Google Wifi

Okay, this app is meant to manage your WIFI, not your internet. Why, then, does the app not work if your home internet is out? Shouldn’t you still be able to manage your Google WiFi network if the internet is out? This is the first time I’ve run into this issue with a router’s software and it clearly highlights that Google doesn’t care about this product all that much. Google is known for starting something and then never finishing it or letting it die by never adding functionality or fix problems. Just look at any of their chat apps. Look at company projects. The only reason this hasn’t been shut down is because they have physical products that require them to have a mobile app - doesn’t mean they care about the app/service at all, they’ve just forced their own hand. Honestly, just get a different mesh router system. This isn’t very functional on any technical level. Even when it’s working it’s so basic that you can’t even rename the WiFi points in the app (instead you need to do it in another app, but it never carries back over to this app)! It’s completely asinine to use and anyone with a technical proficiency is going to pull their hair out. I regret selecting Google’s WiFi solution. Don’t make the same mistake I did.

Here’s the thing... they’re almost there. Everything works 95% of the time, it’s just a few features missing and occasional frustrations. If anyone on the Google WiFi product team reads these reviews... 1) Need much more robust rule setting for devices on the network. Example use case: User wants their work devices prioritized weekdays from 9 am to 5 pm, then from 5 pm to 10 pm Apple TVs should be prioritized and all day on weekends, at 10 pm kid’s devices are restricted everyday. 2) Need to be able to use this app even when you are not connected to the internet. When your network goes down if frustrating enough, but then to try to use the Google WiFi app to diagnose and fix the problem and it tells you it can’t connect to the network because there’s no internet connection, when you’re literally standing next to the device... is beyond frustrating and the kind of thing that makes people switch to Orbi, Linksys, Netgear, etc.

When I first tried to set up the Google Wi-Fi I downloaded inadvertently the wrong app. I thought it was the right one since the search brought it up first not realizing I needed to go through the rest of the apps to find the correct one. I’m pretty much a novice when it comes to something like this. The support person that I was able to get a hold of had no idea what I was trying to do since it was not the app for Google Wi-Fi. He was patient but was not able to help because I could not get the Google Wifi app to install. I reconnected my old router downloaded the correct app and installed it very easily. It was a breeze. The only problem I have is trying to watch Live stream which our church broadcasts their services through. I’m not sure what’s happening. It just keeps refreshing the first 15 to 20 seconds of the feed over and over again. I am able to watch it without any problem using the iPad. So far that is the only issue I’ve had. There are three Wi-Fi points with 11 devices connected. Cary was the support person and he did a great job and was very patient with me.