A Further Clarification on extending Google Wifi

This is a further clarification on extending Google wifi that I composed but did not send to the Old Mountain View Yahoo Group.

++++++

Since I have received a number of direct emails asking questions about the security issues with extending Google Wifi using the Buffalo Converter, I thought I would explain a little further.

First it helps to understand how the BC is normally used / marketed.

Let's say that you have internet service already and have a wireless network in your house.

Now you find you have several devices in a corner of the house that do support a wired (LAN) connection, but not wireless, e.g. a Blueray DVD player, an Xbox...

You have a number of options, but they may be expensive or limited: you can extend your LAN wiring to that corner of the house back to the main router, you can look to powerline ethernet (I have used this very nicely), and so forth.

Or you can buy one of these "converters". The converter connects to your existing wireless router and brings the wireless signal to this box and then you can plug your devices (up to 4) into this box. For $60-$90, that's not a bad tradeoff, particularly since the BC has a number of features particularly targeted for this scenario.

The security risks in this case are minimal assuming that the central wireless router / SSID that you are connecting to has been properly secured to begin with. In fact, the BC has an automated utility that might work with your existing wireless signal.

In this case with the Google WiFi, we use the BC a little differently in that the converter is connecting to a wireless source that is not secure (Google does have a secure version). Therefore you are only as safe connecting to this unit as you are to connecting to DSL or Comcast without a router (and maybe less) or using Google WiFi out on the street: make sure your computing device is properly protected.

Therefore, if you are using the BC to connect to the normal Google WiFi and bring it into your house, I would strongly recommend plugging in separate router (wireless or not) into one of the ports on the BC and only using those LAN ports or the wireless network that you set up on that router. Even the "wired" / LAN ports on that router will typically have good, basic security enabled. And of course if it has its own wireless capabilities, you can set up that properly as well.