My Favorite Amazon Deal of the Day: Google Nest Mesh Wi-Fi Router
It pains me when friends or family tell me about their Internet problems and I find that they are still using the standard router/modem the ISP gave them – usually for a monthly rental fee and without mesh networking capabilities.
If you live in a small, one-story home, you may not need a complicated Wi-Fi setup, especially if you always have a strong signal. But if you have more than one floor, the garage is far from your router, or you simply have spotty Wi-Fi in certain areas, a mesh system (like this Google Nest Wi-Fi router plus a few extra Wi-Fi nodes) can solve the problem . You. Right now, the router is discounted to $39 on Amazon (originally $169), which is its lowest price ever, according to price checker tools .
Google Nest Wifi came out in 2019 and does not support Wi-Fi 6 . But for most people, Wi-Fi 6 is overkill if they even have the compatible router needed to use it. The Google Nest Wi-Fi router must be connected to your existing ISP’s modem using an Ethernet cable, and this will expand your coverage to up to 2,200 square feet. According to PCMag’s “excellent” review , it can handle up to 200 connected devices and achieve maximum data speeds of 400Mbps on the 2.4GHz band and 1,733Mbps on the 5GHz band.
The magic of a mesh network comes into play when you add nodes (or points as Google calls them). Unlike regular Wi-Fi extenders , nodes don’t just boost the signal from your router (while cutting speeds in half); they are essentially their own independent router, radiating all the bandwidth of the main router. Right now, you can also get a much better deal by purchasing the router along with two points for $151.99 (down from the original $349), rather than buying the router and points separately.