Google Nest WFI via Powerline connection

[JR7]

Hi all,

Maybe a simple question, but just want to check my proposed network solution for our newly built garden room will work.

Currently have a Nest wifi mesh network in the house (router and one point) that works perfectly, along with some devices connected via TP Link powerline plugs, that also work.  All connected to the outside world via a Virgin Media fiber connection.

We have built a garden room about 40 meters from the house that has power running down to it off the main switch board in the house

I was planning on buying another Google Nest mesh Router (not point) and to plug that into a powerline plug in the garden room to give it connection to the virgin internet connection.  I know the powerline tech works over this cable as it used to run into a shed where I had a server running.

I assume I will have to set this new Nest router up as a new wifi network (it won't mesh with the house network, too far away), which is fine, as long as it will work in this set up over the powerline connection?

Ideally I will then have smart switches in the garden room that I can link to my google home app and then voice control from the house.

Does this make sense, and will work ok?

Many thanks in advance for any advice

Jason

[olavrb]

It should work, even as a additional point to your existing network. This is called wired backhaul.

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

[MichaelP]

Just to add one more detail to this. As @olavrb says, you can set up another Nest WiFi Router unit as if it were a point unit, and connect it back to the primary Nest WiFi Router's LAN Ethernet port (you could also buy a less expensive Google WiFi unit and set it up the same way). But, since you mentioned setting it up as a new network, I wanted to caution that that actually won't work. You can't set up one Google/Nest WiFi network inside another one. So, you'll need to follow the instructions in the link @olavrb sent in any case.

If it is far away, I would set it up as a wireless mesh point in the same room as the primary Nest WiFi Router unit first and give it a chance to get settled and update its firmware if necessary, etc. Then, I'd connect it via Ethernet (still in the house) and confirm it shows up as being "wired". Next, I'd connect it via powerline (again, still in the house) and once again confirm it shows up as being "wired". Finally, I'd move it out to the outbuilding and connect it via powerline out there and confirm it all works as expected. These extra steps can help isolate where any issues may be – if you just "skip to the end" and it doesn't work, it can be hard to know where to look for the issue.

Good luck!

[JR7]

Hi both

Many thanks for the info, really useful and much appreciated.  All makes sense I think.

When I referenced a new network in the garden room I was meaning effectively a new wifi SSID, as the house google mesh network doesn't reach out to the garden room (it gets about half way!).  I am visualizing it as two wifi bubbles (separate SSID's), attached to the same hardwired network via the powerline cable out to the garden room.  I think this is what you were meaning.  The garden room will be connected via the powerline cable into a basic switch I have in the house (into which is also plugged the telly, and a raspberry pi media player), The Google wifi router is connected to the switch  and then the other ethernet port on the google wifi router in the house is connected into the back of the virgin media router, which I think is what you mean by "down stream"?  i.e. all the other devices are off the switch, which is "downstream" from the primary google wifi router.

Good point also that I don't actually need a Google nest wifi router in the garden room, something cheaper would work (but I am rather fond of google kit!)

Thanks again

Jason   

[MichaelP]

Hello @JR7 

You do not need to use a different SSID for the garden room. If your powerline network is connected to the LAN port on your primary Nest WiFi Router (directly or through a switched Ethernet network), then a wired secondary in the garden room can be part of the same network with the same SSID.

Moreover, you cannot create a new Google/Nest WiFi network inside another Google/Nest WiFi network.

So, something like this:

ISP Router <-> Nest WiFi Router WAN

Nest WiFi Router LAN <-> unmanaged switch

unmanaged switch <-> TV, Raspberry Pi, etc.

unmanaged switch <-> powerline adapter (house)

powerline adapter (garden) <-> Google WiFi or Nest WiFi Router as secondary/point

[Jeff]

Hi, JR7.
I just wanted to jump in real fast to see if you saw the latest reply from MichaelP and to see if you still needed some help on this or if you were able to get it sorted out. If you are still needing some help, just let us know and we'll be happy to continue helping.
Thanks.

[JR7 · Accepted solution]

 Hi MichaelP & olavrb, 

Sorry for the late response!  Happy to report all set up yesterday and working well, followed your guidance and set up a google wifi point in the house, and then moved to the garden room using the powerline connection and all working perfectly.

Thanks for your support

Cheers

Jason

[Jeff]

Thanks for the update, JR7. I'm happy to hear it's all sorted out for you now! Big thanks to olavrb and MichaelP for the help on this one. Before I mark this one as resolved, is there anything else you might need, JR7? If there's more we can do, just let us know.

Thanks!

[Jeff]

Hi, everyone.
Just one quick final check in here since activity has slowed down. We'll be locking the thread in the next 24 hours, but if you still need help, I would be happy to keep it open. If there's more we can do, just let me know.
Thanks.

[JR7]

All good for me, solution fully working, thanks again for the support

[Jeff]

Sounds great, JR7. Thanks for the update. I'll go ahead and mark this one as resolved. If you need anything else in the future, please feel free to open up a new thread.

Thanks.