
Why does Alexa / Google Nest harm wireless networks? - puggo
I work for a WISP and do lots of housecalls where the internet has gotten slow.<p>I&#x27;ve learned a strange lesson through repeated experiences: After checking all other known variables, the question must be asked:<p>&quot;Ok, do you have an Alexa?&quot; (or Google nest).<p>A surprising amount of the time the answer is &quot;Oh yes!&quot; and by unplugging it, we find it&#x27;s as though we had performed a technological exorcism. All the bandwidth demons are gone.<p>It&#x27;s not only a bandwidth thing. Google Nest and Alexa completely crowd out other devices, and do something to the router where you can&#x27;t even get an IP without powercycling it. I don&#x27;t mean to be vulgar, but Nest and Alexa seem to gang rape everything on the network.<p>I haven&#x27;t taken it as far as bringing one home and watching it&#x27;s activity, to spy on the spy. One thing I can confirm, though, is that the bandwidth issues do not always come from Alexa &#x2F; Google using the internet.<p>I&#x27;ve seen a lot of WISPY people on hackernews, so I thought I&#x27;d throw this question out there.
======
wmf
Somehow tens of millions of people don't have this problem. Is there a
particular router model involved?

~~~
puggo
Generally Netgear, TP-Link, and sometimes Microtik are used. Netgear and TP-
Link seem to both have the same clash.

------
ironfootnz
Probably uploading people's voices to their Data Centre and may take a bit of
the bandwidth.

------
puggo
Also it's Ubiquity network. May be relevant.

