The Nest WiFi Pro, Google’s latest Wi Fi system, brings Wi-Fi 6E and Thread support to your smart home devices.

In 2016, Google introduced its first mesh router system. The company released Nest Wifi in 2019. The top-ranked mesh router, Google’s Nest Wifi, was awarded the top spot. Now, the new Nest Wifi Pro from the company is bringing new functionality and features to the table.

Nest Wifi Pro’s price is slightly higher than its predecessor at $399.99 for three packs, $299.99 per two packs, and $199.99 per single router. Google has added four natural earth tones to the Nest Wifi Pro: Linen, Fog, Snow and Lemongrass. These new devices also have a gloss finish, as opposed to the matte finish on the Nest Wifi.

What are you getting for the money? Is it worth upgrading to one of the most powerful Wi-Fi routers available? Is it worth upgrading to the Nest Wifi Pro if you have Nest Wifi? These are the top reasons to purchase the Nest Wifi Pro. If you are considering upgrading to a mesh router, be sure to check out our Google Wifi and Nest Wifi Comparison.

REASONS TO BUY THE GOOGLE NEST WIFI PRO

Wi-Fi 6E

The biggest upgrade to the Nest WiFi Pro is Wi-Fi 6E. The predecessor had Wi-Fi 5, (802.11ac), which meant you could only use the 5GHz and 2.4GHz bands. Nest Wifi Pro has an additional 6GHz radio band which provides faster and better internet connections. Google skipped Wi-Fi 6 in favor of 6E. Learn more about the differences in Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi6E.

The Nest Wifi was able to transfer 653.2 Mbps at five feet, which is still a significant improvement over Google WiFi’s 464.3Mbps. The Nest Wifi Pro has Wi-Fi 6E installed and can achieve a maximum combined speed up to 5.4 Gbps if it uses all three radio bands simultaneously. Wi-Fi 6E’s other great feature is that Google’s Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, and the upcoming Pixel 7 Pro can all take advantage of the faster speeds provided by this wireless standard.

Large coverage and plenty of room for expansion

Nest Wifi Pro units can cover up 2200 square feet. The two-pack covers up to 4,400 square footage, while the three-pack can cover up to 6,600 sq. feet. You can buy additional Nest Wi-Fi Pro units if your apartment or home is smaller.

Google mesh routers are unique in that you can have as many as five units per network, which allows for coverage of up to 11,000 sq. feet. To avoid interference, Google recommends not exceeding five units. You don’t need the most powerful wireless extenders, as Nest Wifi or Nest Wifi Pro are capable of covering large homes with strong Wi-Fi signals.

Supports up 300 connected devices

The original Nest Wifi supported up to 200 devices. However, the Nest Wifi Pro is capable of supporting up to 300 devices. Although this may seem like a lot, if you have a smart home with smart lights, smart speakers, and other connected devices, it will be a surprise at how fast you can exceed the limitations of a traditional router. The Nest Wifi Pro will allow you to connect all your smart home devices.

Nest Wifi Pro can also prioritize devices. The inclusion of MU–MIMO allows each unit communicate with multiple devices simultaneously.

Parental control

Nest Wifi Pro comes with parental control software that can be used to set a Wi-Fi schedule for your children. You can now restrict access to your Google Home app during dinner or bedtime using the Family Wi-Fi Settings menu.

You can also use Google’s SafeSearch technology to block potentially harmful content. This feature is available on both the Nest Wifi as well as the Nest Wifi Pro. Netgear charges a monthly subscription to allow you to set daily bedtimes and time limits for your Orbi mesh routers.

Support for Matter and Thread

Google will also add Matter support to the Nest Wifi Pro to allow it to manage up to 300 connected devices. Although this feature will not be available at launch it will make it easier to add Matter-enabled devices into your smart home.

Google has posted a blog article stating that Nest Wifi Pro includes a Thread border router. This allows you to connect Threat smart device to your home network, and it can also help you save electricity thanks to Thread’s low-power mesh.

REASONS TO SKIP GOOGLE NEST WIFI PRO

Glossy design

Mesh routers are not meant to be hidden in corners or hidden away from view. They must be placed throughout your home to provide the best coverage. The Nest Wifi Pro has a glossy finish that will make them stand out, whereas the Nest Wifi Pro is softer.

The Nest Wifi Pro base

This is a subjective decision, but you want a mesh router system that matches your home decor. The Nest Wifi Pro does not have any mounting hardware so these units can’t be mounted to the ceiling or wall. The rubber bottoms of each unit look similar to the Google Nest Mini’s base. This means that they won’t move around when placed on a counter or bookshelf.

Inadequacy of Ethernet ports

Although the Nest Wifi PRO’s Wi-Fi speed will be faster than its predecessor, it still ships with only one Ethernet port. While this won’t cause any problems, many smart home devices such as outdoor security cameras like Eufy Edge Security System will ship with an Ethernet hub that must be hardwired to the router. Although an inexpensive Ethernet switch may solve the problem, it can take up space and detract from Nest Wifi Pro’s minimalist design. The Netgear Orbi WiFi 6E RBKE963 is a mesh router that offers many Ethernet ports and all the bells and whistles.

Internet speeds limited to gigabit

Although gigabit internet is only now available in the U.S. for some, many home internet providers offer multi-gig plans. The Nest Wifi Pro will not be able to fully benefit from the multi-gig internet plans offered by AT&T, Verizon, AT&T, Verizon, or Xfinity. Google’s new mesh router will come with two gigabit Ethernet ports, and no multi-gig ports. The Orbi mesh router has a 2.5G Ethernet port. However, the new TP Link Deco XE75 Pro is a more affordable option.

Not compatible with backward compatibility

The best thing about upgrading from Google Wifi and Nest Wifi is the ability to use older devices. Nest Wifi allows you to use your existing Google Wifi devices as satellites to extend your mesh network. The FAQ section of the Nest Wifi Pro page at Google’s Store states that “Nest Wifi Pro does not work with older generations of Nest routers or Google Wifi points”.

You won’t have the ability to add any of your existing devices to your mesh network, which makes it an ideal opportunity to switch to another mesh ecosystem. If you own the top Alexa speakers, switching to Amazon’s eero mesh routers may be a good idea. The 4th and 5th Generation Echo Dots can act as mesh extenders, adding 1,000 feet to your home network.

Wi-Fi 7

Wi-Fi 6E, the most recent wireless standard, is already in use. However, Wi-Fi 7 will arrive soon with faster speeds. Wi-Fi 7 can transmit data at almost 5.8 Gbps, which is nearly twice the speed of Wi-Fi 6E. Wi-Fi 7 is almost as responsive as Ethernet when it comes to response time.

It might be worth it to wait until you have Nest WiFi if your router is not yet very old. For those who are heavily invested in Google’s ecosystem you will likely have to wait for the Nest Wifi Pro follow-up. This could take up three years due to the time it takes between Google Wifi’s release and Nest Wifi’s.

Preorders for the Google Nest Wifi Pro are available at Amazon and Google. They will ship October 27.