If you’ve been following internet trends in Singapore, you’ll be familiar with the idea of mesh Wifi routers – a new kind of router system that uses multiple Wifi hubs throughout the house instead of a single one. Well, Google has just announced today (Aug 30) that they will be bringing in Google Wifi, their mesh router system, to Singapore as part of a partnership with Starhub.
As a mesh wifi router, Google Wifi’s key feature is providing complete and strong wifi coverage in all corners of a house. It eliminates Wifi dead spots in the home and is much more effective than Wifi range extenders in terms of speed and effectiveness. What sets Google Wifi apart from the likes of the competition is its simplicity, smart network features and security.
Easy Setup
Google Wifi can be set up via an app on Android and iOS easily – users just need to place their Google Wifi hubs in a nice spot, download the Google Wifi app, connect to the Google Wifi point to set it up, and repeat the process for all the hubs in the home. The demonstration we saw at Google’s HQ in Singapore seemed pretty hassle free and took no longer than five minutes or so to complete.
Automatic Optimization
Part of Google Wifi’s hassle free, simple approach also extends to its networking features – as Google puts it, there’s no fiddling required for it to work well. Google Wifi automatically connects the user to the nearest Wifi point and puts them on the least congested Wifi channel for the best Wifi experience possible. Google Wifi also automatically connects the user to the 2.4GHz band (longer range, slower speed), or 5GHz band (shorter ranger, faster speed).
Speed controls
Through the app, customers can see the bandwidth used by different devices and prioritise bandwidth according to users. They can also schedule downtime for the Wifi network at home and even limit the usage of a specific group of users. This feature is mostly designed with families in mind – the downtime can be useful when everyone’s home and it’s time for dinner, or when the kids need to stop playing their games and start studying, or go to bed.
Security – the best, and most important feature
One of the best and most important features in Google Wifi is its automated security functions. Many mesh routers such as Linksys Velop and Asus Lyra and conventional routers don’t automatically update their software – including the installation of security patches. Customers need to do this manually by downloading the firmware on the website and using a web interface or an app equivalent to manually install the software.
Alex King, Product Manager for Google Wifi, said that Google Wifi updates itself automatically in the background, and that the Google Wifi team pushes updates to the software every six weeks which include device optimizations and security updates. If there are extremely widespread security breaches, hacks and vulnerabilities, the Google Wifi team can issue security patches much faster than the usual six week cycle. Pricing and Availability – only available on Starhub
From Aug 31 onwards, Starhub customers in Singapore can purchase a three-pack Google Wifi bundle at S$15 per month for 24 months when signing up for or renewing selected StarHub broadband or bundled plans. The Google Wifi three pack will be offered at $0 no cost on several of Starhub’s plans, including the standalone 1Gbps fibre broadband plan, multi-service SurfHub plan, as well as on the HomeHub 1000 and HomeHub Go 1Gbps bundles. StarHub chief marketing officer Howie Lau mentioned that additional Google Wifi router on top of the three offered can be purchased by Starhub customers at S$199 per piece.
Although users can technically buy Google Wifi online and ship it to Singapore, Alex King, product manager for Google Wifi also added that it’s not advisable to import the product from the United States or other countries as there could be some networking issues or some legal problems with the Wifi signal strength or bands used.
UPDATE: Google Wifi is also available from ViewQwest. Furthermore, existing ViewQwest customers can upgrade their Wifi to Google Wifi for only $500! You can find out more at Comex, or here! Security Updates Are Important
We believe that with the increased level of hacking activity worldwide, the widespread reach of botnets, malware and other nation-wide security breaches – security updates for routers are more important than ever. At the RSA cybersecurity conference in Singapore last July, experts warned that hackers are getting better and faster at their craft – the moment a security vulnerability is patched, it is tested and tried by hackers – some of which are capable enough to find an exploit as soon as the day after it was patched. It’s great to hear that in an age where a silent cyberwar is being fought by black hats and white hats all around us, Google is going above and beyond to make sure that consumers are protected at the end of the day.
Singapore is the eighth market where Google Wifi has been introduced in. Singapore is the first country in Southeast Asia to have it, while Australia and New Zealand are the only other countries in Asia Pacific where it’s being sold. When asked about future plans to expand this offering to other countries, or to bring in the Google Home Smart Speaker or the Pixel Smartphone to Singapore – Google remained very tight lipped.
Stay tuned for our hands on review! |