Nest Wifi is rubbish - How to throttle devices/network?

Joined
12 Feb 2006
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17,192
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Surrey
really regret buying Nest Wifi as pretty much every feature i want from it is missing.

at the moment we're having an issue with tenants using up enough of the bandwidth that it brings everything else to a crawl.

we have 100mb virgin, but as soon as someone is downloading a game on their console, even if only going 30gb download, the internet bascially is unusable.

i wish to throttle that device, but this isn't possible. only priority can be given to a single device, but not good if using a phone while streaming something on the tv.

anyone know of a solution how i could reduce speeds for devices?

we can create a guest network which we're looking to do, but even then, that network can't be limited stupidly.
 
Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
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3,506
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If you’ve got a small number or tenants I think I’d probably take a blunt and brutal approach. Ubiquiti UAPs, create an SSID that has bandwidth throttled to 20Mbps,or whatever is appropriate, and give them credentials to that. Create a separate SSID for yourself if needed with different credentials and no throttle. I’m sure other kit can do the same and the proper answer is probably QoS but I’ve never had much luck with it.

You could also leave your mesh and use a router that bandwidth limits by device (or good QoS configurability). I do this with a wired device I have and a pfSense router. Easily defeated with MAC spoofing or if they change their kit unless you want to introduce VLANs. None of this is that easy unless you’re better than average with networking. Someone may be along with a more user friendly solution.
 
Soldato
OP
Joined
12 Feb 2006
Posts
17,192
Location
Surrey
a more user friendly approach would be appreciated :p though i'm capable of learning how i'm sure, especially with the help of you fine folk.

i'd rather avoid paying if i can as Nest wifi having 2 routers and 1 AP, and then 3 repeaters, is far more of a cost than i care to normally pay. one of my most recent biggest waste of money if i'm honest.

now i'm thinking about it thanks to your suggestion, i guess i could change the virgin router from it's current modem mode, back to router mode. then give the tenants the virgin routers network while limiting the bandwidth entirely and have nest wifi just for us to use and the google home devices, assuming the virgin can be limited while allowing nest wifi to have the full bandwidth possible. could work but the coverage would be poor from just the virgin router. i'd prefer to continue just using nest wifi
 
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Associate
Joined
27 Dec 2005
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32
A crude way, you could always reconfigure their ssid to 2.4ghz only and possibly disable N.

That way they would only connect at up to 54Mbps and theoretical throughout would be 60% of that or their connect speed. So think, 10-30Mbps. Plus 2.4ghz can be intensely crowded.

Leaving 5ghz on a separate ssid for you
 
Soldato
OP
Joined
12 Feb 2006
Posts
17,192
Location
Surrey
thanks but i'd be looking to get £300 to recover some of the costs as i've got 2 routers and 1 ap which cost £388 new. i'm stuck simply because i've invested enough money in this and too stubborn to admit there's better, cheaper options out there.
 
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