifi. He has also given me some questions that I need to bring to Virgin Media. It is interesting that I can only get the capacity of my connection when I use a third party device in Google Nest Wifi. I am really interested in testing network speeds and seeing what I can get out of it. Stay tuned for that update!
But in general, it is a very aesthetically pleasing piece of technology to have at home with very real results.
While that would suggest that Nest Wifi will help me get good value for money, we did come across my biggest criticism of the entire setup. Damn, it’s expensive. The kit Google sent me is worth € 259. The router alone would be € 159 and the extra point is € 139. I ended up setting up another cheap wifi mesh system in my mom’s trap and it works brilliantly. That system costs less than € 80.
That system is not so pretty. It is not that easy to use. It does not offer parental controls or seamlessly integrate with your Google Home app. It also doesn’t have a built-in Google Assistant. For some, that is a benefit. For others, there is no difference. Then there are the people who read that list of things that Nest Wifi offers and have forgotten the price. If that’s you, you won’t be disappointed with this setup and the impact it has on your home connectivity. If you’re on the fence, it’s definitely worth a clearance. The system can also grow with you. It is compatible with Google Wifi and you can add additional points as you go along.
You can buy this kit directly from the Google Store.
What did you think of that?
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