Google announces OnHub, "a different kind of router"

[abaxas]

Surely what the world needs is someone to produce well designed, built and supported routers that only have the features people actually need. The issue is people buy on specification and as we know, this has nothing to do with quality.

Ie anything by d-link, netgear, asus, tp-link, etc is crap and Draytek and billion are reasonable.

Why must be endure such el-shyto routers, grrrrrr!

[Saracen]

It's also interesting that Google has made a point of saying it's "a different kind of router" without in any way qualifying that statement. A big brotheresque router would be different, but it doesn't mean I want to pay £200 for it.

/fits hat. Ah, better.


I don't want a Google-router if they pay me £200 to take it.

Actually, revise that. I'll take a dozen at £200 each. Per week. They should just about fit in my dustbin.

But actually use one? Hell, no.

[Chadders87]

As much as this sounds good, its Google. I will suffer with my old poor Wi-Fi, which disconnects very rarely, as the price for keeping some of my browsing private from them.

[shaithis]

Good specs, nice sounding app to monitor and admin it and I am quite a fan of TP-Link if your looking for value.

Would be nice to know what sets it apart from other routers though and whether there are any valid privacy concerns.....

Although I now want an app on my phone to check usage and tweek QoS! (Web browser not good enough on a phone screen)

[Platinum]

Cant imagine it will be to long until someone takes one apart / digs deep into the firmware to see what is if anything being sent to Google.

Who is this for anyhow? 90% of users will just use the router BT / Sky supply and the rest will be power users who will get something else anyhow.

Liking the interface though, simple to use yet has pretty much all you need.

Im running a Airport extreme at the moment, bought for the wireless performance, pretty much got top marks in all reviews, and setup is a piece of cake.

[cheesemp]

Google and TP-Link are two of my preferred companies at the moment so i'd be happy to buy one if the price wasn't so high. Very happy with my TP-Link Archer C2 - can't beat the value + reliability for a sub £40 AC router. Its not been rebooted in 6 months and beats the old home hub 4 for single strength round the house.

I really don't get the google hate here... Plenty of other companies slurp up data on you all the time but at least google are open about the fact.

[ajones]

TP Link..., Yea ill pass.

Never had a problem with TP Link hardware, it's their software that sux.

But, I agree with the general sentiment that giving Google the chance to see every bit of data that shunts through my house is just not going to happen. Although, between Google, Amazon, Apple and the lamppost, "they" already know what you are going to do tomorrow!

[devBunny]

"Saracen mode" - Hexus-speak for now but one day it will be a world-wide meme. Billions of people will enjoy life in full Saracen mode! :-D

[devBunny]

I really don't get the google hate here... Plenty of other companies slurp up data on you all the time but at least google are open about the fact.

Are there really plenty? Is it really to a level of "all the time" that's comparable to Google? Do these others have the same reach, the same depth and breadth of ambitions for getting into people's lives, the same once-laudable-but-now-suspect code of ethics?

[LeetyMcLeet]

At first glance it reminded me of that rubbish bin Apple do/used to do lol.

Also, the 'problems' shown in the video appear to be internet service related, rather than router related lol, so buying one would be a waste of money.

[virtuo]

I really don't get the google hate here... Plenty of other companies slurp up data on you all the time but at least google are open about the fact.

I don't hate Google, I use an Android phone, Chrome web browser (usually), Maps, Drive, GMail. In honesty I couldn't live without Google, but I opt in to those services knowing that my behaviour is extrapolated in to anonymous data or used to display adverts that I block anyway. I can live with that.

I don't see why Google should be interested in getting in to the home router market just because they think the whole world is plagued by spotty wireless connections.. There's plenty of companies building products with decent wireless capabilities (especially at that price point). I think the "problem" they are spouting in this launch isn't really a problem. And if it was there's no solid proof yet that this device will solve it. It's making people think they need something that quite likely benefits googles data hoarding more than the customer.


Knowing that Google make their money based on selling stuff to you (targeted by your browsing habits and other data they colect), it feels like a router inside your house that can see what devices you own, what your non-internet traffic looks like and most likely comes defaulted to their DNS just feels a bit much, and I can't put any confidence in a device even if it is wholly innocent and does nothing of the sort.

If they wanted to do something to boost wireless, sink some money in to signal amplifying bricks, or wallpaper with antennas in it.

[shaithis]

I don't see why Google should be interested in getting in to the home router market just because they think the whole world is plagued by spotty wireless connections.. There's plenty of companies building products with decent wireless capabilities (especially at that price point). I think the "problem" they are spouting in this launch isn't really a problem. And if it was there's no solid proof yet that this device will solve it. It's making people think they need something that quite likely benefits googles data hoarding more than the customer.

I would assume that it is a precursor to Google Fiber.

[virtuo]

I would assume that it is a precursor to Google Fiber.

Possibly, seem a bit pricey to be bundled.

Not actually heard much of GF lately, what's the rollout looking like?

[mikerr]

At first glance it reminded me of that rubbish bin Apple do/used to do lol.

Yes, and by the same token manufacturers should realise there's now a big market for tech that looks asthetically good, as well as specs.

[kingpotnoodle]

The spec sheet looks like it also has Zigbee and Bluetooth, a speaker and a Trusted Platform Module - so that's additional to most routers right there.

I'm guessing there is going to be a home integration/automation angle, perhaps spoken alerts or voice commands (like Amazon Echo) and some use of encryption, or encrypted connections.

It looks intriguing but I doubt I'll be dumping my trusty Mikrotik anytime soon, I've always preferred to keep my WiFi and router separate, fiddling with and upgrading the latter is far more common whereas my router just chugs along.

[Tpyo]

So... how long before someone gets it hacked to clean the Google off of an otherwise nice piece of kit?