Google WiFi - Will it work in NZ

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alexanderu

71 posts

Master Geek

#205623 20-Nov-2016 14:25

So I was recently looking into Google WiFi - https://madeby.google.com/wifi/

Basically a system which replaces the functionality of the 'WiFi' system on your current router, but you just plug it in. Allows awesome features such as pausing certain users access to the internet, guest network etc.

Do you think it'll work in NZ?

Thanks,

Alex

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2476 posts

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#1674539 20-Nov-2016 15:20

Unless I'm missing something there is nothing new, just an easy to use WiFi router with the ability to extend the WiFi network without having to do any more configuration than pressing a button. A lot like a wireless version of HomePlug/PowerLine network adapters which run on the building electrical wiring.

alexanderu

71 posts

Master Geek

#1674540 20-Nov-2016 15:21

Yeah thought the same thing too. I was just worried with any frequency issues or anything?

richms

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#1674548 20-Nov-2016 15:54

I wouldnt risk it myself. The 5GHz band has all sorts of bizzaro restrictions on it that might make you non compliant just by choosing a wrong channel.

Looking on the wikipedia list, heaps for NZ say indoors, which I have no idea what that restriction actually means, I have my shed AP on those channels and it gets used outdoors - it covers my lawn for when mowing etc. And the middle range of channels all need DFS which is basically saying useless to try to use.

Richard rich.ms

alexanderu

71 posts

Master Geek

#1674549 20-Nov-2016 16:00

Is there any way to find out if the 5Ghz on the Google Wifi is restricted in NZ? Also doesn't it support 2.5 too?

jnimmo

1097 posts

Uber Geek

#1674553 20-Nov-2016 16:15

I'm fairly sure that any Wi-Fi certified products have to include options to set the country so they meet regulatory requirements - surely they'll just be using a common chipset which will handle that for them?

richms

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#1674555 20-Nov-2016 16:18

No, anything FCC approved is not allowed to let you choose any other country. That is why people were all freaking out that they would restrict them from 3rd party firmware and similar things on the gear sold in the US which never seemed to actually eventuate.

The rest of the world is fine with country selection, its just the FCC being dicks about things making the market fragment more than it needs to.

Richard rich.ms

alexanderu

71 posts

Master Geek

#1674557 20-Nov-2016 16:27

Do you have a list of the frequency the Google WiFi handles? And does it only use 5Ghz or 2.5 too?

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rogercruse

644 posts

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#1683616 7-Dec-2016 09:14

A review of Eero, Luma & Google Wifi:

http://nymag.com/selectall/2016/12/google-wifi-eero-luma-comparison-test.html

Considering the Google option...

hamish225

1418 posts

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#1684493 8-Dec-2016 10:44

If you are confident configuring your network then as an alternative to this i'd recommend ubiquiti unifi, especially if you need more than one AP to cover your building. they connect back to controller software you leave running and it gives you all sorts of cool stats about your network and an easy to use interface.

the controller handles roaming between AP's so you don't have to disconnect and reconnect when you move around your house

https://www.ubnt.com/unifi/unifi-ap-ac-lr/

*Insert big spe*dtest result here*

1101

3122 posts

Uber Geek

#1684514 8-Dec-2016 11:22

richms:

The rest of the world is fine with country selection, its just the FCC being dicks about things making the market fragment more than it needs to.

Actually, no .

NOT allowed to sell 2.4 & 5.8 devices that have the option to choose restricted channels in NZ
This is happening now, 5.8Ghz devices sold on trademe have been removed from sale by RSM, just because there was a
possibility of a setting that might have turned on a restricted channel(freq)
Trademe sellers have had auctions shut down & then told to prove the devices were NZ compliant .

sbiddle

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#1684537 8-Dec-2016 11:55

hamish225:

If you are confident configuring your network then as an alternative to this i'd recommend ubiquiti unifi, especially if you need more than one AP to cover your building. they connect back to controller software you leave running and it gives you all sorts of cool stats about your network and an easy to use interface.

the controller handles roaming between AP's so you don't have to disconnect and reconnect when you move around your house

https://www.ubnt.com/unifi/unifi-ap-ac-lr/

UniFi does not support true roaming.

802.11k/r/v support (true roaming) is currently in an early beta stage and requires devices that support roaming. Enabling this on a network with devices that does not support these protocols will cause issues.

The best approach for pseudo roaming is to use min RSSI to force the AP to dump clients with poor signal strength.

richms

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#1684586 8-Dec-2016 12:47

1101:

richms:

The rest of the world is fine with country selection, its just the FCC being dicks about things making the market fragment more than it needs to.

Actually, no .

NOT allowed to sell 2.4 & 5.8 devices that have the option to choose restricted channels in NZ
This is happening now, 5.8Ghz devices sold on trademe have been removed from sale by RSM, just because there was a
possibility of a setting that might have turned on a restricted channel(freq)
Trademe sellers have had auctions shut down & then told to prove the devices were NZ compliant .

unifi gear sold here still has the ability to choose other countries? Doesn't help tho since all I have tried have that stupid DFS crap on them and half my gear wont see the networks when they are on those channels anyway.

Richard rich.ms

sbiddle

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#1684603 8-Dec-2016 13:02

richms:

1101:

richms:

The rest of the world is fine with country selection, its just the FCC being dicks about things making the market fragment more than it needs to.

Actually, no .

NOT allowed to sell 2.4 & 5.8 devices that have the option to choose restricted channels in NZ
This is happening now, 5.8Ghz devices sold on trademe have been removed from sale by RSM, just because there was a
possibility of a setting that might have turned on a restricted channel(freq)
Trademe sellers have had auctions shut down & then told to prove the devices were NZ compliant .

unifi gear sold here still has the ability to choose other countries? Doesn't help tho since all I have tried have that stupid DFS crap on them and half my gear wont see the networks when they are on those channels anyway.

The UniFi product sold here is the global product sold everywhere in the world except the US. It's the US that has it's own specific model (along with pretty much every WiFi product on the market) due to the restrictions on U-NII mid band use in the US.

rogercruse

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#1704416 16-Jan-2017 21:55

rogercruse:

A review of Eero, Luma & Google Wifi:

http://nymag.com/selectall/2016/12/google-wifi-eero-luma-comparison-test.html

Considering the Google option...

The ordered the Google Wifi solution over the Xmas break and it arrived today. I wasn't expecting a delivery for a few more weeks due to the demand.

Dead simple to setup, just needed to deal with the US only power supply - nothing to do with 120volts, but I need a collection of US to NZ adapters and / or USB "C" cables plugged into a USB phone charger]. Then, for before powering up the first module, I had to disable my existing wifi on my router. The first module deals with establishing a wifi signal and I used my existing SSID & password to get everything working quickly. The additional two modules were even simpler to setup as the first module shares the basics.

I did have one minor issue and that was plugging in additional ethernet cables into the 2nd and 3rd modules too soon... its better to let the mesh network form between the three modules before adding further ethernet cables into the mix.

How looking at the wealth of network information provided by the app and monitoring the performance of the mesh network.

Behodar

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#1704451 17-Jan-2017 07:40

richms: unifi gear sold here still has the ability to choose other countries?

As does my Apple AirPort (although only ten countries are listed).

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