Google WiFi Reviewed

[neoterix]

Changing track here a little bit - with Google WiFi - it's nice that we have Android and iOS apps to configure the Google WiFi platforms, but oddly enough, there doesn't seem to be a way to manage the Google WiFi devices from a Chromebook (at least those that do not support the Google Play Store to download and run Android apps)

@thiggins - can you check with the Google POC and perhaps they have some idea on how to do this?

(One might have a family member that just has the google router and chromebook, so no way to run an app...)

Not a complete self-service solution for folks without an Android/iPhone, but the Google Wifi app does allow more than one Google account to be associated with the Wifi device allowing for remote Wifi management: https://support.google.com/wifi/answer/6180940?hl=en

So if your family member is comfortable with giving you some remote management control, you can come over to set up with your phone and then administer their network from home after that. I plan on doing this after setting up things with my parents.

 

[sfx2000]

Not a complete self-service solution for folks without an Android/iPhone, but the Google Wifi app does allow more than one Google account to be associated with the Wifi device allowing for remote Wifi management: https://support.google.com/wifi/answer/6180940?hl=en

So if your family member is comfortable with giving you some remote management control, you can come over to set up with your phone and then administer their network from home after that. I plan on doing this after setting up things with my parents.

So one drop-ships to Mom's house.. then what?

Add a manager

1. Open the Google Wifi app.

Can't get there... Mom's on the Chromebook... and she doesn't have an iDevice or Android...

 

[sfx2000]

I'm still a little bent about Chromebook not being very mDNS/Bonjour/Avahi friendly... basically a lookup to the .local domain doesn't work on the chromebooks, but oddly enough it does with Android and OhHubs...

And this seems to be very explicit... Devs on the ChromiumOS bug tracker suggest that this working around some Router/AP scenarios...

 

[neoterix]

So one drop-ships to Mom's house.. then what?

Add a manager

1. Open the Google Wifi app.

Can't get there... Mom's on the Chromebook... and she doesn't have an iDevice or Android...

Ah yeah, I had assumed (hoped?) there was at least a way for you do to an initial setup. But yes, this is not a solution if you're remote from scratch.

 

[thiggins]

Number of people who have WiFi and don't have an Android or ioS phone OR TABLET? Not a number really large enough to worry about.

 

[sfx2000]

Number of people who have WiFi and don't have an Android or ioS phone OR TABLET? Not a number really large enough to worry about.

Believe it or not - there are folks in that boat...

As many have come to know - if I ask a question, sometimes it's a big one... because sometimes I already have the answer in mind...

OnHubs are chromebooks - without displays, and Chromebooks can't configure them - Can OnHubs be enrolled in a edu/small biz/enterprise management platform - they should be, as such, there should also be a means/method to manage these OnHubs (yeah, get the point, they're all onhubs) via the enterprise management gateway that does exist?

When will Google open things up a bit - I was just asking - how to manage a Google WiFi device, period, from a Google Device?

(to be honest, I could care less for myself, but I am considering the community, and those they support, so don't consider that question to be minor... And when they look at that Google brand, take it home, and it doesn't work because they can't configure it...)

Anyways, that's my problem statement for now - and can be easily solved perhaps inside CrOS itself... that's why I pinged you earlier on the reach out to Google on this device...

Don't dismiss this like you did above - seriously - there are people that don't have iPhones or Androids - they like their little flip-phones, and they don't need much more.

 

[whsbuss]

Believe it or not - there are folks in that boat...

And when they look at that Google brand, take it home, and it doesn't work because they can't configure it...

That's a problem - and can be easily solved perhaps inside CrOS itself... that's why I pinged you earlier on the reach out to Google on this device...

Exactly - and I know how to configure for networking. Google looks to only address the plug-n-play crowd.

 

[sfx2000]

Exactly - and I know how to configure for networking. Google looks to only address the plug-n-play crowd.

Hehe - it's going to be one of five vendors sucking ones brains out - Facebook/Apple/Amazon/Netflex/Google...

 

[thiggins]

SFX, the last thing I would advise someone who doesn't have an Android or iOS device to get is a Chromebook.

 

[sfx2000]

SFX, the last thing I would advise someone who doesn't have an Android or iOS device to get is a Chromebook.

Like it or not - Chromebooks do exist - and for some that is their sole source...

But I think you may have missed a point here - vertical integration is important...

 

[sfx2000]

Here's a hint...

https://support.google.com/chrome/a/answer/2717664

Google has the platform to do this - in the Home, Edu market, Business...

 

[RMerlin]

Like it or not - Chromebooks do exist - and for some that is their sole source...

So with your logic, if someone has a router and his only connected devices are cameras and his smart TV, the fact that this router can only be configured using a device with a web browser would mean it's a bad design, and therefore 100% of router manufacturers are wrong?

There are limits to which manufacturers can go here. Google's target market is NOT the 0.05% of users who have a Chromebook but no tablet nor no smart phones.

 

[sfx2000]

There are limits to which manufacturers can go here. Google's target market is NOT the 0.05% of users who have a Chromebook but no tablet nor no smart phones.

I guess everyone is missing the point - it's not a technical issue - it's a business prerogative with vertical and horizontal integration across product lines...

 

[RMerlin]

it's a business prerogative with vertical and horizontal integration across product lines...

The bottom line is always about money: how much money will it cost us to increase our income by some amount? If developing the app and supporting it earns them less than a 500% return (or whatever value their management deem worthwhile) on their investment, chances are they will not do it.

 

[mokodi]

Google's engineering resources on the OnHub project were really constrained. They still haven't delivered any features for the USB port or enabled any smart home features on the product despite promises at launch. It doesn't even support IPv6 and NAT loopback hasn't been implemented either.

I don't think they are even thinking of expanding past the plug and play market unless they're willing to give the project a much bigger push.

 

[sfx2000]

The bottom line is always about money: how much money will it cost us to increase our income by some amount? If developing the app and supporting it earns them less than a 500% return (or whatever value their management deem worthwhile) on their investment, chances are they will not do it.

Bottom line is how to get everyone into the same ecosystem, and not be dependent on a single external provider that one cannot control... at the moment, the OnHub/Google WiFI devices have all been QCA centric, but that is not a given moving forward.

Google WiFi might appear to be a side-project for some - but I'm seeing more here... I've spent some time digging into the innards of ChromeOS and the 'open' build environments - outside of 'signed' code, there's a lot of good stuff there..

My thoughts here - there's is more under the hood, and less being exposed to the end user - there is a lot of stuff that Google is doing well here - and those non-WiFi radios are part of it.

Someone mentioned Chromebooks are not a big deal - yes... they are, they've outsold Macbooks for 3 quarters now...

Times are a changing...

 

[RMerlin]

Times are a changing...

Yes, and you realize that there's a number of rumors about Google merging ChromeOS with Android. If that were to happen, then that would also explain why they never devoted resources into developing a ChromeOS client for their wifi routers.

 

[mokodi]

Multiple threads reporting on issues with the guest network with the current firmware. You can't access certain sites like tumblr or the Google play store. Looks like the firmware is still baking.

 

[whsbuss]

Multiple threads reporting on issues with the guest network with the current firmware. You can't access certain sites like tumblr or the Google play store. Looks like the firmware is still baking.

Just not ready for the big times yet

 

[Denethor Steward]

I will say, based on the discussions here and that my friend desperately needed a new WiFi setup in his home, I got three Asus OnHubs.
1. Save yourself a lot of time and follow the USB firmware update procedure mentioned earlier in the thread. Yes it takes a 15 minutes to get the USB stick ready, but updating each OnHub is much faster and can be done away from an internet source.
2. The coverage/range is excellent, I was even able to get 2 bars of service on my cell phone from the far side of the house next door and the both homes are brick walls.
3. The ability to manage the network from outside his house (as long as the internet is working obviously) is great, no more of me trying to give him (a non tech person) phone support.
4. It worked easily 4x faster than his previous setup (speediest results) with wireless back channel. Then I re-routed some wires, moved a few devices and one of the OnHubs so they could all use hardwire back channel and the speeds easily doubled or tripled again. He pays for 300/25 from his cable provider and was able to consistently get 200+/25+ anywhere in the house.
I am highly impressed and will do the same setup in my home.