Google Wifi and Nest Wifi are both mesh systems from Google that offer the same basic pitch: stable, reliable whole-home Wi-Fi, but there are some key differences. and, Both are still available from major retailersBe sure to understand these differences before purchasing.
In 2016, Google made its first foray into mesh networking. Google Wi-Fi, a packed 3-piece mesh router system.like other mesh routersNow, connect one Google Wifi device to your modem and distribute other devices throughout your home, spreading a high-speed Wi-Fi signal from room to room. This system tested well and quickly earned him a spot as one of CNET’s top recommended routers.
Then, at the end of 2019, Google announced a follow-up. Rather than calling this system Google Wifi 2, Google Nest Wi-Fiwhich coincided with the company’s efforts to rebrand. google home mini smart speaker and google home hub As a smart display nest mini and nest hub. Both Nest Wifi and Google Wifi are older in router terms and use the older Wi-Fi 5 standard, but they still offer great performance for the price. If you’re looking for Google’s more modern mesh system, the company debuted its first Wi-Fi 6E router, the Nest Wifi Pro, in late 2022.
Nest Wifi includes a dedicated router (right) and small range extension devices called Points. The router comes in white only, but the Point comes in white, blue, or coral, and it also has a built-in smart speaker.
New Nesty design
With rugged, cylindrical devices that pair wirelessly, Google Wifi and Nest Wifi both use the same basic design approach, which Google says it left untouched for the second generation. It doesn’t mean anything.
First, Nest Wifi has softened the edges and ditched the blue LED light to give the system a gentler look and blend in better with your home décor (and yes, they look a lot like marshmallows). Nest Wifi routers come in white only, but range-extending Nest Wifi points are available in white, blue, and coral.
All Google Wifi devices are identical, so any device can be used as a router for your system. Neither has a built-in smart speaker.
This introduces another important hardware difference. With Google Wifi, each device is identical. You can connect any of them to your modem to act as a router for your network, and you can also use any of them as a range extender in other rooms of your house. This does not apply to Nest Wifi. Nest Wifi includes a dedicated router and a small, separate range extender (Nest Wifi points).
Each Google Wifi device includes an Ethernet WAN port and a separate Ethernet LAN port. This gives you the option to wire directly to his Google Wifi devices within your home, and also allows you to wire your Google Wifi devices for faster speeds. Nest Wifi routers have the same two Ethernet jacks, but Nest Wifi points don’t have any Ethernet jacks at all.
Oh, and speaking of Nest Wifi points, Google has built a microphone and speaker into each Wifi point. This lets you harness the full intelligence of Google Assistant to use your smart speaker and more with just a quick voice command.
In addition to the usual voice assistant staples like asking for the weather, playing music, and turning smart home gadgets on and off, you can also ask Google Assistant to perform a quick speed test of your network or temporarily turn off your Wi-Fi. You can also ask them to stop. A device or group of devices. Google has also included touch controls at the top of each point, allowing you to pause playback or adjust the volume with a quick tap. Also, if you want to completely disable voice control, you can flip the physical switch to turn off the microphone.
Comparison of Google Wifi and Nest Wifi
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| Google Wi-Fi | Nest Wi-Fi | |
| speed rating | AC1200 | AC2200 |
| Wi-Fi standard | Wi-Fi5 | Wi-Fi5 |
| range | 1,500 square feet per point | 2,200 square feet per router, 1,600 square feet per point |
| safety standards | WPA3 | WPA3 |
| built-in smart speaker | no | Yes (points only) |
| capacitive touch control | no | Yes (points only) |
| antenna | 2X2 | 4X4 |
| Highest wireless transfer speed, 5 feet (router only) | 451Mbps | 612Mbps |
| Highest wireless transfer speed, 75 feet (router only) | 201Mbps | 431Mbps |
| Price of router alone | 100 dollars | $169 |
| Additional price for extender | 100 dollars | 100 dollars |
| 3 piece mesh system price | 200 dollars | $349 |
speed and specs
Google Wifi and Nest Wifi have been in development for three years and have different hardware features. First, Google Wifi is an AC1200 mesh system. This means that the combined 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands have a maximum speed of 1,200 Mbps. With Nest Wifi, the speed rating jumps to AC2200, giving you a more capable access point between the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands.
However, keep in mind that your router can only connect to one band at a time. However, both Google Wifi and Nest Wifi automatically control the connection between the two bands to optimize speed and signal strength. Its band steering worked particularly well when we tested both systems, so this seems to be one of Google’s strong points.
Look at this: Nest Wifi has Google Assistant in its router
like on all routers, these AC1200 and AC2200 speed ratings are derived from optimized lab-based speed tests that do not take into account factors such as distance, obstacles, and interference, so the actual top speed is likely to be significantly lower. there is. In our lab, we measured Google Wifi’s highest wireless transfer speeds at 451 Mbps at close range and 201 Mbps at 75 feet. With the more capable Nest Wifi, those numbers jump to 612 Mbps and 431 Mbps. This is about average compared to other mesh routers we tested.
This AC bit indicates that both Google Wifi and Nest Wifi support Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac). Wi-Fi 5 has been considered obsolete for several years, ever since the faster AX version of Wi-Fi was called. Wi-Fi6 (802.11ax) began rolling out in 2019. selected by google Don’t include that support in Nest WifiHowever, the new Nest Wifi Pro debuted in late 2022 with Wi-Fi 6E. Wi-Fi 6E is the name for Wi-Fi 6 devices that can broadcast on the newly opened 6GHz band.
That doesn’t mean Google hasn’t made any improvements over the years. The Nest Wifi’s antenna has been upgraded to a 4×4 configuration that allows simultaneous MU-MIMO transmission, which is more robust than the 2×2 Google Wifi. Also supports Nest Wifi Latest WPA3 encryption standard — Not available on Google Wifi.
You can run a quick Nest Wifi speed test right from the Google Home app.
App controls
Google Wifi comes with its own dedicated control app that walks you through setup and provides basic controls. It doesn’t offer as many advanced features as modern gaming routers, so it’s not ideal if you want to use a lot of advanced network settings right away.
Nest Wifi relocates controls to the Google Home app, so you can control your router alongside your Google Assistant smart speaker, compatible smart home gadgets, and more. In addition to parental controls and other user-friendly features, you can run quick speed tests from the app and group devices to quickly turn Wi-Fi access on and off. Although they are more streamlined and simplified than the controls in the original Google Wifi app, you can still use these Google Wifi controls with Nest Wifi if you prefer.
Curious about the multiple colors and Google Assistant voice control that come with the Nest Wifi point? You can save a few bucks by using a Google Wifi point instead, but the system won’t be as fast at range.
conclusion
Google Wifi did well as one of the top mesh systems a few years ago, but the biggest argument for now is price. It’s a fraction of the cost of Nest Wifi and other mesh routers, yet delivers plenty of performance. It also works with Nest Wifi in a fully backwards compatible manner. If you already have a Nest Wifi router and want to extend its range to the back rooms of your house, you can save a little money and get the job done by using Google Wifi points instead of Nest Wifi points. It’s not very fast, but it will save you a few bucks. If you’re not interested in the Google Assistant voice control that comes with your Nest Wifi point, this might be the way to go.
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I think the new Nest Wifi is a much better mesh system for almost everyone. It’s currently significantly more expensive than Google Wifi, but paying extra gives you faster top speeds, a stronger connection, and access to the latest encryption standards. However, the lack of Wi-Fi 6 support is almost a deal breaker. If you’re going to spend $300 or more on a mesh system in 2023, you’ll probably choose Wi-Fi 6 or 6E. That said, Nest Wifi is often on sale for much less, so it’s worth considering as a budget option.
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