Wi-Fi is a double-edged sword. It’s one of the most convenient things ever, but also one of the most annoying when it inevitably goes wrong. Google is hoping to take away the pain of running a dodgy Wi-Fi network with a new, smarter router called OnHub.
The OnHub is a Wi-Fi router from Google and hardware company TP-LINK which promises to keep your router out of sight and always connected.
When it first boots up, OnHub looks around for the most interference-free channel and starts broadcasting on it so you don’t get signal interruptions from gadgets like cordless phones or the other million wireless signals around your house. It then keeps adjusting that channel as required so your connection remains stable and interference free.
OnHub also allows you to prioritise traffic to one particular device so your streaming devices or even just your laptop can stay connected.
Google is making it easy to check the status of your OnHub router, thanks to its companion app which tells you everything you need to know about your connection on your iOS or Android device.
Google will be bringing similar hardware to market later on in the year from Asus, it writes in its blog post about OnHub.
It costs $US199, but unfortunately OnHub is only available in the US right now. We’ll pray that it comes to Australia soon to solve our Wi-Fi woes.
Update: Google Australia have told us this morning that there’s currently no local launch timeline for the OnHub. Sad emoji.