Skip to main content

Google Nest Wi-Fi Pro adds Wi-Fi 6E but loses compatibility

Google just released a new Wi-Fi router, the Nest Wi-Fi Pro, as part of its ongoing efforts to make it quicker and easier to watch videos on YouTube, do a Google search, or connect to your Nest smart home devices. Without reliable internet access, that Google-y goodness might not be available. It’s also more eye-catching than earlier models and up to twice as fast but there are a few concerns with this new mesh router.

Nest Wi-Fi pro adds the latest wireless standard, Wi-Fi 6E, which has three bands instead of the usual two. That means the Nest Wi-Fi Pro can connect to older devices at 2.4 and 5 GHz, as well as newer technology using the latest 6GHz radio frequency band.

Google Nest Wi-Fi Pro in Lemongrass color rests on a shelf.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

This makes three mesh Wi-Fi routers currently available from Google. Google Wi-Fi ($100) and Nest Wi-Fi ($169) provide a couple of lower-cost choices if you don’t anticipate having Wi-Fi 6E devices in the near future. To enjoy the greatest possible speed, up to twice as fast as Wi-Fi 6, choose the Nest Wi-Fi Pro at $200.

Recommended Videos

Nest Wi-Fi Pro is also a stylish router with more rounded corners and a shinier finish than Nest Wi-Fi. Four colors are available to match your decor. Google calls these light tones Snow (white), Linen (beige), Fog (light blue), and Lemongrass (yellow).

Google Nest Wi-Fi Pro comes in four colors.
Google

Nest Wi-Fi Pro is a significant update since Wi-Fi 6E’s 6GHz band offers much faster speeds than the other frequency bands but with less range. That’s a common trait of higher frequencies and 5GHz offers greater transfer speeds than 2.4GHz but doesn’t penetrate walls as well. Of course, the newest frequency band will only help if you have devices that support Wi-Fi 6E but if you have an Android phone made in the last year, it’s likely to have Wi-Fi 6E but the iPhone does not. Some recent laptops can connect to 6GHz but not all.

Another potential issue is the lack of compatibility with older Google Wi-Fi mesh systems. The Nest Wi-Fi Pro can’t connect to your old Google or Nest Wi-Fi or Points. While last year’s Nest Wi-Fi had a smart speaker built-in, the Nest Wi-Fi Pro does not. That makes it a questionable upgrade for anyone who already owns a Google Wi-Fi mesh. However, if you own a few Wi-Fi 6E devices, it might be worth considering the new Google Nest Wi-Fi Pro.

Alan Truly
Alan is a Computing Writer living in Nova Scotia, Canada. A tech-enthusiast since his youth, Alan stays current on what is…
World’s first Wi-Fi 7 demo runs 2.4x faster than Wi-Fi 6
An Internet speed test.

MediaTek has successfully conducted the world's first live demo of Wi-Fi 7 technology, with the company confirming that Wi-Fi 7 products are expected to become available in 2023.

By utilizing its Wi-Fi 7 Filogic technology, MediaTek said it’s been demonstrating two Wi-Fi 7 demos to “key customers and industry collaborators.”

Read more
What is a whole-home mesh Wi-Fi network, and do you need one?
Linksys router on a shelf.

With more people working, studying, gaming, and streaming from home today, it’s important to have fast, reliable Wi-Fi coverage at home. Regardless of the size of your home, a whole-home mesh Wi-Fi system is one of the best solutions to blanket your house with Wi-Fi.

Unlike a standard router, which broadcasts a Wi-Fi signal over a finite area, mesh networks are able to spread the signal to cover a large home or office. Also known as a whole-home Wi-Fi system, mesh networks came into popularity in 2014 with the launch of the original Eero. Though the idea of a mesh network has been around long before that and was widely used in office and public networks, its entry into the home in the mid-2010s radically changed Wi-Fi for consumers.

Read more
TP-Link’s Wi-Fi 6E router comes with motorized antennas for better reception
The TP-Link Archer AXE200 Omni with its antennas in motion.

To deliver better Wi-Fi reception and coverage, especially in larger homes, TP-Link is bringing new innovation to the router space. The company's latest Wi-Fi 6E router, the TP-Link Archer AXE200 Omni comes with four antennas that are motorized, allowing them to pivot and swivel towards your devices as you move around the house.

Essentially, by tailing your connected devices, the TP-Link Archer AXE200 Omni will help to send out the strongest signals to your devices.

Read more