2 Nest WiFi Router instead of 1 router and 1 point

[Mikegod]

This have been answered in a different post i think by "MichaelP", but this was a little bit of a year ago, so, i will ask the following similar but kind of different question. 

Current prices as per 12/1/2023

The Nest WiFi Router is in the Google Store at $59.
Router + Access Point at $269.

Can I just buy 2 Nest Wifi Router, configure the first one as Router and then the secon done as Point? and this way safe a looot of money? Heck! I can even buy 3 Routers and have signal Underground and still not reaching the $269 :), also the Router have more WiFi power than the point, so.. Is there something here I am missing?

[MichaelP · Accepted solution]

Hello @Mikegod 

Wow – that's a great price for a Nest WiFi Router unit by itself. It's even cheaper than a single Nest WiFi Point unit. It's cheaper than a single Google WiFi unit, too.

So, yeah – you can buy a couple Nest WiFi Router units, configure one as the primary (connect it to your internet service via Ethernet first, get it set up, etc.), and then configure the second one as a "Point". If I recall correctly, when you use the Google Home app to set up the second one you have to tell it your setting up a "Point" rather than a "Nest WiFi Router" and just follow the instructions from there.

Nest WiFi Router units have AC2200 4x4 WiFi radios in them, which are more capable than the AC1200 2x2 radios in the Nest WiFi Point units. They also have Ethernet ports, so if you really want to maximize coverage and performance, you can connect that secondary back to the primary via Ethernet to skip the wireless mesh interconnect.

[1step]

Hey MichaelP -

Might you elaborate some more on this?

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@MichaelP wrote:

so if you really want to maximize coverage and performance, you can connect that secondary back to the primary via Ethernet to skip the wireless mesh interconnect.

 What do you mean connect the second back to the primary? 

Better yet, might you guide me a bit on the following:
I have Nest wifi router + 3 points. Router is on south end of house and can't be moved centrally (house is cat 5 wired and all cables terminate in this room to a 16 port switch). I have dead zones on the north side.

Want to add a second/third router via ethernet cable ... but the cable terminates into the switch (which of course is plugged into the primary router).

Since you said the second router needs to ethernet to the first router, I am now confused 😮

Is this possible?  Thanks

[MichaelP]

Hello @1step 

This is really a different question, but I'll try to answer succinctly here. "Primary" is shorthand for the Nest WiFi Router unit you have directly connected to your internet service via Ethernet through its WAN Ethernet port. "Secondary" is shorthand for any Nest WiFi Point units or Nest WiFi Router units deployed as points. Your Ethernet switch should be connected to the LAN Ethernet port on your primary Nest WiFi Router unit. That way any other wired devices will be part of the inner network created by the primary Nest WiFi Router unit.

Nest WiFi Point units do not support Ethernet, so connecting them back to the primary via Ethernet isn't an option. Having your primary in one end of the house is definitely not optimal. Wireless secondaries should be no more than one or two rooms away from the primary. From there, they can provide coverage to more distant clients.

Adding another Nest WiFi Router unit as a secondary can help by connecting it back to the primary via Ethernet instead of the 5GHz wireless mesh. But, it needs to be connected into the primary unit's LAN port -- not into an outer network. It will not act as a base station for nearby wireless-only secondaries (it has to drop off the mesh interconnect when wired).

[1step]

Thanks for the reply.

So if I am interpreting what you said correctly, adding a router as a secondary would take over the LAN port so now I would have no place to attach my switch to the network...so not a good solution for me.

Sounds like unless I am able to relocate the router to a more central location, I am doomed to dead zones. 😞

[MichaelP]

No. Your primary LAN port should be connected to your unmanaged Ethernet switch. A secondary Nest WiFi Router can connect to that switch and be placed anywhere you need coverage. 

[1step]

Aha...so exactly the opposite of how I interpreted it! Not the first time I've done that. Thanks again

If you can endure one more question: my current router is model H2D. When I add the new one, is it best to follow suit with the same model or can I use one of the newer GAxxxx varieties?

[MichaelP]

As long as what you buy is labeled as a "Nest WiFi Router" and is manufactured for the region you live in (and your existing system was also manufactured for that region), it should work. Even a Google WiFi unit would work. What will not work would be a Nest WiFi Pro unit.