Nathan Rizzuti, dedicated to Gadget Review for over 4 years, specializes in home entertainment technology and purchasing decisions. Outside of work, Nathan finds solace in playing bluegrass. With 50 months of consistent contributions at GadgetReview, Nathan’s expertise lies in navigating the realms of home entertainment technology and aiding purchasing decisions. His insightful articles, such as “Oh Ballers of Pittsburgh, Where Art Thou,” reflect a unique perspective that resonates with readers.
The Google Nest WiFi is an ideal router for general home use. It’s user-friendly and has a strong connection range. However, it has poor download and upload speeds if you want to stream 4k or 8k content. It also lacks USB ports and has high latency.
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Table of Contents
Product Snapshot
Overview
Released in 2019, the Google Nest WiFi router is a no-antenna mid-tier dual-band mesh system that supports MU-MIMO and WPA3 encryption. The download speeds on a 5GHz band are 332 Mbps and 45 Mbps on a 2.4GHz band. Upload speeds measure 81 Mbps on 5GHz and 45 Mbps on 24GHz.
Its connection ranges reach upwards of 30.4 meters and operates with a latency of 45 ms. Setup and settings configuration are handled through the Google Home app, where users can access smart features like Google Assistant connectivity and Chromecast. The app also sets network priority, security features, optimization for gaming trafficking, and parental controls. See how the Nest compares to our picks for the best routers on the market.
Consensus
our Verdict
The Google Nest WiFi is a mesh system dual-band router designed for casual home use. It prioritizes user-friendliness, as the Google Home app allows users to set up and navigate key smart features and parental controls, change security settings, and optimize networks. However, the speeds themselves are lacking. The download speeds are 332 Mbps on 5GHz and 45 Mbps on 2.4 GHz, which rank in the bottom 10% of routers. Likewise, upload speeds are 81 Mbps (5GHz) and 45 Mbps (2.4GHz); again, these speeds place in the bottom 10% of the category. The router also lacks Wi-Fi6 and backhauling, which limits speed performance.
The connection range works well for larger homes, as it reaches 30.4 meters. However, the router isn’t great for gaming or office setups, as it lacks USB ports, only has one LAN port, and delivers a slow latency performance of 45 ms.
ReasonS to Buy
Easy Installation and Configuration
The Google Nest is a great option for general, low-data capacity home use. The setup is super easy. Users must download the Google Home mobile app to set up a connection in minutes.
Users can also access a handful of smart features through the app, including connecting to Google Assistant, where they can use the voice controls to perform actions like a mesh test.
Good Connection Range
The router does a good job reaching larger spaces, as the range stretches to 30.4 meters, which is in the top third of the category.
Reason to Avoid
Poor Upload and Download Speeds
The Google Nest does is sub-par with high-data-rate content like streaming. Download speeds are 332 Mbps at 5GHz and 45 Mbps at 2.4GHz. In the bottom 10% of routers. It lacks a backhaul for finding the fastest network routes.
Upload speeds also perform poorly. At 5 GHz, the Nest measures in at 81 Mbps; then, at 2.4 GHz, speeds are 45 Mbps. Again, both of these are in the bottom 10%.
Mediocre Latency
The router takes a while to establish connections with devices, as latency is around 100 ms, which is below average for a router.
Lack of Ports
The Google Nest limits wired connections for gaming and office use, as it has no USB ports. Additionally, the router itself only has one LAN port.
Google Nest Wifi Specs
# of LAN Ports
2
# of Phone Ports
n/a
# of WAN Ports
1
App Compatible
Yes
Available Storage
512MB
Band Technology
Dual
Data Encryption Type
WPA3
Energy Star Certified
n/a
Frequency Bands
2.4 GHz, 5.0 GHz
Integrated Modem
No
LAN Ports
2 Gb Ethernet
MU-MIMO Support
Yes
Mesh System
Yes
Number of Antennas
n/a
Parental Controls
Yes
Processor Cores
Quad
Processor Speed
1.4 GHz
Quality of Service Prioritization
–
WiFi Range
1,600 sq.ft
WiFi Speed
2.2 Gb
Wired Speed
Unknown
Wireless Standard
AC
All Specs
Test Results
These are the most important criteria to test for Routers based on our comprehensive Testing Methodology.
2.4 GHz Download speed (Mbits/s)
45.1467
2.4 GHz Upload speed (Mbits/s)
44.87
5 GHz Download speed (Mbits/s)
332.4658
5 GHz Upload speed (Mbits/s)
81.0217
Router Range (ft)
100
Latency (ms)
45
6 Ghz Download speed (Mbits/s)
0
6 Ghz Upload speed (Mbits/s)
0
All Tests
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Released in 2019, the Google Nest WiFi router is a no-antenna mid-tier dual-band mesh system that supports MU-MIMO and WPA3 encryption. The download speeds on…
Released in 2019, the Google Nest WiFi router is a no-antenna mid-tier dual-band mesh system that supports MU-MIMO and WPA3 encryption. The download speeds on a 5GHz band are 332 Mbps and 45 Mbps on a 2.4GHz band. Upload speeds measure 81 Mbps on 5GHz and 45 Mbps on 24GHz.
Its connection ranges reach upwards of 30.4 meters and operates with a latency of 45 ms. Setup and settings configuration are handled through the Google Home app, where users can access smart features like Google Assistant connectivity and Chromecast. The app also sets network priority, security features, optimization for gaming trafficking, and parental controls. See how the Nest compares to our picks for the best routers on the market.
The Google Nest WiFi is an upgrade to the Google WiFi Mesh System released in 2016. The main difference offered with the Nest is a…
The Google Nest WiFi is an upgrade to the Google WiFi Mesh System released in 2016. The main difference offered with the Nest is a more powerful process, a sleeker interface, and additional features. For example, the Nest WiFi model allows users to connect to Google Assistant. Additionally, the Nest WiFi model nodes are more powerful and are advertised to cover 1,600 square feet, whereas the modes on the WiFi mesh system are advertised to cover 1,500 square feet. For a look at a higher-performing home model, check out our Eero 6+ review.
The ASUS ROG Rapture GT6 is a much faster tri-band router than the dual-band Google Nest WiFi. The ASUS delivers a 701 Mbps download speed…
The ASUS ROG Rapture GT6 is a much faster tri-band router than the dual-band Google Nest WiFi. The ASUS delivers a 701 Mbps download speed at 5GHz and 139 Mbps at 2.4GHz. On the other hand, the Google Nest has 322 Mbps (5GHz) and 45 Mbps (2.4GHz). The Google Nest also has slower upload speeds but offers a superior connection range. The Nest has a 30.4-meter connection, while the GT6 is limited to 27.4-meter. The ASUS has slightly better latency, which is 22 ms, compared to the Nest’s 45 ms latency. The Google Nest is geared more toward general home use, whereas the ASUS excels in gaming. For a look at another great tri-band router, check out our Linksys Atlas Pro 6 MX 5503 review.
The Google Nest performs faster than the dual-band ASUS Blue Cave AC2600. The Google Nest has a 5GHz download speed of 332 Mbps compared to…
The Google Nest performs faster than the dual-band ASUS Blue Cave AC2600. The Google Nest has a 5GHz download speed of 332 Mbps compared to the Blue Cave’s max speed of 242 Mbps. However, the Blue Cave is better for uploading, as its speed measures 268 Mbps on a 5GHz band, whereas the Nest, at 81 Mbps, is much slower. The ASUS has much better connectivity options; it has three more LAN and USB ports than the Nest. Although the Blue Cave doesn’t support MU-MIMO, the Nest does. Both routers are oriented toward general home use, but Google is better for those looking to spend more to secure faster performance. Consider reading out the Eero Pro 6E review if you want to check out a top-tier home router.
