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Creating wired connection between Google WiFi points

Mars1
Community Member

Hi all, 

I have the original Google WiFi mesh system with 3 points. 

It works reasonably well, but I've never been able to get 'Great' connection between the 3 points. It's pretty much said 'Weak' connection between the 3 points since I first set it up. I have a long narrow house and the main Wifi point is at one end of the house where the NBN connection comes into the house (Australia). 

Keep in mind while I am pretty tech-savvy, I'd consider myself a novice in networking. 

A few months back I set up a wired switch from the main Google WiFi point to wire in a computer in the room next to the main Google WiFi point which I needed to try and ensure a stable connection on - I run live events over Zoom as the host often with several hundred people watching, so need to ensure a pretty stable connection. 

Adding in this switch was pretty easy once I got my head around which cables I needed to plug into which points. All seems to be working great. 

I figured since that went well, I might as well go ahead and add ethernet cables between the main Google WiFi point and the other 2 pucks throughout the house. My roof has easy access so I can run the cables reasonably easily myself. Novice question: if I do this, will it mean that the wifi points are now all connected back to the modem via ethernet, meaning that the wifi signal they are sending out should now be increased because the connection between the three points is now 'Great' rather than 'Weak', because the connection between the 3 points is solid and not relying on WiFi? That is my current understanding. 

As I said above, a bit of a networking novice, so I'd really love some advice to see if my below scenario will work - main query is the order of linking between Switches and Google WiFi points. Note all switches will be unmanaged. 

In the current set-up, I have:

NBN box >- Modem with wifi turned off >- Main Google WiFi Point >- 1st Switch >- 2nd Switch in next room >- 2 x wired devices to this switch (then other 2 Google WiFi points connected to network using WiFi mesh in other points in the home).

Proposed new scenario (I'll remove the 2nd Switch in this layout just for ease of writing, but it will stay there, connected back to the 1st Switch same as above in this scenario):

NBN box >- Modem with wifi turned off >- Main Google WiFi Point >- 1st Switch >- 2nd Google Wifi Point >- 3rd Switch (to add TV, cable box, via ethernet) >- 3rd Google WiFi Point 

My main query really is, can I wire the 3rd Google Wifi Point back to the 3rd Switch in the above scenario, or, does it need to be wired back to the 1st Switch directly, or to the 2nd Google WiFi point directly? Or in other words, can I add that 3rd Switch into the scenario or will it mess things up?

I'm sorry if this is not clear, it's hard to describe in words but I hope I've done a reasonable job!

Many thanks in advance. 

 

1 Recommended Answer

olavrb
Platinum Product Expert
Platinum Product Expert

Here is documentation on what's referred to as "wired backhaul":

https://support.google.com/wifi/answer/7215624?hl=en

Best performance will be to connect all points to the same unmanaged switch behind the primary, directly. But "daisy chaining" switches, or also the points directly, will also work.

Ideally, i'd do the following:

  • 2nd point: Modem -> primary point -> 1st switch -> 2nd point
  • 3rd point: Modem -> primary point -> 1st switch -> 3rd point
  • 2nd switch: Modem -> primary point -> 1st switch -> 2nd switch

As little daisy chaining as possible.

Also, make sure you use dumb unmanaged switches only, else you might experience problems with STP (spanning tree protocol).


I don't work for Google.

View Recommended Answer in original post

6 REPLIES 6

olavrb
Platinum Product Expert
Platinum Product Expert

Here is documentation on what's referred to as "wired backhaul":

https://support.google.com/wifi/answer/7215624?hl=en

Best performance will be to connect all points to the same unmanaged switch behind the primary, directly. But "daisy chaining" switches, or also the points directly, will also work.

Ideally, i'd do the following:

  • 2nd point: Modem -> primary point -> 1st switch -> 2nd point
  • 3rd point: Modem -> primary point -> 1st switch -> 3rd point
  • 2nd switch: Modem -> primary point -> 1st switch -> 2nd switch

As little daisy chaining as possible.

Also, make sure you use dumb unmanaged switches only, else you might experience problems with STP (spanning tree protocol).


I don't work for Google.

Mars1
Community Member

Thanks so much for your reply. 

So basically, I *can* do what I was proposing, but it would be best practice to run the 2nd and 3rd points back to the 1st Switch, which sits straight after the primary point in the chain. 

That's fine, I can do that. I was only thinking the other way would save some time and money on the length of cable I'd need to buy and run. 

Would there be any issues with adding in that 3rd Switch as above? Using your writing layout (much easier, thank you!), this would then be:

  • 2nd point: Modem -> primary point -> 1st switch -> 2nd point
  • 3rd point: Modem -> primary point -> 1st switch -> 3rd point
  • 2nd switch: Modem -> primary point -> 1st switch -> 2nd switch
  • 3rd switch: Modem -> primary point -> 1st switch -> 2nd point -> 3rd switch

Or, would I need to run that back to the 1st switch too?

Also - when you say 'dumb' unmanaged switches, is that simply the same as unmanaged switches? Definitely planning to use unmanaged switches. 

Thanks so much. 

olavrb
Platinum Product Expert
Platinum Product Expert

Dumb unmanaged = Regular unmanaged, yep. Just emphasize on it not having any management/ smart features. 🙂 My go-to: Netgear GS108.

About going back to 1st switch: This is about reliability/ point of failure, but also shared bandwidth when daisy chaining. Daisy chain will work. Do whatever is best for you. But as little daisy chaining as possible is good, both for performance and reliability.

Oh, btw. I've experienced that data going from LAN to WAN (or the other way, doesn't matter) port on a Nest Wifi router seems to be routed back to/ through the primary. Because I found this to be much slower than being connected to a switch behind the point. Was transferring data from my PC to a NAS. So I'd avoid daisy chaing through Google Nest points, if possible.

  • 3rd switch: Modem -> primary point -> 1st switch -> 2nd point -> 3rd switch

^ It will work, but data going through the 2nd point might be slower than if connected through the 1st switch directly.


I don't work for Google.

Mars1
Community Member

I figured as much on the 'dumb' unmanaged switch, but as a novice it never hurts to confirm! 

All understood. I'll try to avoid the daisy chain and run everything back to the 1st switch. 

Thanks so much for your help! 

 

Jeff
Community Specialist
Community Specialist

Hi, Mars1
It looks like olavrb was able to share some good info and advice and it looks like you two got this sorted out, but I just wanted to be sure and to check up and see if there's anything else you needed. If so, just let me know.

Thanks!

Jeff
Community Specialist
Community Specialist

Hi, everyone.
As we haven't had any activity here recently I'm going to go ahead and close the thread. If you have more to add, feel free to start a new discussion.
Thanks