Google Nest Wifi vs Google Wifi: Difference and Comparison

With everything shifting to the online mode, choosing the most appropriate Wifi for the house has become all the more essential. Choosing one that does not fluctuate and serves your purpose has become a challenging task with a wide array of Wifis on the market.

To solve the problem, google has included two very good models of wifi routers in its portfolio i.e. Google Nest Wifi and Google Wifi.

Key Takeaways

1. Google Nest WiFi offers better performance with faster speeds and a larger coverage area than Google WiFi.
2. Google Nest WiFi includes smart speaker functionality, which is not present in Google WiFi.
3. Google WiFi is more affordable and easier to set up, making it a better option for budget-conscious users.

Google Nest Wifi vs Google Wifi

Google Nest Wi-fi is a home mesh Wi-fi system consisting of a Nest Wi-fi router and individual access points. It provides better coverage and speed. Google Wi-fi consists of one device connected to the main router and other devices placed in different locations connected to the central unit wirelessly.

Built on mesh Wi-Fi technology, Google Nest Wifi provides a strong wifi signal throughout the house irrespective of the fact if you are near to the router or not.

This allows users to move across the house without experiencing any glitch while being on a video call. Moreover, this Wi-Fi is scalable meaning there are various sizes available depending on the size of the house.

Google Wifi is another Wi-Fi technology provided by Google. It is the predecessor of Nest Wifi. It includes three routers which are placed at different places in our house.

These routers combine to create a network of superior Wi-Fi signals providing seamless internet to the users. However, it is not an Internet service provider, it still has to be connected to a modem and internet service.

Comparison Table

Parameters of Comparison	Google Nest Wifi	Google Wifi
Hardware specifications	It supports AC2200 wireless AC standard along with 4X4 configuration	It supports AC1200 wireless AC standard along with a 2X2 configuration
Speed	Nest Wifi has a maximum speed of 2200 Mbps on a bandwidth of 2.4 and 5 GHz	Google Wifi provides a maximum speed of 1200 Mbps on the same bandwidth.
Microphone and speaker	Both are present in a Google Nest Wifi	Microphone and speaker is not present in a Google Wifi
Price	More	Less
Released on	2019	2016

What is Google Nest Wifi?

Google Nest Wifi is a smart Wi-Fi. This was launched owing to Google’s efforts to bring all its smart home products under the common Nest brand.

It comprises marshmallow-like devices that go with almost all kinds of home decors and can fit into all possible spaces owing to its small size.

Its router is 3.6 inches tall and 4.3 inches wide with the point extensions being 3.4 inches tall and 4 inches wide.

Its working is comparable to Netgear’s Orbi Voice. In this, the router is the central device with the Wifi Point Extensions supporting the router.

The extensions ensure continuous access to the internet from all parts of the house. They also act as smart speakers, responding to several voice commands.

The number of extensions needed depends on the size of the house. Nest Wifi can support a maximum of 32 extensions.

Previous generous Google Wifi can also be added as an extension but the smart audio features wouldn’t be there. Another unique feature of Google Nest Wifi is the ability to control it using the Google Home App.

This app also makes the installation process smoother and easier by breaking the installation process into small easy-to-understand steps.

This also adds several useful control settings to the users.

What is Google Wifi?

Google Wifi is the first generation of Wi-Fi mesh routers with the first model launched by Google in 2016 followed by a re-issue in 2020.

It provides an affordable solution to the widespread problem of weak internet connectivity. It is 2.7 inches tall and 4.1 inches wide, tiny enough to fit anywhere you want. It comes in a snow color.

It has an LED light which shows the quality of the internet at a given time. When things are alright, it gives out a bluish-white light while it changes to amber when the internet connection is bad.

This Led light can also be turned off when needed.

Each node of Google Wifi is designed to cover 1500 square feet. You can more nodes to cover more area. These units can be used in any combination as all of them are identical.

Google Wifi units come with a USB-C power port to connect the router with the modem as well as various ethernet ports. Google Wifi is also compatible with OnHub, Google’s previous router.

Using its app, one can also check the quality of the internet. You can also decide which node should receive internet first and can also control certain smart devices via IFTTT.

Main Differences Between Google Nest Wifi and Google Wifi

1. Google Nest Wifi succeeds Google Wifi. It has a faster speed compared to Google Wifi. The maximum speed of Nest Wifi is 2200 Mbps while that of Google Wifi is 1200 Mbps.
2. Google Nest Wifi is not just an ordinary Wi-Fi, it has built-in features of a smart speaker too. On the other hand, Google Wifi is not a smart speaker, it is only a Wi-fi provider.
3. Google Nest Wifi was launched by Google in 2019 while Google Wifi was released much earlier in 2016.
4. Google Nest Wifi is more expensive compared to Google Wifi.
5. Google Nest Wifi is available in mist, sand, and snow colors while Google Wifi is available in only one color i.e. snow.

References

1. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/7387018/
2. https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.1145/1452520.1452531?casa_token=PsC9nrTSN18AAAAA:qH34AYnGN8zXlUWXO-V2O708MmweaMbgwOj5fRTEKDqK29LuGPHFuDMFUsjO-YMhU00hW-DBZN_VDw