TECH REVIEW: Google WiFi tested Google's WiFi system using two of the routers which connect to create a single mesh network around your home

I’ve got a Virgin Media Hub at home and the router transformed my online experience within the home. 

Blackspots in the house disappeared. I have regularly recorded WiFi speeds of 240MB on my iMac and speeds of up to 150MB on a laptop and speeds of more than 200MB on mobile phones.

But as I have added more smart home devices in recent months I’ve noticed my overall WiFi speeds have decreased.

This despite the fact that the Virgin Media Hub is supposed to be able to support more than 20 devices online at the same time.


Google WiFi

And the WiFi signal from my hub is prone to disconnecting from the internet momentarily on a regular basis.

So I was keen to try out Google’s new WiFi system.

It’s a stylish looking cylindrical unit with a minimal design. You can purchase in packs of one or three.

You plug one unit in to your modem with an ethernet cable and the rest can be placed anywhere in your home where there is a power outlet.

To connect the three units together, you will need an iOS or Android mobile phone or tablet and a Google account.

Google WiFi


The app links the three units together using a QR scanner and QR code on each device.

You don’t have to buy three units, incidentally, you can use just one or two if you wish.

But the additional units extend the Wi-Fi coverage to create a single mesh network that expands the area of coverage.

Unlike with most routers such as Virgin Media Hub, there's no web-based interface with Google’s WiFi system.

It can only be set up and controlled via the app. Once set up, the Google WiFi will stay connected to Google at all times and will log into your account each time you want to manage it.

The unit does not collect user activity data, only hardware, app and network related information. You can turn this element off in the privacy section of the settings.

Google claims that its system is constantly analysing and working out the cleanest channel and the best Wi-Fi band (5GHz or 2.4GHz) for a client to connect to.


Virgin claims its router does this too, but Google’s machines do this far more effectively.

So how reliable is the Google WiFi router?

I found its WiFi signal is consistently reliable, and rarely drops the internet connection.

Google WiFi

On a multitude of machines such as laptops and smartphones, I ran WiFi speed tests using Virgin’s router network and then Google’s WiFi machines.

Google scored higher speeds most of the time, by as much as double the speed of the Media Hub.

But at no point over the course of the last few weeks did my WiFi surpass the top speeds I had previously recorded using just the Virgin router.


However, as stated at the outset, the Virgin machine is no longer regularly racking up those high speeds on WiFi for me.

So I would recommend the Google three-pack as a solid investment. You can expand the mesh network as you wish with more units depending on the size of your home and the extent of your budget.

Google’s app has some neat features. You can quickly prioritise the broadband connection to any particular device, such as an XBox or PS4. And you can pause the internet to others.

You can also use it to find out which Wifi point a particular client is connected to and customise a guest network.

Google Wifi costs €139 or €359 for a 3-pack from

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