Is the NETGEAR Nighthawk AC1900 (R7000) good for use with Google Wifi?

It's not quite the best of both worlds

When you piece together a component system like a custom PC or a late 80s brushed steel Hi-Fi stereo system, it can feel like everything works if it will fit and the only sacrifices you make come from your wallet. Your home network isn't going to play so well with other components. The problem isn't a lack of standards so much as an overabundance of them.

It is possible to use the NETGEAR Nighthawk AC1900, a traditional wireless router, with Google Wifi, a mesh network, but they will fight each other a bit if they aren't set up in a specific way. The most common setup for using both is to disable the NETGEAR's wireless and use it as an ethernet switch. This, however, doesn't make a ton of sense given the abundance and affordability of fast standalone wired network switches.

Instead of useless redundancy, play to your strengths

Consider for a moment which devices you want to get online. If you have transitioned into an all wireless setup then the Google Wifi alone will serve you well. If you want the reliability and immediacy of a wired connection on some of your devices, you may want to add a wired network switch. It is well understood by the gaming community that the vast majority of missed shots are due to internet lag after all, so it might be worth it to keep your gaming machines wired. So, what does your ideal network have in it now?

Once your modem turns rugged, uncivilized outdoor signals into an internet connection in your home, you connect your modem directly to the primary (hopefully the most central) Google Wifi point. Utilizing an extra ethernet port located on the bottom of the Primary Wifi point, connect to the uplink of your switch. Consider something like the NETGEAR Nighthawk S8000 switch. With this eight port switch, you can connect several wired devices to your Google Wifi and even have capacity to run ethernet directly to your Mesh Wifi points for improved speed on your wireless mesh network as indicated by Google's supported setups.

Setting up a network isn't the easiest thing in the world, but if you consider your needs, the vastness of available networking tech will allow you to create a network that fits your needs and your home.