TP-Link OnHub: Google router in the first test

The OnHub, an online router that is currently only available in the USA and Canada, is coming up in the spring of 2017 – the designers have come up with something new: unlike most competing products, the OnHub surprises with an elegant, simple housing in the form of a vase. If the device is pelletized from the packaging, the next surprise will follow.


Coupling with sound sequence


There is no web menu for router settings via the IP address of the Onhub. Instead, the router is set up solely on the smartphone or tablet using the Google app, which is initially assigned a Google account.


Conclusion


The connection between Smartphone and OnHub is done by holding the microphone of the smartphone on the top of the router with a loudspeaker. The OnHub now sends a short audio signal to the smartphone, which reminds a little of the small Starwars droid R2D2 - and both devices are already linked.


Lesetipp


Then choose an SSID and a WPA2 password for the OnHub WLAN. With a sound cloud, the Google router now sets up the WLAN network and is then fully operational. As an account owner, you are the owner of Google Onhub and controls all on-hub settings from the smartphone.


Lesetipp: WLAN standard 802.11ac in detail


The remote access to the OnHub, for example from the mobile network, now also works. With our test sample, we had connection problems in the 5 GHz band, because the OnHub, which was intended for North America, had radioed on the channels 149 to 161, which were not permitted in the United States. Channel settings are not provided in the menu of the on-app - and also many other rout-typical settings. OnHub should do everything automatically.


We advise you to wait for the official release of the OnHub Router in Detmold and not to import US models.


However, OnHub does not offer a WPS button to connect other WLAN devices. The annoying password-typing in webradios or TV-remotes is not spared. Annoying also that the USB 3.0 port of the OnHub still does not work. The same applies to the hardware-already integrated Smarthome functionality (ZigBee) of the router, which should also be upgraded by firmware.


The TP-Link OnHub proves that a router does not have to be an ugly battle dilemma and can be set up by everyone. Google should quickly remove the very limited functionality and the current beta status (USB 3.0, Zig-Bee) of the OnHub.