Support our independent tech coverage. Chrome Unboxed is written by real people, for real people—not search algorithms. Join Chrome Unboxed Plus for just $2 a month to get an ad-free experience, access to our private Discord, and more. Learn more about membership here.
START FREE TRIAL (MONTHLY)START FREE TRIAL (ANNUAL)
An update to Nest Wifi (13729.57.19) Nest Wifi point (1.54.253765) and Google Wifi (13729.57.15) devices brings several improvements that users should be aware of. M89 not only includes general security, stability, and performance improvements but also expands work from home traffic optimization options. While ‘Preferred activities’ rolled out back in November with support for Google Meet and Zoom video conferencing and Stadia for gaming, you’ll see new options for Microsoft Teams, Slack, GoToMeeting, and Webex once you receive the update.
This means that when you are utilizing any of the above applications on your active device that is connected to your Google router of choice, you will experience improved Wifi performance compared to other activities as Google purposely directs more bandwidth to it. Amidst the work from home transition that we’ve all found ourselves in, these new additions are welcome.
More importantly, at least in my opinion, is the inclusion of a new ‘Network insights’ section of the Google Wifi Home app feed. Here, you’ll find ‘Priority events’, or simple instructions on why your Wifi connection is suffering and how you can resolve it. For example, if your network is slow because of network congestion, Google will recommend that you reduce your usage or upgrade your internet speeds. Simple, straightforward, but effective.
Below, you will find the rest of the improvements that will come with the M89 update. Please keep in mind that this is still actively rolling out to all users, so it may be a few days before you receive it. Do you use any other services for work from home that you hope Nest Wifi and Google Wifi include into its awesome Preferred activities feature? If so, please let us know in the comments.
Additional Improvements for M89:
- Nest Wifi router support for hub-free, seamless setup and local fulfillment of supported BLE devices (C by GE)
- Improved client and mesh connection reliability
- Improved compatibility with Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) networking infrastructure
SUBSCRIBE TO UPSTREAM
Get Chrome Unboxed delivered straight to your inbox
Upstream is our flagship, curated newsletter with the top stories, most click-worthy deals, giveaways, and trending articles from Chrome Unboxed sent directly to your inbox a few times a week. Join 31,000+ subscribers.
