Question 1

do you have to hard wire all three to an Ethernet cable ? I only have 1 Ethernet drop in my house?

Accepted Answer

You don't have to hard wire all 3... just the first one. You will get better performance if you DO hardwire all three, but the idea behind the system is that it creates a mesh network... basically a cloud of internet access that is spread across all three access points. The signal will degrade the farther you get from the primary puck, but should still be good throughput.

I have Google Fiber here in KC and the TV boxes are Chromecast enabled. The Google Wifi system won't work with those boxes unless you switch them to bridge mode, defeating the purpose of the mesh network. So sadly, I will be ebaying my Google Wifi... but lots of people are giving them positive reviews.

Question 2

Do I still have to have an internet provider?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you need an Internet Provider to provide you Internet access.  The Google Wifi (3-Pack) is a system designed to expand the wifi coverage area in your home.  It's useful if you have a large home and/or multiple floors.  A Internet Service Provider is required for the system to work.

Question 3

Do these units have any Ethernet ports for hooking up to wired network?

Accepted Answer

Yes, each wifi unit has 2 Ethernet ports.  On the first unit, one goes to the cable modem and the other goes to the the LAN (usually a Ethernet switch).  On the satellite units, you can use one of the wired ports to connect to the wired lan (so the wifi unit connects via Ethernet) and the other to a computer, network switch or other wired device.  In my house, I connect 3 of  my 4 of my Google WIFI devices via wired Ethernet, giving me the best possible speeds everywhere.

My forth device is used to connect the game consoles to the network.  Because I do not have Ethernet in that area, I use the wireless mesh functionality of the wifi devices.  The satellite unit is connected to another unit wirelessly, allowing me to use the 2 Ethernet ports to connect wired devices in to the unit. Those devices then act as if they are on the wired LAN.

Question 4

Do I still have to have an internet provider?

Accepted Answer

Yes.  Google Wifi is not an ISP.  It only provides wifi for your existing internet service.

Question 5

Can you add a 4th or 5th Unit to the 3-pack system for even larger homes & backyards?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can keep expending the wireless network, as long as they are in range of each other.

Question 6

Any way to confirm that this will ship on 12/10? Other sites either aren't allowing a pre-order of the 3-pack or have no date?

Accepted Answer

Apparently not. My pre-order is now showing a date or 12/29.  The other sites where able to figure out something that New Egg didn't.

Questions & Answers