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Nest WiFi
Starter kit: Two and three boxes
Wireless standard: 802.11ac. Main box: AC2200, satellite AC1200
Theoretical speeds: 867 mbps over 5 GHz and 400 mbps over 2.4 GHz
antennas: 4 internal units per unit
ports: 1 gigabit LAN port, 1 gigabit WAN port
Suggested price: 3,790 crowns
The wait has been long, but now Nest WiFi is finally ready for launch in Norway.
mesh
To make a brief introduction to mesh networks, or mesh networks called in Norwegian, it works like this:
Instead of having a wireless router, you have two, three, or even more small boxes (nodes), located around strategic locations in the home. The nodes are small and round, without external antennas, and therefore much more location-friendly than traditional routers, which are not always as pretty to look at.
Depending on where you are in your home, your things should automatically connect to the node that has the best signal strength.
Nest WiFi comes primarily in one, two and three box packages. Here are the suggested prices:
- Nest WiFi Routers: NOK 1790
- WiFi WiFi satellite: NOK 1690
- Nest WiFi and WiFi satellite router: NOK 2790
- Nest WiFi routers and 2 satellites: NOK 3790
We have tested the latter, namely the set of a main unit and two additional satellites, which have a set range of about 500 square meters if optimally configured relative to each other. The two-box set has an established range of approximately 210 square meters.
Among the news, Google is tempting with better range, higher speeds, and, not least, built-in smart speakers. The two satellites have speakers that will operate at the same level as the Nest mini smart speaker, you can read the proof here. Our experience is that Nest WiFi plays surprisingly well in size, and is especially good as a kitchen or bedroom speaker.
Also, Nest WiFi is backward compatible, so you can connect the satellites to your current Google WiFi settings.
Nest WiFi
Google has updated the design in the news. They are slightly smaller and have a rounded bottom and top shape. We really like the design, the subtle light ring at the bottom gives Nest WiFi an extra groan, and we appreciate that the boxes are sturdy and well-built.
You can also turn off the light or set a certain brightness at night.
The main router has two Ethernet connectors, one for connecting to the modem and the other for a LAN connector, but the satellites have none. This makes Nest WiFi a little less relevant to those who trust multiple LAN connections.
The satellites, on the other hand, have built-in microphones for the Google Assistant and, as mentioned above, speakers with support for Spotify Connect, among others.
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provision
One thing to note about the settings is that Google WiFi is the wrong app to download. I made the mistake myself, because it is the correct Google Home application. But oddly, you must use the Google WiFi app for easy advanced setup.
If you’ve configured a set of meshes lately, there will be nothing new with Nest WiFi. Connect the main router to the modem and the power grid and follow the on-screen instructions, which include scanning a QR code in each box you add. Then, choose which room each box is in and you can choose the name and password online.
The entire process is done in minutes.
Unfortunately, we were completely stuck with Google Assistant settings, we just didn’t move forward in the process. For the undersigned, it is not that dangerous, I do not use voice assistants, but I realize that several can benefit. For example, you can use the Google Assistant to ask what Internet speed and the like are, or play music or ask about the weather.
If you don’t want the Google Assistant to listen, you can disable the microphone with a switch on the back. Photo: Martin Kynningsrud Størbu
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What may also be a bit messy is the computer setup that only supports the 2.4 GHz frequency. Among other things, an avalanche of smart home products needs to be set to 2.4 GHz, and the problem with Nest WiFi is that it has a common SSID, that is, the name you see on the WiFi / mobile list, for 2.4 / 5 GHz. Devices that support only 2.4 GHz automatically connect to that frequency, but your mobile phone, which you use to configure smart home products, it definitely supports 5GHz, which means it will connect to that frequency.
One solution to this is to get away from the router to connect a smart home product to the router via mobile, a tip we found on Reddit. This is because 2.4 GHz has a longer range than 5 GHz, so at the outer edges it doesn’t connect to 5 GHz. A bit cumbersome, but there is a solution.
Appen
The Home app brings your Google products together under one roof, and that’s where it also controls Nest’s WiFi settings. The app is pretty simple in itself and it’s obvious that Google strives to make it easier to use Nest WiFi instead of pushing as much functionality as possible in the app.
You can run Internet speed tests, configure guest networks and parental controls, as well as prioritize devices on the web, such as a game console, enable Stadia game mode, and enable WPA3 security. If we are missing something, we have an overview of which devices are connected to which satellite, but otherwise the app should cover most of the needs.
As mentioned earlier, you’ll need to use another app, namely Google WiFi, for advanced settings. This indicates that Google may not have been able to get around all the features, as we hope that the Google Home app will be the future.
So if you touch advanced network options (DNS, WAN, LAN and UPnP), you will be redirected to Google WiFi app where you can enable manual DNS server, configure static IP addresses, enable or disable Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) or enable IPv6.
A quick description of the application. From the left state, configuration and media control.
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Performance and speeds
Unfortunately, we have not tested Nest WiFi against Google WiFi. This is because, like many people sitting in the home office during the day and we do not have access to all the test devices, but what we have seen in the American media that tested Nest WiFi when the mesh kit was available in the pond last year is that the performance is so say the same as the predecessor.
Our experience with Nest WiFi and two additional satellites is that the range is top notch. Even through a thicker concrete wall between the living room and bedroom, and all the way to the bottom of the bathroom, where a single grid can’t transmit signals, Nest Mesh does the job.
When it comes to positioning the satellites, the general rule is that there should be a maximum of two spaces between each. They should also be placed high up in the room, and if your home has multiple floors, you should have at least one on each floor. If you are not sure of the location, you can test the mesh connection in the app.
The performance is also superior with good speeds to the Internet, really wherever we are in the apartment, that is, 150 Mbps download and 15 Mbps upload. We also registered good speeds internally on the network, and about 5 meters away we registered speeds of around 600 Mbps between two PCs, as well as stable download speeds on Xbox One and streaming from Netflix and HBO Nordic.
. Since Nest WiFi is not WiFi 6, you will hardly notice the gigabit limit being crossed.
Nest WiFi is limited with LAN connectors. In fact, only one. Photo: Martin Kynningsrud Størbu
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conclusion
Nest WiFi is a great mesh network for those who want an easy-to-manage home network that looks great standing on a shelf. It has the most basic functions available in a fully organized application, and as an added benefit, satellites also function as smart speakers thanks to the Google Assistant and the built-in speaker.
Nest WiFi, on the other hand, is not for those who want to manage the network: they are applications that are too limited and that depend on additional LAN connectors in the boxes. Nest WiFi has only one, satellites have none.
That’s really what we have to postpone on Nest WiFi, plus two have to use two apps to access all the functionality, but hopefully that’s something Google is working to figure out.
Exceptional design
Good range and performance
Surprisingly good sound from the speaker
Google Assistant
Simple and easy to use application
Compatible with Google WiFi
Only one Ethernet on main unit, none on satellites
Not much better performance than Google WiFi
You must use two applications for full functionality
Do you want to argue?
