Find and connect a Google Wifi point Archives

Google proves that good things really can come in small packages with its Nest WiFi family of mesh routers ($269 for the 2-pack we reviewed). The compact mesh units have the power to fill a home with strong Wi-Fi signal, and even feature a built-in Google Home speaker for voice commands and playing music, giving owners the same sort of smart speaker control offered by the Netgear Orbi Voice, an expensive add-on to our top pick for the previous best mesh Wi-Fi system, the Netgear Orbi.

The Nest WiFi kit isn't perfect – we'd like to see more customization options and better range from the individual units – but compared to the latest competing mesh systems, the Nest WiFi is smaller and more affordable than the Netgear Orbi with Orbi Voice extension, and more powerful than the latest Eero mesh system. In other words, the two-piece kit takes the lead when it comes to delivering Wi-Fi data and music. Read our whole Nest WiFi review to learn why its the best mesh Wi-Fi solution out there. (In fact, we named the Nest WiFi one of the best products of the year in our 2020 Tom's Guide Awards.)

 Nest WiFi review: Design 

Composed of devices that look like big plastic marshmallows, the Nest WiFi mesh devices are small and easy to hide. In addition to stashing them on a shelf, they fit on a windowsill or on a coffee table. The router has a 4.3-inch diameter and is 3.6 inches tall. By contrast, the Point extensions are a little smaller with a 4.0-inch diameter and 3.4-inch height. Both have shotgun-cooling holes at their bases and are tiny compared to comparable Netgear Orbi devices, which are larger and measure nearly 10 inches tall.

The Nest WiFi devices should fit into a variety of home decors, thanks to Google Home's evolving design language of organic shapes with no hard edges and soft colors. The router is available only in flat white, but the extensions come in Mist (light blue), Sand (tan) or white. 

The Nest WiFi concept is similar to Netgear's Orbi Voice: the router is the center of home networking while the Nest WiFi Point Extensions do double duty: They push the Wi-Fi signal farther into the house and can respond to voice commands and play audio. In essence, the extensions are a combination of a mesh extender and a Google Home Mini smart speaker.

On its own, the router sells for $169 and can cover 2,200 square feet, according to Google. The router and an extension two-pack, which is enough to fill to 3,800 square feet, costs $269. By comparison, it took three of the older Google WiFi disks to fill roughly that same space. The Nest WiFi three-pack increases the coverage to 5,400 square feet for $349. After that, each additional extension costs $149, a $50 savings compared with the Netgear Orbi Voice speaker extension. 

The Nest WiFi is able to accommodate up to 32 extensions, and all but the smallest homes will require an extension or two. The good news is that the previous generation of Google WiFi gear can be used as extensions with Nest WiFi to extend the network's reach but without the audio abilities.

Unlike the triband network topology of Netgear's Orbi systems, the Google Nest WiFi mesh system uses a dual-band approach that does without Orbi's dedicated back channel for moving data between the extension and host router. It does have proactive band steering that sends the data to the least congested channel and the preferred extension. The beamforming tunes the transmitted signal to suit the receiver and can connect with up to 100 clients per device; my two-pack has the potential to link 200 devices.

Each Nest WiFi device has four internal antennas that work with the electronics to create a self-healing 802.11ac network. While the router's 5GHz transmissions uses a 4x4 setup, its 2.4GHz band uses a 2x2 design, creating a maximum throughput of 2,200 Mbps. On the other hand, the 2x2 extensions top out at 1,200Mbps.

They both have Bluetooth and 802.15.4 Thread mesh networking built in to efficiently connect with low-power home-automation devices. On the other hand, the gear lacks the latest WiFi-6 technology.

With minimalist connections, the router has a pair of Ethernet ports, a power plug and a thoughtful cutout to route the cables. The router lacks a USB connector or a power switch, while the extensions do without any wired connection, so they can't be used as cabled access points the way Netgear Orbi hardware can. 

Inside, the extension has a microphone array, a 4.8-watt amplifier and a 1.6-inch speaker that radiates the sound 360 degrees. They can hear commands from about 15 feet away, and can be individually used for music or grouped together digitally for a homewide sound system on the cheap.

Using Google's Broadcast function, the extensions can be used as an intercom that can also link with other Google Home gear and Nest Hubs for audio calls. There is a switch on each extension to turn the microphone off and preserve privacy.

Surprisingly, based on its size, its sound quality is richer and sharper than Orbi Voice but lacks low-end bass response and doesn’t get nearly as loud as the Orbi RBK40V. It should be fine for a small room, but the music will likely get lost in the chatter of a party. Unfortunately, there's no audio-out jack to patch into an external speaker, but I was able to wirelessly link the extension with a Bluetooth speaker in about 2 minutes. Alternatively, you can pair the extension with a Google Mini speaker as the right or left stereo channel for fuller sound.

The extensions respond to all of the Google Home commands and Google Assistant skills that any Google smart speaker uses and can control everything from the best smart thermostats to smart light bulbs and the best smart plugs. They can be set up with free services, like Google Play Music and YouTube Music, as well as subscription music services; I used my Spotify subscription.

At any time, you can tap the top of the extension to pause or restart the audio track and run your finger over the extension's top to raise or lower the volume. You can also control the volume with voice commands. My favorite is to just say something like "Hey Google, turn it up" or "volume level 4."

 Nest WiFi review: Performance 

Built around a custom version of Qualcomm's QCS400 family of chips, the Nest WiFi router and extensions use a 1.4GHz quad-core processor and a pair of Digital Signal Processors (DSP), while the extensions have far-field voice-pickup technology. The router has 1GB of RAM as well as 4GB of flash storage for firmware and settings, while the extensions have 768MB of RAM and 512MB of storage space.

Happily, the router uses a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) to authenticate its automatic firmware updates. This means that the system's software changes are secure and are only accepted if they're digitally signed by Google. The system has WPA 3 (Wi-Fi Protected Access) security built in, but only a handful of networking gear supports this new standard. You can still use the more common WPA 2.

To gauge the performance capabilities of the Nest WiFi gear, we first set it up at the Tom’s Guide open office and tested performance using Ixia's IxChariot. The router’s maximum throughput occurred five feet from the Nest base unit with the ability to move 653.2Mbps. That's a big step up from the original Google WiFi (464.3Mbps) and well ahead of the the 2019 Eero (342.2Mbps). The previous category leader, the Netgear Orbi RBK50 turned in a middling performance of 552.1Mbps at 5 feet.

The Nest WiFi's performance dropped off to 612.0- and 455.1-Mbps at 15- and 50-feet, or between 11- and 15-percent ahead of the Orbi RBK50 mesh system. At 50-feet, the Orbi turned the tables and took the lead with 478.3Mbps versus the Nest’s 455.1Mbps. At 100-feet, the Nest regained the advantage with 394.0Mbps available versus 315.5Mbps for the Orbi RBK50 system.

It blew away the 2019 Eero in our wall penetration testing, where the signal has to travel through three walls and 40-feet of heavy-duty construction. While the Nest delivered 400.6Mbps, the Eero could only muster 84Mbps, less than one-quarter the throughput.

The Nest excelled on our mesh system test with a satellite unit 50-feet from the host router. It was able to transmit 480.1Mbps. By contrast, the Eero managed only 169.1Mbps on the same tests. This is likely the result of its lower performance aspirations. While the Nest WiFi devices are rated to operate at a peak of 2.2Gbps, the new Eero devices top out at 550Mbps, one-quarter the peak abilities of the Nest.

I set the Nest two-pack up in my three-story, 3,500-square-foot home, an older building with thick walls and lots of nooks and crannies. With the router in the basement and the extension a floor above, the two-piece Nest set ran without a problem for more than a week of testing. Because the router lacked the built-in smart speaker, I set up a Nest Hub nearby to provide that same functionality in that room.

The network ran without a problem, reliably distributing my internet connection and playing everything from the latest Kevin Gates track to the sonatas of Domenico Scarlatti to the latest BBC World News headlines. The incoming connection's 235Mbps bandwidth dropped to 187Mbps at the router and 178Mbps at the extension, a 25 % decline.

Overall, the router had a range of 80 feet and the mesh extension added another 50 feet. This should be fine for most homes, but it came up a little short in filling my house, leaving dead spots on the top floor and at the extremities. Clearly, having a second extension would have helped.

The system's throughput was more than enough to pass our informal saturation test, where I connected four different computers, including an Apple Macbook Air, a Microsoft Surface Pro 3, a Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ and a Lenovo Thinkpad T470, to watch videos and listen to Internet radio while moving data back and forth from a networked RAID storage array. I didn't detect any data hiccups or lost frames, even when listening to music on the Nest WiFi extension.

While working, the router stayed cool, but the extension got warm to the touch. The used 3.7 and 4.3 watts of power, respectively, less than half the power an Orbi Router and Voice require. Together, they might cost $8.40 a year in electricity bills if they're connected 24/7 and you pay the national average for electricity of 13 cents per kilowatt-hour. All told, it’s a small price to pay for Wi-Fi and music on demand.

 Nest WiFi review: Setup 

The installation routine for creating a Nest Wi-Fi network is easy and logical with simple illustrated step-by-step instructions. You will need a phone or tablet because, unlike Netgear's Orbi, there's no way to set it up or configure the Nest WiFi units with a connected web browser. All told, it took a little less than 20 minutes to install the router and extension in my home, a little longer than the 15 minutes it took for an Orbi Voice. For me, it started with installing the Google Home app on my Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ phone.

After tapping "Create a home," I tapped to set up new devices. Then, I gave my house a name.

The software then scanned for and found the Nest WiFi router in a couple seconds. I snapped the QR code found on the underside of the router and allowed the software to connect with the router. A series of animated colored rings appeared around the router's photo on-screen to show it connected.

I then named the router's room and entered what I wanted to use as the network's name and password. At this point I agreed to have Google run networking tests, diagnose problems and create statistics.

Once the router is set up, you'll need to add the Point extension. I powered it up and the app scanned for and quickly found it. Once I named its room, the extension played a short tune to verify the successful connection.

Next up, I created a voice print to identity me later; it took about a minute of saying various things and waiting on its processing. I then set the system up to play music using Spotify by logging in. I could have linked to my Sirius XM satellite radio account but chose not to.

Nearly done, the Nest WiFi then updated its firmware. Once it checked the connection between the router and the extension, the extension played a short tune. Finished, the app showed all the setup details.

With everything working, I was able to connect my trusty iPad Pro to the extension on the first try. I then took a test drive by asking Google's voice assistant to tell me the time, weather and current traffic on the George Washington Bridge. Finally, I sat back and listened to some tunes.

 Nest WiFi review: Configuration 

The Nest WiFi equipment relies primarily on the Google Home app for making configuration changes, although the customization options are few and far between. In addition to adding extensions and setting up groups, the app can adjust how bright the router and extensions glow.

At any time, I was able to run a networking test, remotely restart the network or show the Guest network's password on a smart display. The Settings pages for the router and extension show some detail, like IP addresses and firmware version.

What's missing are traditional setting choices that most other routers have, like setting static IP addresses, managing ports or picking which Wi-Fi channel to use. Most won't miss these items, but it might be a deal-breaker for those who like to tweak their gear.

Google Wifi Manual [AC-1304]

Copyright & Trademarks
Proposition 65 Warning for California Users
WARNING: This product contains chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth
defects or other reproductive harm. The power supply of this product contains chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. Wash hands after handling.

Safety Notices
Electric Shock and Heat: Do not expose Google Wifi or the power supply to water or extreme conditions.
Take care when handling the power supply to avoid electric shock. To provide power to your Google Wifi,
only use the power supply provided with your Google Wifi. Do not use the power supply provided with your
Google Wifi to power any devices other than your Google Wifi. If you wish to plug your Google Wifi into a wall socket, you will need to install your Google Wifi near a wall socket that is easily accessible. Your Google Wifi may get hot to the touch; this is normal. Unplug your Google Wifi power supply and let it cool before handling.

Pacemakers and Other Implanted Devices: Google Wifi contains magnets and components that emit an electromagnetic field and could interfere with pacemakers or other electronic medical devices. Before using your Google Wifi, consult your physician or medical device manufacturer about the required minimum safe distance between Google Wifi and your medical device.

Canada, Industry Canada (IC) Notices
This device complies with Industry Canada license-exempt RSS. Operation is subject to the following two
conditions: (1) this device may not cause interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference,
including interference that may cause undesired operation of the device.
Under Industry Canada regulations, the radio transmitter(s) in this device may only operate using an antenna of a type and maximum (or lesser) gain approved for the transmitter by Industry Canada. To reduce potential radio interference to other users, the antenna type and its gain should be so chosen that the equivalent isotropically radiated power (e.i.r.p.) is not more than that necessary for successful communication.CAN ICES-3 (B)/NMB-3(B)

Warning:
The device for operation in the band 5150-5250 MHz is only for indoor use to reduce the potential for
harmful interference to co-channel mobile satellite systems;

Radio Frequency (RF) Exposure Information
The radiated output power of this device is below the Industry Canada (IC) radio frequency exposure limits. This device has been evaluated for and shown compliant with the IC Radio Frequency (RF) Exposure limits.

The device should be used in such a manner such that the potential for human contact during normal
operation is minimized.

When using the device next to your body, maintain a distance of 20 cm (8 inches) from your body to be
consistent with how the device is tested for compliance with RF exposure requirements.

This device has been certified for use in Canada. Status of the listing in the Industry Canada’s REL (Radio
Equipment List) can be found at the following web address:
http://www.ic.gc.ca/app/sitt/reltel/srch/nwRdSrch.do Additional Canadian information on RF exposure also can be found at the following web address: http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst.nsf/eng/sf08792.html

Hardware Limited Warranty — United States
This warranty applies if you purchased your [Gale] WiFi router (“Router” below) in the United
States [or Canada].
Limited Warranty
Google warrants that a new Router (including any ancillary parts that may be packaged with it) will be free from defects in materials and workmanship under normal use in accordance with Google’s published user documentation for one year from the date of original retail purchase in its original packaging by you. If a Router has been refurbished, Google warrants that the Router (including any ancillary parts that may be packaged with it) will be free from defects in materials and workmanship under normal use in accordance with Google’s published user documentation for ninety days from the date of retail purchase by you (these warranties are collectively referred to as our “Limited Warranty”).

This Limited Warranty is only valid and enforceable in locations the Router is sold and will apply only if you purchased your Router from Google or its authorized resellers. This Limited Warranty only applies to hardware components (and not any software elements) of the Router, and this Limited Warranty does not apply to damage caused by normal wear and tear, accidents, misuse (including failure to follow product documentation), neglect, disassembly, alterations, servicing other than by Google authorized technicians, and external causes such as, but not limited to, water damage, anomalies in the electrical current supplied to the device, and extreme thermal or environmental conditions. This Limited Warranty does not guarantee that use of the Router will be uninterrupted or error free.

EXCLUSIVE REMEDY: If a defect arises and you return your Router during the Limited
Warranty period (which is one year for new devices and ninety days for refurbished devices), Google will in its sole discretion and to the extent permitted by law either repair your Router using new or refurbished parts, replace your Router with a new or refurbished Router functionally at least equivalent to yours, or accept the return of the Router in exchange for a refund of the purchase price you paid for the Phone. If Google repairs or replaces the Router, the repaired or replaced Router will continue to be warranted for the remaining time of the original warranty period. All returned parts for which you have received a replacement will become the property of Google. Nothing in this Limited Warranty will reduce or otherwise affect your statutory rights in relation to the Router.

To make a claim under the Limited Warranty, please contact [insert link here] . We’ll need your name, contact information and the serial number on the bottom of your Router. You will need to provide a purchase receipt.

THE LIMITED WARRANTY WRITTEN ABOVE IS THE ONLY EXPRESS WARRANTY GOOGLE PROVIDES FOR THE ROUTER, AND THE ABOVE REMEDY IS YOUR SOLE REMEDY. TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, GOOGLE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL OTHER WARRANTIES AND CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, WHETHER STATUTORY OR IMPLIED, ARISING FROM COURSE OF CONDUCT OR OTHERWISE, REGARDING THE ROUTER, EXCEPT THAT ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT ARE LIMITED IN DURATION TO THE PERIOD OF THE EXPRESS WARRANTY ABOVE (EITHER ONE YEAR OR NINETY DAYS, DEPENDING ON WHETHER THE ROUTER IS NEW OR REFURBISHED.

Some States do not allow limitations on how long an implied warranty lasts, so the above limitation may not apply to you.

YOU EXPRESSLY UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT, TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, GOOGLE AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES AND AFFILIATES (COLLECTIVELY, “GOOGLE PARTIES”) SHALL NOT BE LIABLE TO YOU UNDER ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY (WHETHER CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE), BREACH OR FAILURE OF ANY WARRANTY OR OTHERWISE) FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES THAT MAY BE INCURRED BY YOU IN CONNECTION WITH THE ROUTER OR THESE TERMS, INCLUDING ANY LOSS OF DATA, WHETHER OR NOT A GOOGLE

PARTY OR ITS REPRESENTATIVES HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF OR SHOULD HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF ANY SUCH LOSSES ARISING. YOU EXPRESSLY UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT, TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE GOOGLE PARTIES’ TOTAL LIABILITY IN CONNECTION WITH THE ROUTER OR THIS LIMITED WARRANTY WILL NOT EXCEED THE AMOUNT YOU ACTUALLY PAID GOOGLE FOR THE ROUTER.

Some States do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages, so the above limitation or exclusion may not apply to you. No employee or representative of Google or its affiliates or any third party is authorized to make any modification, extension or addition to this Limited Warranty. If any term of this Limited Warranty is held to be illegal or unenforceable, the remaining terms of this Limited Warranty will remain in full force and effect.
This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights which vary
from State to State. This Limited Warranty is given by Google Inc., a Delaware corporation whose principal place of business is at 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States.

Google Wifi Setup
Welcome to Google Wifi
Wi-Fi is used in every part of the home: in the bedroom, in the kitchen, in the garage, everywhere. Google Wifi keeps up with the way you enjoy Wi-Fi by providing fast, reliable coverage throughout your entire home. Let’s plug it in and get started.
What’s in the Box
● 1 or 3 Wifi points
● 1 Ethernet cable
● 1 Power adapter
● Quick start guide

What you need
The Google Wifi app on an Android or iOS mobile device:
● Android 4.0 and up
● iOS 7 and up
A broadband internet connection via Ethernet — typically through a DSL or cable modem . Contact your local Internet Service Provider (ISP) for details.

Step 1: Find a spot for your Wifi point
Your primary Wifi point needs to be connected to a modem. So this may limit where you place it, depending on the length of the ethernet and power cables. If possible, place your Wifi point in plain view like on a shelf or TV stand. It also helps to choose a central location at eye level.

Step 2: Plug in your Wifi point
1. Connect the first Wifi point to your modem with the provided ethernet cable. Make sure to plug it into the Wifi point’s WAN port (the one next to the icon).
2. Then connect the power adapter to the Wifi point and a power outlet.

The status light will pulse blue when the Wifi point is ready for setup.

What does the light mean?

Step 3: Get the App
Download the Google Wifi app for Android 4.0 and up or iOS iOS 7 and up. For the Android app, search the Google Play store. For iOS, visit the Apple App Store.

Step 4: Set up Wi-Fi
To get started, open the Google Wifi app. On Android , your Wifi point will automatically be associated with the Google Account used with your phone.
On iOS , the app will ask you to sign in with your Google Account or create a new one.

What’s a Google Account?
A Google Account gives you access to Google products like Gmail, Google+, YouTube, and more with a single username and password. To create a new account, visit https://accounts.google.com

Follow the on-screen instructions to set up your Wifi point and Wi-Fi network.

1. Find and connect to Wifi point
○ The app will automatically detect your Wifi point .
○ Point your mobile device’s camera at the QR code on the base of your Wifi point . The code will be used to set up your Wifi point.
○ Pick a label for your Wifi point. This describes where your Wifi point is and will help you identify it later.

2. Set up your Wi-Fi network
○ Create a Wi-Fi network name and password.

3. Connect additional Wifi points
○ Select how many more Wifi points you need to set up and follow the on-screen instructions.

4. Review your network
○ After your Wifi points are setup, you’ll see an overview of your Wi-Fi network and all the Wifi points you’ve set up.

5. Install software update
○ After your Wifi points are setup, the app will download and install a software update, which includes the latest features and security measures. This can take up to 3 minutes. Your Wifi points will restart and your Wi-Fi network will be down until the Wifi points fully turn on.

Canada Wifi Product Information
Google Wifi Product Information — Canada

Please review the product information, health and safety information, and instructions available at
support.google.com/wifi before using your device. You can also find a link to the limited warranty,
regulatory information about Google Wifi, and additional support resources there.

Electric Shock and Heat
Do not expose Google Wifi or the power supply to water or extreme conditions. Take care while handling
the power supply to avoid electric shock. To provide power to your Google Wifi, only use the power
supply provided with your Google Wifi. Your Google Wifi may get hot to the touch, this is normal. Unplug
your Google Wifi’s power supply and let it cool before handling. When using Google Wifi, make sure the
power adapter is plugged into a socket near the router and is easily accessible. Do not use the router or
adapter if they aren’t working properly or have been damaged or dropped.

Pacemaker and Other Implanted Devices
Google Wifi contains components that emit an electromagnetic field and could interfere with pacemakers
or other electronic medical devices. Before using your Google Wifi, consult your physician or medical
device manufacturer about the required minimum safe distance between Google Wifi and your medical
device.

Canadian Compliance Statement

This device complies with Industry Canada license-exempt RSSs. Operation is subject to the following
two conditions:
1. This device may not cause interference, and
2. This device must accept any interference, including interference that may cause undesired operation of the device.

To reduce potential radio interference to other users, the antenna type and its gain should be so chosen
that the equivalent isotropic ally radiated power (e.i.r.p.) is not more than that permitted for successful communication.

The device for the band 5150-5250 MHz is only for indoor usage to reduce potential for harmful
interference to co-channel mobile satellite systems.

Users should also be advised that high-power radars are allocated as primary users (i.e. priority users) of the bands 5250-5350 MHz and 5650-5850 MHz and that these radars could cause interference and/or damage to LE-LAN devices.

Radiation Exposure Statement
This equipment complies with IC radiation exposure limits set forth for an uncontrolled environment. This
equipment should be installed and operated with minimum distance 20 cm between the radiator & your body.

Google Wifi Product Information
Please review the product information, health and safety information and instructions available at https://support.google.com/wifi before using your device. You can also find a link to the limited warranty, regulatory information about Google Wifi and additional support resources there.

Accessibility
When using Google Wifi, make sure that the power adaptor is plugged into a socket near the router and is easily accessible. Electric Shock and Heat Do not expose Google Wifi or the power supply to water or extreme conditions. Take care while handling the power supply to avoid electric shock. To provide power to your Google Wifi, only use the power supply provided with your Google Wifi. Your Google Wifi may get hot to the touch, this is normal. Unplug your Google Wifi’s power supply and let it cool before handling. Google Wifi and its accessories are for indoor use only. Do not use the router or adaptor if they aren’t working properly or have been damaged or dropped.

Pacemaker and Other Implanted Devices
Google Wifi contains components that emit an electromagnetic field and could interfere with pacemakers or other electronic medical devices. Before using your Google Wifi, consult your physician or medical device manufacturer about the required minimum safe distance between Google Wifi and your medical device. Radio Frequency Band and Power Information Hereby, Google Inc. declares that the radio equipment type AC-1304 is in compliance with Directive 2014/53/EU. The full text of the EU declaration of conformity is available at the following internet address: g.co/wifi/red. The device is restricted to indoor use only when operating in the 5150 to 5350 MHz frequency range for member states: AT, BE, BG, CZ, DK, EE, FR, DE, IS, IE, IT, EL, ES, CY, LV, LI, LT, LU, HU, MT, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, SI, SK, TR, FI, SE, CH, UK, HR. Product Wireless Information 2400–2483,5 MHz: Wi-Fi (Max 16,3 dBm), BT (Max 6,0 dBm), BLE (Max 6,0 dBm). 5150–5250 MHz: Wi-Fi (Max 18,1 dBm).

RF Exposure Information (MPE)
This device meets the EU requirements and the International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) on the limitation of exposure of the general public to electromagnetic fields by way of health protection. To comply with the RF exposure requirements, this equipment must be operated in a minimum of 20 cm separation distance to the user.

Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment
Directive In the European Union, this label indicates that this product should not be disposed of with household waste. It should be deposited at an appropriate facility to enable recovery and recycling.

While this article is still a great description of how to wire your Sonos network using BOOST devices, we have since replaced the BOOST devices in our home. Now we have an advanced network configuration that takes advantage of Sonos Beams, as described here.

Even if you have a multi-access point Wave 2 Wireless AC WiFi network, I recommend connecting your Sonos speakers as follows:

1. Ethernet1, else
2. SonosNet 2.0 wireless network (“Boost” mode), else
3. your existing WiFi network (“Standard” mode).

This will reduce the likelihood of audio drop outs and network loops, particularly as you connect more Sonos speakers and/or run them in pairs. Relatively few homes have Ethernet wired throughout. The more Sonos speakers you have in your home, the less likely that you have an Ethernet drop in exactly the same location as where you wish to place your Sonos speaker. Therefore, most–if not all–of your Sonos speakers will use some form of WiFi connectivity: SonosNet or your private home WiFi network.

BOOST mode uses SonosNet 2.0, a proprietary wireless mesh WiFI network operating in the 2.4Ghz band.2 It includes MIMO and utilizes 20Mhz wide channels. SonosNet is optimized end-to-end for audio delivery to Sonos devices.3 If you use SonosNet (BOOST mode) exclusively, both your music and Sonos speaker control will be multicast to each room (for stereo pairs, the left speaker unicasts to the right speaker). This permits you to stream multiple lossless audio streams throughout your home.

If you use Standard mode, then only the Sonos control information will be multicast. Audio will be unicast to each speaker, which isn’t scalable if you have many Sonos speakers.

If at least one Sonos One speaker can connect via Ethernet to your router, then you do not need to buy a separate hardware device like the Sonos BOOST to run SonosNet. Just plug in at least one speaker via Ethernet to your home network and reboot all your Sonos speakers. You can confirm that your devices are running on SonosNet by going to About My Sonos System in the desktop app. For each Sonos speaker, it should say WM:0.4

SonosNet uses Spanning Tree Protocol (STP), a network protocol that builds a logical loop-free topology. STP permits only one active path on the network between two devices. If you connect your Sonos speakers to your Ethernet or WiFi network and your networking gear support STP, then I recommend enabling that feature. I provide more details about how I implemented this across a Ubiquiti Unifi aggregator and secondary switches here.

The Sonos BOOST hardware device is a dedicated access point, running SonosNET. Like an Ethernet-connected Sonos speaker running in BOOST mode, it creates a wireless offload network for your Sonos speakers. Using a BOOST device frees you from placing a Sonos speaker near an Ethernet connection.

Contrasting the BOOST device with a Sonos speaker running in BOOST mode, the BOOST device:

• contains 3 wireless antennae for 360 degrees of coverage and significantly more range
• has “enterprise grade wireless performance”, and
• has “advanced wireless interference rejection”

The BOOST device does not have any smart or managed switching capabilities. So, you may still need to pair a BOOST device with a separate managed Ethernet switch if you have a significant amount of non-Sonos multicast traffic in your home.

Initially, I had only two Sonos One smart speakers, each in different rooms. I used Standard mode, connecting them to my Wireless AC WiFi home network. As I added more Sonos speakers, I encountered occasional audio drop outs, particularly noticeable with paired speakers and particularly with lossless audio. Typically, dropouts and buffering are a function of how much data you are streaming on your wireless network. Running more concurrent audio streams or running higher bandwidth streams like lossless audio places a greater burden on your wireless network. This is particularly true in Standard mode because it unicasts audio.

One of my Sonos One speakers was close enough to one of my WiFi access points’ Ethernet port that I could plug it in via Ethernet. This offloaded all my Sonos audio traffic to the separate SonosNet WiFi network. However, my Ethernet-connected Sonos One was at the far end of the house. This meant that audio traveling from there to the other end of the house had to travel a number of hops across other Sonos speakers. Here is what my network looked like using only an Ethernet-connected Sonos speaker.

Colored cells (green, yellow or red) represent an active wireless connection. Grey cells means that SonosNet isn’t sending data wireless between the two units. The colors in the left column represent the ambient noise conditions: ANI levels correspond to the cell color codes. 0-3 is green; 4-5 is yellow; 6-7 are orange; 8-9 are red. The colors in the cells represent wireless tunnel strength. The inbound and outbound numbers go up to 64. Lower numbers are worse.

Now, I have purchased three Sonos BOOST hardware devices to feed my sixteen Sonos One smart speakers and a Connect:AMP. I attached each Sonos BOOST device via a managed Ethernet switch to our router. I ensured that the Sonos BOOST devices are configured for an empty 2.4Ghz channel to minimize RF interference.

Comparing the before (Ethernet connected Sonos One speaker in BOOST mode on one side of the house) versus the after (centrally located BOOST device), the improvements are relatively modest in terms of the number of yellow cells.

But, adding a second Ethernet-connected BOOST device makes a significant difference in the number of green cells.

At three Ethernet-connected BOOST devices, we have reached the point of diminishing returns for our house. Note that all three of my BOOSTs are Ethernet connected. It is also possible to run the satellite BOOSTs wirelessly. However, I found that, when I did so, the other two BOOSTs weren’t used by the Sonos system at all. This is because Sonos tries to minimize the number of wireless hops across devices. With this many Sonos speakers, it makes sense to use Ethernet backhaul and multiple BOOST devices.

Beyond the red/yellow/green color codes, here’s how to decode the data presented in the network matrix:

• Signal strength (field strength) is the measure of the signal between your Sonos components. The higher your score the better.
  
• Noise floor is defined as the sum of all signals–other than the one being measured–including unwanted atmospheric and incidental (man-made) noise. Man-made noise includes your neighbor’s WiFi networks, Bluetooth devices, microwaves, cordless telephones, baby monitors, and security cameras. In the network matrix, you can view the noise floor for each Sonos speaker. The lower your noise floor (as measured in negative dB), the better. For example, a noise floor of -115 db is better than -85 db.
• OFDM ANI level is a measurement of how well your Sonos components are coping with interference in your wireless environment. The lower your score the better. 0 is best, 9 is worst.

One issue that I struggled with was intermittent dropouts of rooms or paired speakers within rooms. I could play a single Apple Lossless-encoded stream from my Music Library in only 2-3 rooms before I had issues. Party mode always failed. The Sonos Escalations team confirmed that you should be able to play at least three separate lossless streams simultaneously.

Since the issue wasn’t RF-related, we narrowed it down to non-Sonos multicast traffic on my home network. I have a number of Google Cast enabled devices that use multicasting. Sonos heavily relies on multicasting both for group control and audio streaming. The Per-TXQ and Latency fields on this screen are critical: http://boost_IP:1400/status/proc/ath_rincon/fullstatus.5 Any multicast traffic in excess of 143 (Per-TXQ field 0) causes the buffer to be dumped and your Sonos system to behave unexpectedly.

The solution is to place a managed Ethernet switch between the router and your Sonos BOOST device(s). If you cannot run each Boost device to a dedicated port on the managed Ethernet switch, then you are better off running a single Ethernet-connect BOOST for reach (even with more yellow cells) and keeping your Sonos system ‘walled off’ from the rest of your home network. A good “starter” managed switch is the Ubiquiti Networks US-24 24-Port UniFi Managed Gigabit Switch with SFP.6 After installing a managed Ethernet switch, you should configure it as described here.7

Wireless Coverage

• I recommend putting a single Sonos One in as many rooms as you listen to music before spending the same money on Sonos One pairs in fewer rooms. This permits you to use voice control in more rooms. Additionally, this enhances the coverage of your SonosNet mesh network if you are using a BOOST configuration without a dedicated BOOST device.

Avoiding Wireless Interference

• Make sure that you place your Sonos BOOST device at least 2 to 3 feet apart from your wireless router or access point. Do not place your BOOST device on metal.
• Make sure that your Sonos BOOST is operating on a different 2.4Ghz channel than your home network’s access points.
  • I recommend manually specifying the channels on both your router and Sonos, rather than using “auto”. Use only channels 1, 6 or 11
  • Use a WiFi survey tool like WiFi Explorer.
• For more network configuration tips, I recommend reading my companion article: How To: Optimizing Your Multiple Access Point, Wireless-AC WiFi Network.

Network Management

• To review your SonosNet network status, visit the web site running on one of your Sonos speakers: http://player_IP:1400/support/review
• If you started your Sonos network in Standard Mode, then switched to using Boost Mode, I recommend removing your WiFi network’s credentials from your Sonos system. In the iOS app, you should do a network reset (the button is hidden below the iOS keyboard) under Advanced Settings.

Updated on February 23rd, 2019