Google has begun taking orders for Google Wi-Fi, the company’s new mess-enabled wireless solution for homes. Starting at $129 for a single unit and $299 for a 3-pack, the new wireless solution is aimed at making getting network coverage throughout a home quick and easy. If you have a home of up to 1500 square-feet, a single unit will do the job for you while a 3-pack will cover a home up to 4500 square feet. While orders are being taken, it will still be another 2-3 weeks before they ship out.
As readers will know, this is not Google’s first venture into home wireless. The Google OnHub holds that honor and it works seamlessly with the new Google Wi-Fi solution.
The real power in Google Wi-Fi is the meshing technology that it uses. As you walk through your home with your connected device and have more than 1 of the Wi-Fi hubs, it will monitor where you are and which hub is closest to you. It will then move you from one hotspot to another seamlessly to assure you have the best connection. The system will also seamlessly move you from 2.4GHz to
5GHz and back for optimal network conditions, something that OnHub does as well. This meshing technology isn’t new and has been in enterprise level Wi-Fi solution for quite some time (Aerohive and Meraki for example).
Management of the new solution will come via a new app which hasn’t been released yet – or it could be an update for the existing OnHub app. Google hasn’t been 100% clear on what they plan on doing but from a user experience perspective, it would be better for them to consolidate the apps. We shall see.
If you want to order the new Google Wi-Fi, head over to the Google Store.