Using a VPN on Google Wi-Fi

Privacy & Security

Using a VPN on Google Wi-Fi

May 3, 2021

There are a lot of wi-fi providers out there these days, and a variety of options for setting up wi-fi in your home. Given its prominence in the industry, it is no surprise that tech giant Google got into the wi-fi game and offers both a wi-fi router and a Nest wi-fi enabled device. In this article we’ll talk about these devices offered by Google and explain how – and why - to use a VPN with Google wi-fi. 

Google wi-fi is classified as something called a “mesh” network. In brief, a mesh network replaces your router with multiple points, or signal repeaters. These talk to each other all the way back to the modem, replacing the standard single modem setup of traditional wi-fi. As described on Google’s site, “a mesh network is a group of devices that act as a single Wi-fi network; so there are multiple sources of Wi-fi around your house, instead of just a single router. These additional Wi-fi sources are called points.” 

Although mesh networks work in a different way than a standard modem setup, just like any wi-fi network it is absolutely essential to protect and secure your connection when using Google wi-fi. Using a tool like a VPN will help you do so. VPNs encrypt your internet connection to secure it and change your IP address to protect your true location and privacy. With Google wi-fi, VPN use is always encouraged. To use a VPN with Google wi-fi, you’ll need to follow a series of configuration steps. 

It's important to note that this post is not about the Google VPN, available to subscribers of Google’s “Google 1” services. Instead, it’s about using a VPN on a Google wi-fi device. That being said, due to Google’s repeated disregard for user privacy and tendency to collect, share and sell huge amounts of user data, we do not recommend the Google VPN as sufficient protection for your devices. When you use Google wi-fi with a trusted VPN, such as VyprVPN, your connection will passthrough layers of encryption to secure it and you can browse worry-free. 

Why Use a VPN on a Router?

To ensure your privacy and security online, it is important to use a VPN each and every time you connect to the internet. One way to do so easily is to install a VPN on your router. With a VPN for your router, all the devices in your home can be protected automatically. This means anything connected to the internet via the router - whether that is your phone, computer, tablet, smart TV or gaming devices -will enjoy the protection of the VPN. Using Google wi-fi along with a VPN will change your IP address, as well as: 

  • Protect all the devices connected to your home network 
  • Protect “nontraditional” IoT devices you may not even think about, such as a baby monitor 
  • Keep your data secure at all times - automatically 
  • Stop hackers and identity theft 
  • Stop your ISP from collecting information about your behavior 
  • Prevent throttling or a slowing of speeds by your ISP 

When using wi-fi, including Google wi-fi, VPN use is essential to ensure your connection remains protected. Using a VPN with Google wi-fi in particular is important, as Google is a notoriously invasive company that does not often do well protecting using privacy. They are known to collect massive amounts of data and information on their users, as well as snoop and sell this data to others or utilize it in their own advertising networks. They collect data from things like device location history, Chrome browsing data and myriad other places when you use their service. 

How to Use a VPN on Google Wi-Fi

Google wi-fi does NOT have 1st party support for VPNs, so there is no manual way to set up a VPN through L2TP or PPTP like on some other routers. To work around this, it’s recommended to get a  router that IS compatible with Google wi-fi. A VPN install for Google wi-fi can be! It just requires a bit of effort. Keep reading to learn how to install Google wi-fi with VPN protection. 

  • Chain the signal repeaters in a sequence with the VPN compatible device attached directly to the modem 
  • Connect the Google wi-fi to that router 

This process will allow you to receive the benefits of both the Google wi-fi and a VPN-enabled router. You can validate if your setup of the Google wi-fi router was successful by checking your IP address using this tool. If your IP address is changed, you are successfully using Google’s product with a VPN. 

VyprVPN for Google Wi-Fi

As you can see, combining Google wi-fi and a VPN is essential. It’s important to use a VPN with Google wi-fi to change your IP address and protect your privacy. Picking a trusted VPN such as VyprVPN ensures the best results, and offers great benefits such as a no-log policy, servers in 70+ countries and fast speeds with the WireGuard protocol. Ready to give it a Google wi-fi VPN a try? Get VyprVPN here.

Don't Wait Another Minute!

Get VyprVPN Now