SENSE router with Google Wifi or similar mesh system

Aandersen

Hi, could anyone point me to a step-by-step guide to getting the SENSE router to work with a Google Wifi or similar mesh system?

Thanks,

• Asbjoern

Sethu

Hi @Aandersen

Have you tried to performed the steps from this KB article?

Please have a look at this KB article which provides more information about having SENSE in a big house. I will also double check this with our SENSE team and keep you informed once I got response form them.

Sethu

Hi @Aandersen

Back to this, here is the answer that I got from our SENSE-team related to the compatibility with Google WiFi. 

They have not tested compatibility with Google Wifi yet, but in theory it should work.

There also might be some limitations. 

 In general, in order to get the full functionality in SENSE you’ll have to configure Google Wifi to bridge mode.

According to Google’s support pages you can do that but only if you’re using a single Google Wifi point.

https://support.google.com/wifi/answer/6240987?hl=en

In addition, you’ll lose some of Google Wifi’s key features when it’s in the bridge mode.

Aandersen

Hi, thanks a lot for the reply! Doesn't sound like Google WiFi is the way to go in relation to Sense then. What do you recommend for a mesh solution then?

Thanks,

- Asbjoern

Sethu

Hi @Aandersen

F-Secure SENSE in between your home modem/gateway and your mesh main unit would offer the same protection. Likely you’ll need to put the mesh main unit to bridge mode. Not all mesh systems support that, and some mesh system supporting it may lose some functionality or its features.

In addition, while SENSE protects your devices behind your mesh network, it won’t be able to see the devices individually. Instead, SENSE would see only one device, your mesh main unit. So this will limit the visibility to status and visibility to issues in your home network.

Aandersen

Thanks a lot Sethu! Do you have any concrete advice for mesh models where bridge mode would allow the mesh network to function properly? I'd be great with some actionable advice on what actually works here.

Thanks,

- Asbjoern

Aandersen

That's a pretty crucial feature to lose for a mesh system, to say the least (you could argue that this effectively means that the Sense router doesn't work with a mesh setup). Do you know any Mesh routers that do work with it (with the mesh functionality intact)?

Thanks,

- Asbjoern

Aandersen

Can anyone let me know what mesh router setup works with SENSE please (without breaking the mesh part)?

Thanks,

- Asbjoern

Sethu

Hi @Aandersen

As mentioned earlier, F-Secure SENSE does work with mesh systems but the functionality of SENSE and/or the functionality of the mesh network may become limited.

If you are looking for full functionality of your mesh, then we recommend NOT to use SENSE as we can’t guarantee support for all mesh devices, often based on proprietary technology.

We do recommend using endpoint security for personal devices (phones, laptops, tabs, etc.) such as F-Secure TOTAL in any case.

Aandersen

Thanks for the reply! What I'm interested in knowing if there's a mesh system that does work with the Sense router (without breaking the mesh functionality)? And if so, what brand/model?

If using the Sense router with a mesh system breaks that mesh functionality, well.. then it effectively doesn't work with a mesh system.

I'm of course hoping that it _does_ work with some models with mesh intact, hence my question on what mesh router to get for that.

Thanks,

- Asbjoern

Sethu

Hi,

We haven't officially tested with any mesh router in our test environment. For the reason, we are unable to suggests or recommend which model/brand of mesh router likely that are designed to work alongside them.

petercoffin80

Thanks @Sethu for your detailed replies. I was facing same problem but now my problem has resolved. Thanks Once Again

Aandersen

@petercoffin80 what issue was resolved here? I really appreciate @Sethu's replies too, but from what I understand, Sense is effectively NOT compatible with mesh systems, as it unfortunately breaks the very mesh functionality you'd be buying the mesh devices for in the first place.