It’s been a while since Google launched Nest Wifi here in Australia back in 2019, and over a year after announcing it, the Nest Wifi Pro with Wi-Fi 6E support finally arrived in Australian stores last month.
Google’s latest mesh networking system starts from $349 for a single Nest Wifi Pro router, or in a three-pack for $699, making it a well priced option for adding Wi-Fi 6E support to your home network.
I used the original Google Wifi until the Nest Wifi came along and I’ve been using it ever since. It’s been a good plug-and-play solution, however the allure of Wifi 6E and its faster speeds has had me looking at other options recently, so the launch was just in time.
Google have sent the Nest Wifi Pro over for review and I’ve been using it for a week in a four bedroom house, and here’s how it went.
Design
The evolution of the design of Google’s Wifi range from their initial puck like Google Wifi to the sleeker Nest Wifi and now the Nest Wifi Pro with its ‘high gloss finish inspired by ceramics’ shows a push to bring the router into a more central location in the home.
While internationally you’ll find the Nest Wifi Pro in four colours, the Nest Wifi Pro is launching in Australia in only a single colour, Snow (White). Google describes as ‘a soft cotton white that easily fits in with your other Nest products’ and it’s a nice looking unit to look at. It will fit in in most homes however it would be nice to have the choice.
The other issue I have is my NBN connection is hidden away in a linen press, so despite the looks, it has unfortunately had to remain there.
Cabling for the Nest Wifi Pro is well hidden with dual 1Gbps ethernet jacks tucked away in a recessed space at the base on the rear, with one used for your WAN connection. The lay-flat ethernet cable included helps to minimise the cabling and the power cable is similarly thin, though the power brick is still a little too large for my liking, it can still play nice in a dual socket.
Unlike a lot of routers, there’s a single multi-colour LED on the front of the unit, which glows solidly or pulses different colours for the stages of setup and use.
Hardware and Networking
The Nest Wifi Pro offers up a decent spec bump from the dual-band Wifi 5 on-board the previous model, with support for Tri-band Wi-Fi 6E (AXE5400). The Nest Wifi Pro is also Matter enabled with support as a Thread border router, so you can connect Thread devices to your network too.
The router still includes only dual Gigabit ethernet ports, only one of which can be used for hardwired connections. Overall I’d like to see a 10Gbps port for a more ‘Pro’ level network setup, but at this is a well priced unit and adding in options like that would increase the overall cost.
As a router, there’s a fair bit of grunt behind the glossy Snow white exterior:
| SoC/Power management | Qualcomm SoC IPQ50181.0 GHz Dual-core A35 |
| Connectivity | Tri-band (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz) Wi-Fi 6E (AXE5400)Bluetooth 5.0Thread border router 802.15.4Matter-enabled |
| Memory | 1 GB DDR3L4 GB eMMC storage |
| Power | External adaptor: A05 (10V/2.25A) |
| Ports | 2 Ethernet ports support 1 Gbps wired speeds per router |
| Performance | Can handle up to 100 connected devices per router*Multiple simultaneous 4K video streams |
| Security | WPA3 encryptionAutomatic security updatesTrusted platform module |
| Design | Dimension: 117 mm x 130 mmWeight: 450 gMaterial: High gloss plasticPCR: Approximately 60% recycled materials based on product weight |
| Compatibility | Nest Wifi Pro (Wi-Fi 6E) can’t be combined with Nest Wifi routers or points or Google Wifi points (Wi-Fi 5) in a mesh network.Wi-Fi supports IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax |
Unlike the previous gen Nest Wifi, which had both Access Points and Routers, all Nest Wifi Pro units are able to act as a router, or add to a Nest Wifi Pro mesh network.
Sadly this does mean your Nest Wifi Pro won’t be a Google Assistant speaker, and I’ll miss having additional access points with Google Assistant built-in, but these days I have so many ways for Google Assistant to hear me that I don’t really need another way for Google Assistant to hear me.
There is also some controversy with the launch of the Nest Wifi Pro. It’s not backwards compatible with earlier Nest WiFi or Google WiFi mesh networks due to Nest Wifi Pro using the 6GHz band for its mesh. Previous generations used the 5GHz band to create their mesh network, so to add more access points you’ll need more Nest Wifi Pro routers.
One of the best inclusions, at least it will become more important down the track, is the Thread Border router and Matter support. What is Matter? Well, it’s simply a way for all the manufacturers of smart home gear to standardise their offerings, with Matter allowing interoperability between platforms.
I don’t have any Matter enabled devices as yet, but as support continues to roll out and more device support is added, this will become more important as your smart home grows and it’s great to see it on board.
Coverage and Network Speeds
A single Nest Wifi Pro router will cover a one-two bedroom home, says Google, with the specs saying it will cover up to 120m2. You can also purchase a second router, or check out the three-pack for $699 which Google says will cover homes with three or more bedrooms (up to 320m2).
I used a single access point with the router placed in the linen press at one end of the house connected to an Aussie BB 100/20 connection. The speeds were decent from devices at the other end of the house, with my PC in my office at the other end of the house getting though it only supports Wifi 5. I ran speed tests on it before and after updating to Nest Wifi Pro and found similar speeds.
My Lenovo Yogabook Pro 9i does support Wi-Fi 6E, and running tests throughout the house found decent speeds at either end from a single access point. I found similarly great speeds throughout the house on the Pixel 8 Pro.
Overall, if your devices support Wi-Fi 6E it’s going to be an improvement, while if your devices are simply using older Wi-Fi you simply won’t notice much difference.
Adding a second router into my home may increase some flat spots further away, especially for older devices. You can add a second router easily enough in the Google Home app either as a wireless or wired connection to a second Nest Wifi Pro using the second ethernet port.
It’s a little disappointing that Google has only included a 1Gbps ethernet port for wired backhaul, which may be restrictive for some people. There are other options out there with up to 10Gbps wired backhaul, but you will pay for that.
Setup and Use
I use Aussie Broadband who have previously suggested the last-gen Nest Wifi as the router. I have previously used the Nest Wifi and updating to Nest WIfi Pro was as easy as plugging it in and opening up the Google Home app.
You will need the Google Home app to set up the Nest Wifi Pro. It’s available through Google Play for Android devices, or through the Apple App store for iOS devices and setup is a fairly easy ‘follow the bouncing ball’ type arrangement, selecting Nest Wifi Pro and then off it goes finding it and setting it up – all you need to do is enter your desired SSID name and password for your network.
Once your Nest Wifi Pro is set up, it shows as a new ‘Wifi’ tab in the Google Home app. While there’s still not as many options as the old Google Wifi app, it still has essentially most of what you need in one place.
The app shows you connected devices using your Wi-Fi, Access Points and the condition of your network. You can also get quick access to share your Wi-Fi password, check Family Wifi settings, run a speed test and more.
While most users can just plug Nest Wifi Pro in and let it go, there are some config options for more advanced users. Under the Network Settings you can access all your WAN and LAN settings, allowing you to customise your network, including setting DHCP reservations.
There’s also the option to configure ports for port forwarding, an excellent ability to have when setting up a Plex Minecraft Server.
The Family Wifi setting is great for pausing devices, and the ability of the Nest Wifi Pro to discover devices and identify them makes for an easy way to get the kids attention at certain times.
Should you buy it?
The Nest Wifi Pro offers a simple, relatively inexpensive way to replace your existing Wifi router or mesh and enjoy a faster option.
While the lack of ethernet ports, faster wired backhaul and fairly simplified interface will put more technically inclined users off, there’s a lot to like about the simplicity of Nest Wifi Pro. There’s just enough access to set up some out of the ordinary network options, while still being simple enough to plug and play.
There’s more Wifi 6E options arriving on the market, including the Netgear Orbi range which offers a more premium option such as more ethernet ports, Quad band support, 10GBps backhaul and more, but also starts around $2,000. TP-Link offer an $800 option with some more ethernet ports, but for $349 for a single router, or $699 in a 3-pack, the Nest Wifi Pro offers a very nice, budget friendly option.
If you want to check out the new Nest Wifi Pro, you can head over to the Google Store, or from Harvey Norman, JB Hifi and Office Works.
