Google Inc. in October introduced its Wi-Fi router, which creates a “mesh network” to blanket your entire home in Wi-Fi.

Google Wifi, available in a single or three-pack, is now available for purchase from the Google Store, Best Buy, Walmart and Amazon. It can only be controlled via the mobile application and, once set up, will stay connected to Google at all times, logging you into your Google account each time you want to manage it.

Many people have gotten their hands on Google Wifi and the reviews are generally positive. Dong Ngo at Cnet writes about the coverage offered by Google Wifi: “Coverage and reliability is great … Google Wifi passed my 48-hour stress test with flying colors. During the test I set it to transfer lots of data between multiple wireless clients … The Wifi did this without any disconnections. The system also had excellent signal hand-off, allowing you to walk around your house … connecting from one unit to another without getting disconnected from the Internet.”

According to Raymond Wong at Mashable, “if you want your Wi-Fi to ‘just work,’ I can’t recommend Google Wifi enough.” Tercius Bufete at Consumer Reports thinks that “it’s still up for debate whether these mesh networks are an absolute necessity for most consumers,” but he also says that “those who do choose to invest in one will likely appreciate the utility and ease of use.”

Here’s a look at how to get started with Google Wifi, including system requirements, price, setup process and tips:

Google Wifi: price, availability and requirements

You can get a single Google Wifi unit for $129 or a pack of three units for $299. Its price makes it very competitive in the router market. Eero Inc.’s three-router bundle costs $499, Neatgear Inc.’s Orbi two-pack is $380 while Luma Home Inc’s three-pack is on par with Google at $299.

Google Wifi units can be purchased from the Google Store, Amazon, Walmart and Best Buy; however, many of the sites are listing the device as out of stock or not yet available.

For Google Wifi, you will need a Google account, an Android device (Android 4.0 or higher) or an iOS device (iOS 8 or higher), the Google Wifi app and a broadband internet connection.

Setup process for Google Wifi

• Download the Android or iOS Google Wifi app.
• Plug one of the Google Wifi units directly into your modem.
• Open the app, sign in with your Google account and start the setup process. When prompted by the app you will need to scan the QR code found on the base of the Wi-Fi unit.  
• Add a network name and password.
• Repeat the process for your other Wi-Fi units.

Tip: Google suggests placing the Wi-Fi routers not more than two rooms apart. Depending the size of your house, you may need to buy more than the three pack.

Test the connection

Once you have set up all your Wi-Fi units, you can run what Google calls a “mesh test,” which will measure the connection strength between the Wi-Fi units and provide any necessary tips to improve the connection.

In the Google Wifi app > tap Settings > Network check > Test mesh. The results will appear after 30 seconds. If you see a “Fix it” button tap it to see suggestions on how you can improve the connection.

Tip: You can test the internet speed by tapping “Test internet” on the Network check screen. After about 40 seconds you will get your internet download and upload speed results.  

Tips for Google Wifi

Give a certain device priority status

Google Wifi gives you the ability to assign priority status to a certain device (for example, if you are streaming Netflix on your TV) and will reserve more Wi-Fi bandwidth for that device.

In the Google Wifi app > tap Settings > Priority device > select the relevant device from the list of devices connected to the Wi-Fi network > the device will be prioritized for one hour > tap Save.

Tip: You can prioritize the device for longer (2 or 4 hours) by tapping the time frame.

Bandwidth usage for each device

In the Google Wifi app on the main screen > tap the devices icon (circle showing the number of connected devices) > the screen will display a list of connected devices together with its bandwidth usage in the last five seconds.

Tap on “Last 5 seconds” to change the time frame (ranges from past day, past week, 30 days or 60 days).

IFTTT and Google Wifi

To use IFTTT with Google Wifi you will need to have an IFTTT account and be the owner of your Google Wifi network.

Sign into your IFTTT account > go to the Google Wifi channel > select Connect > sign into your Google account. Select from the list of popular applets, like “Prioritize a device at a certain time every day,” or create your own.

Sources: Google

Images via Google