Apple airport extreme vs google wifi manuals#
Apple airport extreme vs google wifi password#

In practice, I can say that between switching from a single router to a Nest Wifi two pack, and enabling Gaming Preferred Mode, the number of issues I’ve had with Google Stadia has gone significantly down during my review period. Offering this as a simple on/off toggle is an incredible boon for the Nest Wifi. This sort of optimization can be done manually via QoS settings on other routers by someone who knows what they’re doing, but, given the multi-device capabilities of Google Stadia, manually configuring these settings could still prove difficult.

In other words, if you’re playing Stadia and a family member starts streaming Disney+, your gameplay shouldn’t be affected.

With “Gaming Preferred” enabled, when Nest Wifi detects that a device has begun streaming from Stadia, it will attempt to give that device a higher priority over other devices. Secondly - and for my personal use, more importantly - Nest Wifi offers a “ Gaming preferred mode” optimized for Google Stadia, the company’s recently launched game streaming service.

Apple airport extreme vs google wifi password#

The first is that deep integration with the Google ecosystem allows for small but sometimes useful features like quickly displaying your guest network password on any Google Assistant smart display such as the Nest Hub. On the networking side of things, there are honestly only two key advantages that Nest Wifi has over other mesh systems like Eero. Simply connect your devices and get back online. Once you’re through setup, the router portion of Nest Wifi slips quietly into the background, just like any other router should. With as much havoc as an unsecure network can bring, I’m surprised Google isn’t more opinionated on this step. Unlike most routers, Nest Wifi does not offer any presets for these, leaving you to your imagination. Step-by-step, the Google Home app walks you through the process of setting up your new mesh network, which mostly consists of scanning QR codes, picking a good network name and password, and setting up Voice Match.Įasily, the toughest step along the way is deciding on a suitable name for your network and a secure password to match it. Using the Google Home app, you can add the Nest Wifi router and points to your home just like any other Chromecast or Assistant speaker. Unlike Google’s previous generation of mesh networking, Google Wifi, you don’t need a special app to set up or manage Nest Wifi. Once you’ve connected the router to power and an internet connection, you’re ready to set up your network. The lack of a second Ethernet cable for connecting something directly to the router is a bit disappointing, but I’d wager most households have at least one spare cable laying around. I know many would consider that a minor detail, but it genuinely stood out as a positive experience for me.Īs mentioned, the only wires included with Nest Wifi are the power adapters - one for each device - and the single Ethernet cable. Finally, the ethernet cable for connecting the main router to your modem is in a separate, easy-to-open cardboard compartment.Īs someone who has unboxed and set up more than my fair share of routers while working IT, Nest Wifi was by far the easiest to get unpackaged.

Apple airport extreme vs google wifi manuals#

This allowed me to quickly understand their size and estimate where I’ll want to place them.īeneath these were the manuals and two power adapters, each easily removed from the box while remaining tidy, thanks to the included wire clips. Immediately on the inside of the two-pack box were the two largest components of Nest Wifi, the router, and the point.

The clearest showing of this is in the packaging of the Nest Wifi. Given how complicated setting up a mesh network can sound to someone who is not tech-savvy, Google needed to make a strong first impression that says “easy to use.” At every step of the process, Nest Wifi delivers on that promise. That being the case, I’ve devoted a large portion of this review to the process of setting up Nest Wifi. Like any other router, Nest Wifi is a “set it and forget it” device. We got the chance to spend a few weeks with both the main Nest Wifi router and the separate Nest Wifi point with built-in Google Assistant speaker to review what they each bring to the table. Whether you’re looking to improve your home’s Wi-Fi signal or just trying to squeeze a little better performance from your network for Google Stadia, a mesh system like Nest Wifi may be just what you’re looking for.