[tycoon177]

As much fun as it was to tinker with all of the networking gear in years past, I have settled on using a google wifi mesh system for the time being at home.

If I could do it over again, I think that I would have opted for something a bit more "pro-sumer", perhaps ubiquiti's mesh system. For what it is, the google system works well enough, but there are a few annoyances that make it less than ideal for the average hacker news reader. An example of this is that you DO NOT get a web interface. Everything must be done with their mobile app.

The best part about the google system is that they intend for the routers to be setup and managed by an average person, which in my experience has lead to a very stable system. I couldn't tell you the last time I had to reboot any of the hubs and the family hasn't had any complaints. A close second is that the hubs each have an ethernet jack on them, allowing my desktop to be "hard wired" into the network and still get fiber-like speeds despite the fiber drop not being near the desktop computer.

Even in my small-to-mid sized home in suburbia seems to benefit from the mesh system and I won't be going back! The benefits are real.

[wccrawford]

I was fairly happy with my Google Mesh routers until the main one just died randomly after about a year, and now I don't trust the other 2.

I bought a Deco x60 to replace them, but I've found that if you reboot it without an internet connection, it won't provide DHCP (and possibly anything else) for the rest of the network, and so you're screwed until the internet comes back, even for stuff that is just local. So I'm not happy with them, either.

[WelcomeShorty]

Switched to the Google WiFi about 2 years ago and I love it. It just works. The mesh is 4 large, provides WiFi / Internet for 3 households (7 people, about 30 devices, iPhones, iPads, Chromecasts, PS4, Smart TVs, printers & iMacs) and takes absolutely zero maintenance.

Only thing I have to when adding an old new device (printers!) is set the WPA to 2 when adding it, then switching back to WPA3.

[hestefisk]

I have the Google Wifi mesh as well. It works well for a set and forget setup. Only downside is the mesh cannot bridge to a wired network, it has to use NAT, unless you disable the mesh functionality.

[wepple]

+1 I like the set & forget nature of google WiFi, but at times I do wish I could run an IDS or other analytic system in between the WiFi clients & the NAT.