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Google to end support for OnHub routers in 2022

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Re: Google to end support for OnHub routers in 2022

#21

Post by quaintdev »

lgleason wrote: post #5

It is stuff like this, where they take perfectly usable hardware and turn it into a paperweight that exposes the hypocrisy of any of their pro environment/green talk. The right thing to do would be to give us the option of uploading firmware that allows us to update settings etc. after that date like is done with older routers.

On their search page they mention that they have been carbon neutral since 2007.

I had like to ask them what about the millions of perfectly usable phones that had to be ditched because of Android and the vendor lock ins.

Re: Google to end support for OnHub routers in 2022

#22

Post by aagha »

akaij wrote: post #15
ms7m wrote: post #9

> You won’t be able to update things like Wi-Fi network settings, add additional Wifi devices, or run speed tests. Wow, I'm not familiar if users are forced to use the Google Home app, but that seems a bit drastic to stop users from even changing the most basic settings?

> I'm not familiar if users are forced to use the Google Home app Yup. On a related note: I haven't been able to find a way to root it for OpenWRT. Does anyone know of any resource, other than the OpenWRT website, that could be helpful?

Seems some work is happening on this:

https://openwrt.org/inbox/toh/google/google_wifi

Re: Google to end support for OnHub routers in 2022

#23

Post by matt_heimer »

ms7m wrote: post #9

> You won’t be able to update things like Wi-Fi network settings, add additional Wifi devices, or run speed tests. Wow, I'm not familiar if users are forced to use the Google Home app, but that seems a bit drastic to stop users from even changing the most basic settings?

The dedicated apps are being discontinued across the board. I have Google mesh Wifi system and get told that "Your network was migrated to the Home app" when launching the Google Wifi app. You can continue and it still works so far. You can also use the Google Home app now if you want to manage your wifi settings with a worse UX.

Edit: Being forced to use an app is not new. If you visit your routers ip address you get a single page that links to the app for the app stores. Funny enough it still links to the Google Wifi app and not the Google Home app.

Re: Google to end support for OnHub routers in 2022

#26

Post by tandr »

jeffbee wrote: post #19
tandr wrote: post #10

Oh Google... People do not care when it was introduced - people care for support from the time when the last one got sold!

The TP-Link OnHub is still for sale on Newegg right now. I don't see how Google can control the behavior of retailers of 3rd-party hardware.

They still advertise it on their own website https://on.google.com/hub/?main=retail , so they expect it to be still selling.

Re: Google to end support for OnHub routers in 2022

#27

Post by bochoh »

I could see them doing this if they hadn’t already migrated the OnHub devices to the new google home app that controls the new Nest WiFi devices. It’s not like the control plane is going away here - the hard work of migrating to their new cloud has already been done.

Re: Google to end support for OnHub routers in 2022

#28

Post by wtallis »

jeffbee wrote: post #19
tandr wrote: post #10

Oh Google... People do not care when it was introduced - people care for support from the time when the last one got sold!

The TP-Link OnHub is still for sale on Newegg right now. I don't see how Google can control the behavior of retailers of 3rd-party hardware.

> I don't see how Google can control the behavior of retailers of 3rd-party hardware.

That hardware bears trademarks that Google controls, so it's not purely a third-party product. Google may not be able to prevent retailers from selling off their remaining stock, but they should at least be able to prevent the manufacturers from sending any more to retailers, and inform retailers that the products are discontinued.

Re: Google to end support for OnHub routers in 2022

#29

Post by 14 »

quaintdev wrote: post #21
lgleason wrote: post #5

It is stuff like this, where they take perfectly usable hardware and turn it into a paperweight that exposes the hypocrisy of any of their pro environment/green talk. The right thing to do would be to give us the option of uploading firmware that allows us to update settings etc. after that date like is done with older routers.

On their search page they mention that they have been carbon neutral since 2007. I had like to ask them what about the millions of perfectly usable phones that had to be ditched because of Android and the vendor lock ins.

Carbon neutral is not the same as filling the landfill with plastic and electronic waste. Just because they use solar power for energy has little to do with other environmental impacts.

Re: Google to end support for OnHub routers in 2022

#30

Post by ClumsyPilot »

jeffbee wrote: post #19
tandr wrote: post #10

Oh Google... People do not care when it was introduced - people care for support from the time when the last one got sold!

The TP-Link OnHub is still for sale on Newegg right now. I don't see how Google can control the behavior of retailers of 3rd-party hardware.

How come smaller companies like Zyxel and Asus have solved this problem decades ago? Maybe because they support their hardware for years after they stopped producing, so the stock clears?
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