Voltage and general questions

[dhruv22]

Hello,

For this product:

1. Does the power adapter plug into a power outlet or usb? What voltages does it support? I will be ordering in Canada (110 volts) and gifting to someone where the voltage is 220 volts.

2. If you order the three pack, you get one router and two satellites, correct?

3. I am getting this as a Christmas gift for someone overseas. What is the return policy if it doesn't work well? 

4. Do these pods support "hey google" functionality?

 I have tried calling, requesting callbacks but it just doesn't work!

[MichaelP]

Hello @dhruv22 

1. All three products (Google WiFi, Nest WiFi, Nest WiFi Pro) plug into standard all power. They should all have modern switching power supplies that work across a wide range of voltages (110-220) and frequencies (50-60). However, the bigger issue is using a product configured for use in one region in another where the regulatory rules are different. This can lead to client devices not connecting at all, or only connecting at the slower 2.4GHz band. In addition, Google will not provide support for a product used outside the region it was manufactured and configured for.

2. The Nest WiFi product is available in a package with one primary (router) unit and two secondary (point) units. Google WiFi and Nest WiFi Pro use the same hardware for both roles, so when they are sold in three-packs, it is just a pack of three identical units in a single box.

3. Return policy will likely depend more on where you purchase it.

4. The Nest WiFi Point units have Google Assistant features. Nest WiFi Router units do not, and neither do Google WiFi nor Nest WiFi Pro units.

Again, I wouldn't recommend trying to use these products outside their intended region. They may work fine. They may appear to work fine (but actually perform poorly). They may not work at all. All three are possible for different devices connected to them. No support will be available from Google.

[dhruv22]

Thank you. I read this somewhere else too.

"However, the bigger issue is using a product configured for use in one region in another where the regulatory rules are different. This can lead to client devices not connecting at all, or only connecting at the slower 2.4GHz band. "

Is this truly a problem? I have read that manufacturers just avoid the channels that are banned and others saying the same thing as you. But, I guess I don't actually understand if it's actually a problem given that I've read manufacturers avoid those channels. 

I am not certain which is accurate.

"Return policy will likely depend more on where you purchase it."

I would order it directly from Google. I am not aware of any stores that have them.

[MichaelP]

Yes, it is absolutely a problem, especially for devices designed to be used in the U.S. or Canada, where they will use the 5.9GHz part of the band that isn't allowed in most of the rest of the world. That means any WiFi clients that are following the rules for that part of the world won't even see the 5GHz band being advertised by the system and won't connect to it. They will instead only see the 2.4GHz band and will connect fine to it. That works, but it is significantly slower than 5GHz. Google/Nest WiFi uses dynamic channel selection only in the 2.4GHz band, since there actually aren't that many available to choose from in the 5GHz band without also having to live with the more complex DFS rules. So, they are configured to use a single 5GHz channel.

I don't know what the Google store's return policy is exactly, but I imagine they'd accept it as a return – you'd have to help arrange that and I doubt Google would pay for shipping (they certainly wouldn't for an RMA).

[dhruv22]

You know what, I re-read your comment, and am confused. 

What this seems to tell me is that we support more frequencies than the rest of the world. So, if I take my Canadian phone and try to connect to a 5ghz network in another country, it may not use 5.9. but, the post does not say that we do not support frequencies that other countries do- it seems we support more. So, if we have a mesh network in another country using this device, it will support 5.9 and everything else on the 5ghz range as well.

Which part am I not understanding properly?

This article suggests it supports 5.4 "lo" and 5.4 "hi". Should "lo" not cover other countries (specifically India)?

https://www.androidpolice.com/nest-wifi-pro-6e/

"Wi-Fi Bands: Wi-Fi 6E, 802.11ax, 2.4GHz (2x2), 5GHz Lo (2x2), 5GHz Hi (2x2)"

Thanks!

[MichaelP]

The US does have more 5GHz spectrum allowed than most other countries. Most phones support all frequencies, since they are expected to be mobile and may find themselves in a country where other channels are being used. For example, someone from Europe may visit the U.S., so their phone should be able to see and connect to WiFi networks (like Google/Nest WiFi) that may be using the upper part of the 5GHz band, even though that wouldn't be allowed in Europe. The phone knows where it is and uses that information to select different regulatory rules to adhere to.

But, if you take a WiFi network (like Google/Nest WiFi) from the U.S. or Canada to another country, it doesn't know where it is, and will operate according to the regulatory rules of the region it was originally manufactured for use in (i.e., the U.S. or Canada). This means Google/Nest WiFi will be using the 5.9GHz (high) part of the band, even though that isn't allowed in that other country. Phones won't see that when they are there (regardless of where they were manufactured for use), since they know they are in a region where those channels aren't allowed. Some WiFi devices may see it, others may not.

[dhruv22]

Ok, so are you saying that this post saying where the new nest wifi pro supports 5ghz lo and hi is inaccurate? Will local devices that don't support the hi part not just ignore it and use the "lo" part?

https://www.androidpolice.com/nest-wifi-pro-6e/

"Wi-Fi Bands: Wi-Fi 6E, 802.11ax, 2.4GHz (2x2), 5GHz Lo (2x2), 5GHz Hi (2x2)"

[MichaelP]

This is the page with the official technical specifications for Nest WiFi Pro: https://store.google.com/product/nest_wifi_pro_specs?hl=en-US 

The hardware is capable of operating at either the lower or upper part of the 5GHz band. But, it is configured from the factory to use only one of those two. Units manufactured for use in the U.S. or Canada are configured to use the upper (5.9GHz) part of the band. Units manufactured for use in other regions are configured to to use the lower part of the band.

[dhruv22]

Hmm.. I only see this.. they don't say hi or lo.

2x2 (6 GHz)

2x2 (5 GHz)2

x2 (2.4 GHz)

[MichaelP]

Correct. As I said above, the hardware supports both high and low, but only one or the other depending on what region it was configured to be used in.

[Jhonleanmel]

Hey folks, 

We appreciate your help here, @MichaelP.
@dhruv22, I wanted to follow up and see if you are still in need of any help. Please let me know if you are still having any concerns or questions from here, as I would be happy to take a closer look and assist you further.

Thanks,
Mel

[dhruv22]

I am quite confused... I am seeing stuff on the web where people are saying previous generations have worked fine in India.. so .. I don't know what to think.

[MichaelP]

It's not that they don't work at all. It's that the 5GHz band may not be visible to clients. Those clients will still connect – they just may end up connecting at the slower 2.4GHz band.

[Jhonleanmel]

Hey folks,

@MichaelP, thanks for the help.

@dhruv22, checking back in should you still have some questions here. Let us know by replying to this thread. 

Best, 
Mel

[dhruv22]

It's now available in stores with a better return policy than Google. I may end up taking it and returning it if it doesn't work.

[Jhonleanmel]

Hi dhruv22,

I understand. Should you still have some questions here. Let us know by replying to this thread.

Best, 
Mel

[AbigailF]

Hey dhruv22,

Chiming in to see if you still need assistance with this. Let us know if you have additional questions ― we'd love to help.

Best,
Abi

[dhruv22]

Does anyone here actually work for Google? I don't see this thing about it being locked to the hi frequency in North America documented anywhere.

[Jhonleanmel]

Hi dhruv22,

The Google Wifi devices support both bandwidths. There are some devices like some appliances that does not have the capability to connect to 5.0 Ghz band.

Best,

Mel

[dhruv22]

That means it should work fine overseas then! I'm talking about 5ghz specifically. Obviously, I don't want to use 2.4. 

[Jhonleanmel]

Hi dhruv22,

We don't support USA-model Google Wifi, Nest Wifi, or OnHub devices in countries outside the US. This is because wireless regulations vary by country, so you may experience compatibility issues if you move your Google Wifi, Nest Wifi, or OnHub device(s) to a different country and Google will be unable to offer support. If you're setting up a mesh network, we recommend purchasing all of your Google Wifi points in the same country where you will be using them.

Best,

Mel

[Jhonleanmel]

Hey dhruv22,

Checking back in should you still have some questions here. Let us know by replying to this thread. 

Best, 
Mel

[dhruv22]

I gotta say it's been like pulling teeth. I still have two conflicting answers. I don't know who does and does not work for Google .. who is right who is wrong? I'm still in the same spot as before when I asked the question...It may work if one answer I recieved is correct, it may not work (on 5ghz properly) if the other (conflicting) answer is correct. Does everyone responding here work for Google? Which is right, which is wrong? @MichaelP says it's locked to the high ban@Jhonleanmel says it's not.. so still at square one!

[Jhonleanmel]

Hey dhruv22,

Sorry for the confusion. The general rule is that you need to use the Google Wifi within the same country you bought it from, otherwise it may not perform well if you use it in another country or it may not work at all. 

Best,

Mel

[dhruv22]

Well.. the confusion is about whether nest wifi pro is factory locked to high frequencies ONLY if purchased in Canada. This was previously stated by one member and contradicted by another. 

I still don't know if I am talking to google employees or not!

[Jhonleanmel]

Hi dhruv22,

If you bought your device is Canada and you're going to use it in India, we cannot guarantee that it will work as intended and the warranty does not cover cross-country usage. 

Thanks,

Mel

[dhruv22]

I'll let you guys know in a few weeks when I test it. Again, I am not asking if it is supported, I'm asking which of the two responses about being locked to the high band for 5ghz is accurate. I am trying to figure out if it will work properly or not.... I don't care about support. I really think it will work just fine. I'll return it if doesn't since I don't seem to be able to get an actual answer or technical documentation from Google on this. 

[Jeff]

Hey dhruv22,

Just to give you a little context about why it's a little iffy, most devices will function to varying degrees as they're moved from one region to another, but that has less to do with the device itself and more to do with the limitations imposed by the region itself. Some countries enforce different wireless standards, which can limit devices regardless of their capabilities. If you're going to be in a region where one  of our devices isn't officially supported, we suggest you buy something local that is intended for that market.

Thanks,
Jeff

[dhruv22]

I would if you guys sold it there lol...

No offense, but this is just restating what we know. 

I'm looking for Google to confirm if units bought in Canada are configured ONLY to use the high band as stated in this comment (someone later said this is not true, so which is it- does google "lock" it to only high in Canada or not.. I can't believe that they would that, it makes no sense since low is also allowed here):

"The hardware is capable of operating at either the lower or upper part of the 5GHz band. But, it is configured from the factory to use only one of those two. Units manufactured for use in the U.S. or Canada are configured to use the upper (5.9GHz) part of the band. Units manufactured for use in other regions are configured to to use the lower part of the band."

[dhruv22]

Yeah, I'm not sure what the fuss was about.. it works perfectly. Provides full coverage of the house and so far, I have tested with nearly 35 devices (many were phones) but no problem with any device at all. I didn't even bother to bridge the modem and it's perfect even without doing that. The only mistake I made was that I bought the Costco 4 pack. I wasn't sure if I'd need three or four. Three was plenty.

[AbigailF]

Hi dhruv22,

I'm happy to hear that you are able to set up your Google network successfully. I wanted to follow up and see if you are still in need of any help. Please let me know if you are still having any concerns or questions from here, as I would be happy to take a closer look and assist you further.

Cheers,
Abi

[Jhonleanmel]

Hi folks,

Chiming in to see if you still need assistance with this. Let us know if you have additional questions ― we'd love to help.

Best,
Mel

[dhruv22]

Nope. The answer my initial question is that a Google nest wifi pro system bought in Canada works just fine in India. Zero problems with any device (many tested). Wish I could have just gotten a straight answer from Google though to begin with.

[Jhonleanmel]

Hi dhruv22,

Thanks for letting the community know that it works. It looks like we can consider this one complete, so I will lock the thread shortly unless I can help out with anything else.

Best, 
Mel

[dhruv22]

No, nothing further. You can close this off. Thanks.

[Jhonleanmel]

Hi dhruv22,

You're welcome. Feel free to create a new thread if you have other questions or concerns.

Cheers,

Mel