Nest (Google) - Nest Wifi Router

I've been using Google's 2nd mesh wifi router since 2021 with no issues at all. Even with brief power outages it comes back on with normal operation without the need to do anything on my part.

I bought a router and 3 extra points of the 2nd generation Nest Wifi. I had wifi issues all the time. A device would be connected to a point but have no internet. You can find forum posts of people complaining about this very same issue without any resolution from Google. I switched to Deco and have had 0 issues.

Thank you. Good to know. For the Google/Nest WiFi I currently have, the app does say "Wired" for the point that's hooked up to the CAT7, so I think it's working. There's no other direct indication of the wired backhaul in the Google Home app. The one point that's not wired generally shows a weak connection, though it's only 20-30 feet away from both the main router and wired one with a few walls/the floor between. Unfortunately that's also the one closest to the detached area, so getting a signal out to there is proving difficult with this Google setup.

Sorry; Nest WiFi (H2D). That’s now the main router and I have a Google WiFi (AC-1304) connected with the wired backhaul, and a Nest WiFi point connected wirelessly.  Why are all WiFi product names so awful and confusing? Is it really so hard to just to number sequentially? 😄

It works. I have the gen 1 nest wifi with only dual band not the quad. Over wifi I get 430/ 50. Im on gigabit so I ran eithernet for the pc.

I have two non-pro routers. They each have two Ethernet ports, and I have wired backhaul.

It does. I bought two Nest Routers as a set on Amazon. The second acts as an AP.

I have two non-pro routers. They each have two Ethernet ports, and I have wired backhaul.

It does. I bought two Nest Routers as a set on Amazon. The second acts as an AP.

We use google wifi pro. Have the router and two AP’s covering 4400 foot three story house. Have an additional AP that came with the set sitting unused cause I don’t need it. This replaced the first gen nest wifi which was ok but laggy at times. Much happier with the Google wifi pro. Have not had to reset any of it since installation several months ago. It’s not the fastest or the cheapest but it’s not ugly either. I am running them wired. My primary complaint is that when the internet is down, the google home app provides no information

Do you realise you will automatically get upgraded to that tier free of charge in September? https://leaptel.com.au/nbn-speed-upgrades-are-coming-heres-what-it-means-for-you/ Unless you plan to go higher than 500 I would stick with the Google mesh and see how you go.

I've used my Google Nest mesh wifi hubs for the past 2.5 years with TMHI. I just connect the primary access hub into the TMHI hub (G4AR) via ethernet cable. It's worked fine since we got TMHI. I have over 40+ IoT devices connected to my Nest mesh wifi. All work well. I have a primary and secondary mesh access points. The primary is in the house and the secondary is in another small building about 80ft away with no problems. I also have a TP-Link extender for the back yard which also works well. FYI. PS Not sure where JasonDJ is coming from. I've been in tech for over 35 years with multiple wifi networks both residential and commercial. I would say the majority are solid, reliable, and stable. A few had problems but were either quickly updated or replaced.

Yes it will. Just remember you have to plug the primary access point into the TMHI hub via Ethernet cable.

I’ve tried every single WiFi google nest router(google WiFi, nest WiFi, nest WiFi pro) and out of them they all had slow speeds. I ended up getting the eero mesh system and those work flawlessly

I had the Nest mesh WiFi with three points that worked great for years, then started dropping connections almost daily requiring a reboot. My only remaining Nest device is a Nest Protect smoke detector. 

Yes it is bottlenecking your speed. all Gens of Google/Nest Wifi are 1GB wan. So \~800 is about maxing the 1GB. otherwise any number of physical reasons why your mesh isnt as strong as it could be. wiring the access points to a switch and then connecting the switch to the Main GoogleWifi router will help greatly

Nauh, if anything the Pro is better. But honestly, I’d ditch it all completely. I thought it would be seamless, it is, but has zero advanced customization. When these die, I’ll get back on to Asus or something that can take custom firmware. Anyway, the Pro has Ethernet port on each AP, so it can use a wired backhaul.

4 software engineers ??!! .. cmon.. don’t matter who your ISP is , if you have a crappy setup , you’re gonna have “wifi” drops you want to setup a MESH system at your home - i recommend ubiquiti but setup can be tricky so , maybe those google Nest routers ? THIS IS IMPORTANT - for ISP , make sure your uploads either match your download or something over 100mbps - a lot of ISPs cheap you with high UP but low DOWN I use Google Fiber

I had ResTech internet at one of my apartments previously as well and was happy with the google nest router.

I had the Google nest WiFi router and WiFi points for 3 years. The WiFi would randomly drop, sometimes new devices wouldn’t even be able to connect and it was just bad all around. I switched to eero and had none of the same issues which is when I realized it was Google nest issues and not network issues or I would have trashed the Google nest sooner.

I had the Google nest WiFi router and WiFi points for 3 years. The WiFi would randomly drop, sometimes new devices wouldn’t even be able to connect and it was just bad all around. I switched to eero and had none of the same issues which is when I realized it was Google nest issues and not network issues or I would have trashed the Google nest sooner.

I ended up getting the google nest because it was on sale. It still wasn’t giving me the entire 1000mbps but as long i was close enough it would get around 600 to 700. But afterwards i found out that my pc wifi receiver wasn’t capable of wifi 6e anyway so i decided to just go down to a lower tier.

I have it, and it’s “ok”. I am looking to replace mine with the Eero Pro or Max 7. I think that is a much better system overall and also now offers an outdoor unit, which is super handy.

I have it, and it’s “ok”. I am looking to replace mine with the Eero Pro or Max 7. I think that is a much better system overall and also now offers an outdoor unit, which is super handy.

Absolutely, I've had every generation of Google/nest mesh systems, with varying results and bad coverage outside to my RV and back patio. Also random dropouts and disconnects throughout my home. I bought the eero 6e system and it is so much more stable than anything I experienced with Google mesh. Even before adding my outdoor 7 AP I was getting so much more coverage around my yard. Now with the 7 outdoor added it's amazing! Super stable and great coverage.

Eh. Support is important. The most popular brand, TPLink, is pretty riddled with vulnerabilities and crappy updates. Something like a used Google Nest router can be had for $25 on eBay and will have vastly superior security updates.

I consider myself to be a power user, not necessarily a sys admin, and I'm looking for a new router that will be more configurable than my current Google Nest Wifi Router, but I don't need think I need OpenSense/ Open WRT. Specifically, I'm looking to play around with VPN, VLAN and possible subnets. I plan on using my Google Nest as an AP only downstream of the router ( at least in the interim before I can buy more capable APs) so a wired router is fine. In the future, I'd like to expand to include a home server(s) to run a print server, NAS, and Home Assistant as I tinker more, but just trying set the bones in place now.

I personally had huge issues with nest- Computers would randomly drop from the network, my ps5 would lose its connection every 30 minutes and my Sonos simply would not connect. I swapped to Eero and every one of those issues vanished. I can’t speak for everyone, but my experience was terrible 

I personally had huge issues with nest- Computers would randomly drop from the network, my ps5 would lose its connection every 30 minutes and my Sonos simply would not connect. I swapped to Eero and every one of those issues vanished. I can’t speak for everyone, but my experience was terrible 

It's a good buy when you get it half price which normally happens every 3 months. Very limited settings so if you buy Chinese devices to save money like tablets and use gaming devices don't get it.

I use IP pass-through with a Google nest router and Google Wi-Fi points

I'm in the UK on Virgin Media 1GB cable connection at home. I've been using Google Nest WiFi Router for the last 5 years. After I bumped my service to 1 Gb, I never quite got the full advertised bandwidth. It away reported 850-900 Mbps download, ~85 up and latency ~30+ms. I didn't think much of it as it was still plenty fast for my needs, but about 10% slower than advertised. Yesterday I replaced it with a Unifi Express 7 (same ethernet cables). Speed test now reporting 1.15 Gbps down, 100 Mbps up and latency at 13 ms. So on or over advertised ISP speeds 👍 I always thought it was the Virgin service, a bit shocked to see it was the Google Nest Router, particularly the latency drop. And I couldn't be happier with the new kit. Loving the granular control, visibility, speed etc etc

I used to like the nest but never got the speeds promised until I bought Asus rog router and mesh link wow I’m getting the whole gig almost every where in the house

I switched to google nest, covers my 4000 ft with only a single remote. Extemely easy to install.

I’ve never used the spectrum router, I just have the modem and use Google Nest WiFi routers. I like to keep it simple and I can troubleshoot issues (on very rare occasions) when I’m not home for my wife.

After 6 years with Google Nest Wifi, I just switched to TP Link Deco. It’s been flawless and just posted about how to reuse old points as speakers only. They are not top 5 on any list, maybe even top 10.

After 6 years with Google Nest Wifi, I just switched to TP Link Deco. It’s been flawless and just posted about how to reuse old points as speakers only. They are not top 5 on any list, maybe even top 10.

Go and buy a cable modem that’s on Spectrums supported list and then buy any router that you want. I would personally invest in a mesh setup but this mesh setup changes depending on the size of your home. I use a Google Nest setup at my mother-in-laws and brother-in-laws homes and they seem to work well. Placement of the additional WiFi points location is key for decent WiFi coverage so don’t be afraid to move them and test throughput between the WiFi Points and the main router until you achieve the coverage and speed that is best for you. Additional note. You will most likely have to call Spectrum to clear their side when you put your own cable modem in place. The entry use to clear on its own on the ISP side when you powered off the cable modem but it doesn’t seem to do that anymore.

Don’t know what you’re referring to with 3G. That’s a cellular reference not WiFi. In any case, the Google 6E router has been just great for me. I’ve gotten better speeds on it than my Eero 6E setup did. The Nest mesh router, no, it’s terrible and you’re much better off with your own system. I can’t believe Google still sells that trash.

Mesh only. I use Nest WiFi and I'm very happy with it, I hear good things about other mesh systems. My home has 3 points, in combination they serve the entire indoors, one helps a ton with the front of house and the other immensely improves coverage for the three cameras I have in the back yard. Just mesh, 2-4 points based on size and layout of your property.

The Nest Wifi is great and can be a hub for the OG Google Wifi pucks in a mesh setup. My Nest Wifi serves 4 pucks (all wirelessly) and it's rock solid. A pair of Nest Wifi units in a mesh setup is probably great.

A lot of people here will tell you wireless mesh doesn't work any better than tin cans and string, I think because network professionals are overrepresented here. For an "average family" it will absolutely get the job done. I've had very good luck with a Google Wifi Nest (not Pro). Bought used for $15. Added a few of the old Google Wifi white pucks in a mesh system. In most rooms there's a desktop computer or other stationary device connected to a puck by ethernet, which cuts down the wifi traffic.

I use mesh (Google Nest Wifi as the router, with old Google Wifi pucks as mesh points). It's fine. Same system has worked in 2 completely different houses and I feel no compulsion to work in wired backhaul to any of the mesh points. But everyone's mileage varies. The important thing is to be prepared to experiment with placement to make it really work. Also, use unmanaged switches ($10 on FB Marketplace) and connect stationary devices by ethernet to nearby mesh points. The less wifi traffic the better, no matter the system.

I use mesh (Google Nest Wifi as the router, with old Google Wifi pucks as mesh points). It's fine. Same system has worked in 2 completely different houses and I feel no compulsion to work in wired backhaul to any of the mesh points. But everyone's mileage varies. The important thing is to be prepared to experiment with placement to make it really work. Also, use unmanaged switches ($10 on FB Marketplace) and connect stationary devices by ethernet to nearby mesh points. The less wifi traffic the better, no matter the system.

Almost any mesh system is "beginner-friendly." Watch some YouTube reviews and see what feels good. If they're already in the Amazon smart device ecosystem then Eero might be the way to go? Or Google Wifi if they're Google Home folks. Think creatively about above/below placement. If an access point can't sustain a strong wireless connection in a problem area, but can be positioned *above/below* it, that'll very likely be sufficient to kill the dead zone since transmitting through floors/ceilings is typically easier than going through walls. And because the router is the heart of the system, think about where the router *should* be, which might not be where they have it now. A long (nice looking) Cat6 cable might be the trick to getting the router into a central spot where it can best serve all the access points and directly-connected devices. In my 2-storey we've got our Google Nest Wifi router on the main floor, connected to the modem in the basement by a long Cat6 cable (through a gap next to a register in the floor). With another cable the router is wired to the access point in the basement, and there's another access point above it on the top floor and on the other side of the house on the main floor. Coverage is solid. "Like water from the faucet," we like to say. No dead spots anywhere in the house, or on the property at all for that matter. Would I like to find a way to run ethernet all the way upstairs and have every access point wired? Sure. But because everyone's happy with the service they're getting (kids on the top floor are gaming all the time) I don't have the motivation to undertake it. Wireless will do.

Google nest is the way. Unless you want to tinker, then unifi.

I just bought one and used it for two days. It's a 2025 and hardware 1.0 version. It took me an hour phone call with the Support to resolve WAN connection issue to be able to start to use it from the get-go. I have Xfinity. For some reason, 2 out 3 times, the WAN light is red after connecting the cable modem to 10G WAN port. I don't have this issue with my old Google WIFI router. So the Support asked me to unplug cable model for 2 minutes and plug it back on and then log onto Web UI and go through "Quick Internet Setup" to detect connection. After this, WAN issue was resolved. I was able to use it. I updated the firmware to the latest version: 3.0.0.6.102\_37548. Over the last two days, it suddenly rebooted four times. The longest hours it's running so far is 18 hours. I am still researching this rebooting issue. It looks like might be a firmware bug somewhere as I couldn't see anything from system log that would explain the reboots. Whenever it rebooted, I touched the router and it wasn't overheating. I can totally understand why the reviews are so mixed. I will probably have to keep it as it's the only WIFI7 router at $200-$300 that supports 2.4G/5G/6G, VPN, 10G WAN port, 4x2.5G LAN ports, and 5G Mobile tethering...

I cannot get my Deco Xe200 to connect to the network despite many hours on the phone with customer support. My OLD SLOW google wifi is rock solid. With the new push from congress on May 15, I'm done fooling with it and sticking with what works.

It depends if the specs meet your needs I still use Google WiFi, it's fine for what I need.

I personally use a Google Wifi, I'm not sure if it can be used as a repeater out of the box tho. The nice thing about that one is you have an Ethernet port on the device itself and it works flawlessly, I used it when I traveled if I was taking my PC with me.

Went from Google WiFi to TP-link Omada. Night and day improvement.

Absolutely true. I just removed 4 Deco X75s (had zero issues with them - just wanted a more advanced setup with VLANs for a hybrid personal/business network) and 3 Google WiFi pucks (had some issues with these). Everyone talks about issues but I haven’t had any with UniFi or with Tp-Link.

Yeah? I’ve got google wifi + 1 extra access point to create a mesh because the google wasn’t covering my whole 2 bedroom apartment. I’m wondering if I should try another brand

To add to what others are saying, in addition to GWifi being quite locked down and having no way to access configuration via a browser (only via the Google Home app), the other problem is support. When Google no longer feels like supporting this version of the hardware, they will essentially brick it. They did exactly that to my old OnHub units. I cannot trust Google for networking hardware.

TP Link Deco 6E - had it for about 2 years and it's been good and super reliable. There were some concerns recently about TP Link routers phoning home to China, so something worth looking into I guess if you're worried. The management app (so take it for what it is, requires a phone app to manage) is decent, although a little annoying with the upsell of the safety suite. The feature set is great - guest network, IoT network, QoS, VPN server and client, 3 ports (only gigabit though) on each device, and 6Ghz wireless backhaul (or wired is also supported). At the time the Wifi 7 model just came out and was much more expensive so I didn't really see the point. If I were buying a new router today I'd probably go for a Wifi 7 model. Another upgrade in that is it looks like the Wifi 7 model has 1x10Gbps port and 2x2.5Gbps so that's some good future-proofing right there. Came from having Google Wifi, which I think was overall a little bit better, but I'm not upset about it. Obviously Ubiquiti is the gold standard if you wanna go that deep into it, but for a more casual (and much more affordable) solution I am not upset with my Deco. It's about $300 for 1 - have a 3-pack (~$700). If you don't need mesh, I've had good luck with Asus routers in the past and last I heard reviews for them are pretty good. Around $300 the TUF BE3600 looks like it might have all modern features you'd want.

i like the Google Wifi pucks cheap available and hefty specs

Yes using wifiman, UCG Ultra, and U6+ access points (that annoyingly do not have secondary Ethernet ports, had to use an older AC Pros in one spots). I have a concrete house with thick walls. Anyway, signal and throughout probably 20% less than before in my trouble spots. Signal is just not as strong as Google Wifi Routers. But they bugged out a lot more so I guess.

I don't know how much Google Wifi has changed since I tried it and quickly got rid of it, but I found it very unconfigurable compared with most brands. But it might suit someone who prefers not to have settings that can accidentally be set wrong.

Stay away, stay away, stay away. They are crap and google support is useless. You’ve been warned

The ones provided by the ISP are usually shit. I recommend only using the modem from them and then getting your own wifi routers. I've been using Google Wifi for quite a while and love it.

I did that in the past with Google WiFi. The VM did an update and it never worked properly again. I'd really like not to use VM at all, but it's that if 26mbps over copper for me

Interesting. I used to have Google WiFi which worked well until one of the VM router updates stopped it all working. Maybe I should blow the dust off, reset it and try again. I just don't enjoy fiddling with these things any more

I recommend whole home setup either Google or eero

No. I had issues with Google Wifi when they blocked the video signal from the Google Nest Cameras to be displayed on the Google Nest Displays. Now after all their shenanigans with Google graveyard Nest devices, I'd go back to a more open architecture (i.e. DD-WRT with WDS)

No. I had issues with Google Wifi when they blocked the video signal from the Google Nest Cameras to be displayed on the Google Nest Displays. Now after all their shenanigans with Google graveyard Nest devices, I'd go back to a more open architecture (i.e. DD-WRT with WDS)

It’s the Google WiFi. I went from 3 Asus Onhubs (SRT-AC1900) on a 1gig internet plan getting 400meg max over WiFi with all three on wired backhaul to 3 Tp-Link Deco BE11000 maxing out my gig internet (consistently over 900meg to sometimes up against a gig). No change in wires (still Cat 5e) with longest run about 60 ft. The range, and throughput at range, was also a huge improvement. Covered the 1/3 acre property and devices in other buildings with no problem. Costco has them on sale every once in awhile for $399 usd. Highly recommend.

For the average consumer, Eero is a much better fit though. Sure, if you like to tinker or have one off use cases, Unifi is the much better option, but Eero does a great job of providing a product that just works without ever really needing to touch it. I've had Asus, Netgear, Linksys, TP-Link, Google WiFi, and Eero, but I've had meshing issues with all except for Eero. My current setup is Unifi with Eero in bridge mode.

As I recall you'll have to rent a router from Spectrum or supply your own anyway. I switched from Spectrum to Google last year and It's way, way better. I have the Google router in a closet for backup and use my own home-built router. Most connection are ethernet except TV and phone are WiFi. Everything works great!

It’s very unclear what your problem is. The most important question: If you’re hardwired to your Ethernet jack (where the internet in the house comes in), is the internet reliable? If no, investigate different providers. Sonic or MonkeyBrains are probably the best in SF, if they’re available to you. Comcast and AT&T are not bad either, so long as you get symmetric fiber (1 Gbps upload and download). If the Ethernet jack is reliable (I suspect it is), your problem is distributing internet in the house. The first way you should try to solve this is to hardwire everything that can be hardwired. Your house is old enough that it probably doesn’t have Ethernet jacks everywhere in the house and YMMV if you want 100ft Ethernet cables snaking around your house (celibacy is a choice) but at the very least, anyone next to the primary router should be using a cable. You can also investigate things like Powerline and MOCA Ethernet if you really want to go down the hardwiring path. After that, you want to invest in a good wifi system that will replace whatever junk your ISP gave you. Look for two things: mesh and WiFi 6E. Mesh just means multiple access points. You have the primary plugged into your internet provider and then you distribute the others through your house. This brings the WiFi physically closer to your device and around the lead or whatever is in your walls. It’s ideal if each mesh point can had a wired connection but even if it has to be wireless, it will still be an improvement. I like the eero system quite a bit but I’ve used Google WiFi in the past and had good experiences. If you can wait till Black Friday, Amazon tends to have good eero sales. WiFi 6E is important because it allows newer devices to connect using 6 GHz spectrum (in addition to standard 2.4 and 5). This is important because that spectrum is faster and also shorter range. The shorter range is actually a benefit: since 6 GHz is shorter range, it means that your roommates 6 GHz connection across the house is less likely to screw with yours. You can also get wifi 7 but hardly any devices support it right now. I would consider that to just be future proofing. Good luck!

You will be disappointed with just Mesh in a house that big. At a minimum, you should backhaul wire it. I have used several and TP Link, although it is frowned upon by most here being a Chinese product that could be banned, and Google performed the best for me (12ksqft restaurant, 2 levels).

Mesh all day. I’ve got the Google ones. They’re about 5-6 years old. Also, my own surfboard docsis 3.0 modem. I can’t even remember when I bought that one, not sure how much longer it’ll work but it’s still kickin’