- Google rolls out update for Nest Wifi router ahead of US router ban
- The ban has not taken effect, but could significantly reduce router options
- The Nest Wifi router is a solid choice, but we think Asus and Netgear are better options
Google has decided to proceed with its next firmware update for the Nest Wifi router and Nest Wifi hotspot despite the latest ban on Wifi routers manufactured outside the United States.
The update was spotted by 9to5Google, which said the company updated the changelog entry on April 24 with “stability and security vulnerability fixes.” According to the outlet, the Nest Wifi router now runs on software version 14150.883.231 and the Nest Wifi hotspot is on version 1.56.3.497142 – the latter of which also doubles as a Google Home speaker.
This is the first software update for the Google Nest Wifi hotspot since May 2025, while the Next Wifi router’s most recent update was released in October 2024, meaning its April 2026 update marks exactly a year and a half since the last one.
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Back in March, Google rolled out a new update to the Nest Wifi Pro to improve mesh stability, security, and performance, but that came before the FCC announced a ban on “consumer routers” that are “produced in foreign countries,” per its ruling.
Although the ban has not yet gone into effect, it could pose a pretty big problem for consumers, as the vast majority of WiFi routers are manufactured outside the United States, even those from American tech giants like Google. Ultimately, this will make purchasing American-made WiFi routers even more difficult for two reasons: the first being that few routers on the market are made in the United States anyway, and the second being growing user demand, which would ultimately put more pressure on companies to produce new models to keep up.
However, as it stands, the Google Nest Wifi router is still safe to purchase and use, while the ban is still pending. When it comes to the best WiFi routers, the Nest Wifi router isn’t among them, but that said, each of our favorites is made outside of the United States.
Taking the top spot is the TP-Link Deco BE63, a capable model with free content filters for parents, while the Asus ROG Rapture GT-BE98 remains our best premium option due to its high-speed wired connections, making it perfect for gaming enthusiasts. Even the Netgear Orbi 373 is a reliable, budget-friendly, and easy-to-install option, but although Netgear is an American company, its products are manufactured overseas.
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