The Mesh router is the latest trend for home wireless network solution because as we demand faster and more stable network, a single router will not be enough to provide a stable network across the whole house without any blind spots or some said “DEAD ZONES”.
What about Wi-Fi extenders? If you ever tried one, you will know setup is not easy and it is the “primitive”, less smart & inefficient way to solve your network issues. That’s where mesh Wi-Fi network comes into play. And Google Wifi is the cheapest and prettiest mesh router currently in the market, going at US$129 for one and US$299 for a pack of three.
Starting 31 August 2017, you will be able to buy a three-pack Google Wifi bundle at S$15 per month over 24 months when you sign up for or renew selected StarHub Broadband or Hubbing all-in-one plans.
Until the exclusivity with StarHub ends, if you are not using StarHub network or do not intend to jump ship, your only solution is to purchase Google Wifi online. But StarHub’s offer is quite a good deal as you are paying S$360 (S$15 x 24) to purchase the set of three Google Wifi which would cost about S$405 after conversion (US$299) if you purchased online.
What is Mesh? Would I need A pack of three?
Within a mesh network, each Google Wifi point creates a high-powered connection. They work together to determine the best path between points for your data (no Ethernet cables required). The result is Wi-Fi coverage throughout your house, not just right next to the router. You can even roam through your house while on a video call or streaming a movie.
A three-pack Google Wifi covers homes up to 2,700 sq. ft (251 sqm). For smaller apartments, sometimes due to the floor plan designs, you will need more than one mesh router for a seamless coverage. If you want to expand coverage further — like if you move to a larger home, or want signal on the balcony – simply add another Wifi point and they’ll work together seamlessly. So more is better.
It’s a Smart Router
Google Wifi is also smarter than our existing home routers. With the help of the Google Wifi app in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, setup is easy for everyone with the step-by-step guide. After the setup, the app can be use for the following:
- Monitor your home network status or edit your network settings wherever you are
- Stop all online distractions during dinner or bedtime for selected devices via Family Wi-Fi feature
- Set priority to selected devices for faster network speed, like when Mum needs to finish streaming her Korean Drama
- Set up a Guest Network for your visitors, so that you can keep your main network private
- Smart appliances like the Philips Hue light system can be connected to Google Wifi and access can be given to house guests via the Guest Network when you are away
No more hassle of manually switching to 2.4GHz or 5GHz network to look for the least congested channel for the fastest network. Google Wifi will be monitoring the channels in the background and automatically switch to the least congested and fastest network channel for your best experience.
As simple as it is, Google Wifi is great for those who like to keep things simple and just want to have a plug & play solution. But if you are more technically inclined and wants to setup network bridge with your other network devices or requires multiple LAN port connection, then Google Wifi may not be the solution for you. You might wanna go for Eero mesh routers instead.
