David Briddock explains why OnHub is no ordinary wireless router
These days Google seems to make technology news headlines almost every week as it continues to diversify from its search and online ad origins. Driverless cars, touch-interactive textiles, green power technology and even smart contact lens for diabetes patients are just a few of its well publicised innovations. This time they’ve teamed up with networking device manufacturer TP-Link to build the Google OnHub router (on.google.com/hub).
Making It Simpler
The drive to build a new router came about after the company started an exercise to analyse how people cope with current wi-fi technology in the home. As Google product manager Trond Wuellner says, “We spent a lot of time with people who were having all kinds of trouble with their wi-fi.”
Wuellner has been at Google for eight years. Having spent much of this time working on wireless connectivity for Chromebooks he knows a thing or two about setting up and managing a wif-fi network. He certainly understands it’s a big problem for some, and thinks he can help. Wuellner believes the Google OnHub is sleeker, more reliable, more secure and, most importantly, much easier to use than any of the other long-established alternatives; he could well be right. So let’s check out the details and see why Google think they’ve moved the router technology goalposts.
Home-centric Design
One of the most striking things about OnHub is the way it looks. This is entirely intentional and an important goal in Google’s longterm plans. Google and TP-Link say that a router performs at its best when it’s out in the open, say placed on a shelf or cabinet, where its antennas aren’t being blocked in any way. As Wuellner says: “Many of us keep our router on the floor and out of sight, where it doesn’t work as well. We discovered that when you put a router on the floor, versus on the shelf, the one on the shelf performs twice as well as the one on the floor.”
So an attractive design is key to ensuring a prominent placement. On first glance OnHub looks a little like a vase. That’s intentional as this kind of shape means it’s less likely to be covered over in the interests of interior design. The outer shell is removable so the colour can be changed to suit the setting. Currently there’s only blue or black, but Google say more colours are on their way.
So as not to compromise the clean design lines the traditional array of blinking or solid LEDs has been omitted. Instead the top of the OnHub cycles through different colours, with Green signifying all is okay.
Advanced Hardware
Inside the OnHub there’s a unique circular array of 13 antennas. Twelve of these are dedicated to broadcasting signals; six operating at 5GHz and six at 2.4GHz. The final antenna is used to measure congestion within the network. Google asserts that with this configuration, speeds of up to 1900Mb/s are possible.
The device constantly monitors channels and frequencies to ensure the wireless connections operate at peak levels. While the congestion-sensing aspect is designed to obtain the best possible range and data speed in all situations.
One of the flip-sides of the concentration on aesthetics, however, is that OnHub isn’t big on ports. It’s only has a single free Ethernet port, after the other is connected to a WAN modem. Plus there’s a solitary USB 3.0 port at your disposal for basic file sharing. Considering the relatively high price a few more ports would no doubt be welcomed by many. However, as Google is keen to emphasise on the product page, the OnHub is, “built for all the ways you wi-fi.”
Smart Software
As you’d expect OnHub supports the latest in wi-fi and Bluetooth standards, but the onboard software is pretty smart too. During setup, OnHub searches the airwaves and selects the best channel for the fastest connection. Working away in the background the software utilises the unique antenna design to automatically adjust the radio elements to avoiding interference and optimise performance. Wuellner expects most people will be able to set up OnHub in a few minutes. You can even prioritise a device so that your most important activity, say streaming a favourite show, gets the fastest speed.
In addition OnHub adapts to the evolving needs of its owner because this smart software is regularly updated to unlock new features and deliver new services.
It’s a similar concept to the automatic software upgrades Google provides for its Chrome browser or its Chrome operating system running on all those Chromebook PCs. And to support whatever the future might bring there’s an impressive 4GB of internal storage space. Most importantly the router is designed to be managed via a brand new mobile app called Google On.
The On App
As we’ve seen OnHub is no ordinary wireless router. Yet it’s the Google On app that simplifies the whole user experience. Available for Apple iOS and Android the app borrows a few tricks from Google’s popular Chromecast dongles.
Start the Google On app on a smartphone or tablet and it’ll instantly pair with OnHub, using sound as part of the process (the OnHub has a built-in speaker that emits a special pairing tone). The app then walks you through the network setup process. After selecting a username and password, the app offers a simple way to securely send the password key to family or friends; other app settings allow the user to define what data is to be shared.
When the top is glowing green, everything is fine. While an orange glow means you should consult the app to find out what’s going on.
The app does more than just router setup, however. You can spot-check a network, prioritise a connected device (say one that’s currently streaming video) and troubleshoot a connection – and none of these operations require technical knowledge you would need if you were working with a conventional router.
While we talk of routers, it’s worthy of note that the device is called the OnHub and not a router. Similarly, the app is called On, rather than something like ‘Router Management App’. The reason for these open-ended names is that Google has intentionally left itself plenty of room for future expansion. Not just to enhance OnHub capabilities but to handle other devices as well.
The bigger plan is to deliver a Google-branded gateway to the inter-connected world that bridges the gap between PCs, tablets, smartphones, wearables and a host of smart homecentric devices and appliances. To help deliver this grand plan, under the covers the OnHub uses Google’s new Weave language. Another of the big announcements from Google’s I/O 2015 event, this language is designed to help appliances and connected-home devices talk to each other and integrate. Examples of devices it is intended for include intelligent thermostats, smart lightbulbs, digital door locks and so on.
Weave Language
Weave was introduced at Google I/O, its annual developer event held back in late-May 2015. It’s a crossplatform language that lets devices talk to each other, both directly and via the cloud. The syntax is based around a common command handling concept. So, for example, an ‘unlock’ command that opens your digital door lock could unlock any number of other smart devices if applied to them.
Google will introduce a Weave certification program to ensure all compatible devices will be able to talk to each other. In addition you’ll be able to communicate with devices through voice commands. As Google’s Sundar Pichai said at the event, “We hope we can connect devices in a seamless and intuitive way.”
Weave is design to complement Brillo, a brand new operating system Google hopes will be installed on millions of small, display-less and keyboard-less internet-of-things (IoT) devices.
Data Privacy
However, for some, Google’s expansion into wireless routers may ring alarm bells. They remember previous well-publicised privacy incidents. For example how, in 2008, Google started to collect data from wi-fi networks in homes and businesses around the world; a situation that lasted for over two years. And the 2010 acknowledgement that its digital mapping vehicles had been intercepting emails, passwords and other sensitive information sent over unprotected wi-fi networks.
As a result of this so called ‘Wi-Spy’ affair Google payed out $7 million in 2013 to settle allegations of illegal eavesdropping in the US. Obviously it would be all too easy for Google to capture OnHub data or ensure it works better for Google services than for others; say YouTube rather than Netflix. However, Wuellner promised none of this is happening when he said, “We’re actually really proud of the work we’ve done around making sure OnHub is a trustworthy and secure member of your family.” Wuellner went on to say, “We’ve drawn a very strong, hard and fast line around inspecting any information or websites about the content you’re looking at in your home.”
What’s more, as we mentioned earlier, there are app settings that give OnHub owners control of data sharing. This is another indication that Google is keen to repair the bad reputation gained through its previous faux pars by putting users in control of data privacy.
Google still stores personal information sent over the Internet via OnHub when its related to its search engine or other services such as GMail (depending on related user-set privacy control settings within the service). But, of course, this is what happens regardless of the router you’re using.
The New Alphabet
In August Google co-founder Larry Page surprised everyone when he announced the formation of Alphabet (abc.xyz). What’s the reasoning behind this move? Well, as Google pushes further away from its search and advertising fields it’s led to frustration among investors who believe the company is spending far too much of its revenue on these high risk ventures. Therefore, this new company encompasses all of Google’s diverse activity streams and side projects. For example Google is now just an Alphabet division – albeit an immensely large, important and profitable one. Nest, the Google acquired smart thermostat company, is another division.Just how many divisions there will ultimately be, and what they’ll focus on, is unclear. Innovations like its smart textile technology Project Jaquard (goo.gl/QmGQHW) and the secretive augmented reality project Magic Leap (magicleap.com) are two division candidates.
Google has a financial incentive for making the Internet more accessible and less frustrating. Simpler access means more people will run to its world-dominant search engine, as well as YouTube and Gmail. It hopes OnHub owners will spend more time online interacting with a Google services and clicking on those profit-making ads.
Reliable wi-fi is important to Google for other reasons. It wantsto sell more home appliances and other equipment that require wireless connections to the Internet. For instance the new Nest division already sells thermostats, smoke detectors and video cameras that are utterly dependent on wi-fi access. Further supplementing this vision is Google Fiber, an ultra-fast Internet service that will soon, we’re assured, be available in more than 20 US cities. The firm is even building balloons that fly around the world beaming connectivity down to Earth. In a separate move, Google is also preparing to offer Android smartphone subscriptions plans.
These, and many others, are all candidates for Alphabet divisions. Indeed, the OnHub Router could well find itself in one of these new companies-within-a-company; maybe something like the Nest division, perhaps?
Nest
Google acquired Nest (goo.gl/vxxTBy) in January 2014, much to the surprise of its investors. At the time it seemed like a strange decision, but today the pieces are falling into place.
Nest (nest.com/uk) captured Google’s attention with its smart thermostat product (goo.gl/YlY7Q7), which learns then imitates your heating settings behaviour. It’s also controllable from an smartphone. Since then, helped by generous Google funding, Nest has expanded its range.
The smart smoke/CO alarm (goo.gl/Kng66g) embodies an industrial-grade smoke sensor and carbon monoxide detector, but one that speaks with a human voice, automatically tests itself and lasts up to a decade. If the alarm identifies a problem your smartphone will receive an immediate alert, which identifies which part of the building is being effected and offers advice based on the nature of the problem. And you can silence the alarm directly from your smartphone.
With the Nest Cam (goo.gl/mGcVvC) you can monitor your home from a smartphone, wherever you happen to be. Features include secure HD 1080p video streaming, advanced night vision, motion alerts and a 130° wide-angle view; although you can also zoom into areas of interest. Apart from a free-standing setup the Nest Cam can be mounted either magnetically, to a wall or by using a tripod.
All of these different products are designed to integrate with a single Nest app.
Product Availability
The TP-Link manufactured OnHub went on sale for $199 in stores in the U.S. and Canada during late August and early September. It’s also available from Google’s own online store and other large online stores like Amazon.com (goo.gl/HTfHkA) and Walmart.com (goo.gl/WLENrp).
At the time of writing the OnHub availability picture for Europe and the rest of the world isn’t at all clear, though. Google does appear to have a similar Asus-made router in the works at the moment, which has led many to speculate that this could be the model intended for European and Asian marketplaces? It is possible this could even come with a different specification. Say some extra ports, perhaps? There has been no formal announcement from the company, though.
The Competition
As we’ve seen OnHub represents the latest phase in Google’s mission to make it easier for people to get online. It’s a key part of Google’s plan to lower the cost and accelerate the speed of Internet connections.
While it’s significantly more advanced than pretty much any other router, the OnHub’s home-centric design puts it in direct competition with the Amazon Echo (goo.gl/aQ6Zhq), which is also vying to be your connect-everything-to-me router. Surprisingly, Apple’s Airport Extreme (apple.com/uk/airport-extreme) isn’t much competition for the OnHub in terms of being visually attractive, but there’s no doubt Apple is keen to take control of your household wireless connectivity needs in the same way Google is, especially now it has the Apple Watch in its product lineup and a soon-to-be-released range of health technology it’s developed via the Apple-IBM partnership.
The sudden appearance of OnHub may drive new updates of these routers, however, or spur manufacturers like HP to create more advanced devices; Microsoft may even decide to enter the party. As is often the case when Google enters a market, all of a sudden the wireless router world looks much more interesting.