Google picks KCK/KCMO for ultra fast fiber network

[flyingember]

^The rate is pretty slow. I'm in Westport zip and still don't have it. They have my building wired but not my unit yet even though schedule was for last Fall. Will be surprising if they complete N/S KCMO by end of 2015, but would be good news if they can perk the pace up.

multi-unit buildings take way longer than a single family home. they can spend as much time fishing conduit between two floors as it takes to drill and caulk a single family home. I saw the pace of the google fiber install in the multi-use building I'm in. walked around with the guy who controls the condos for our part. spent an hour just identifying the backbone path. then when they built conduit to it on the outside they spent hours at that

they've already promised to pick up the pace and have the cable all installed by the end of the year. they're well into neighborhood conduit install

[earthling]

Finally have install scheduled for Friday, yay.

So I also got an invite in mail to participate in Nielsen ratings. I haven't decided yet but wonder if it works with GFiber TV.

[earthling]

Does anyone know if the Feds/agencies who run HUD/Section 8 type housing are paying for wiring up those buildings? Google appears to do all or nothing with multiunit buildings and works directly with property owners/condo associations.

[mean]

I'm 99% sure I'm the only person in Independence Plaza on this board, but with ZERO NOTIFICATION from Google, apparently we can now re-pre-signup for the next round, with a final signup date of June 19th. I signed up on the very first day it was originally open, checked every box I could find for "keep me informed of Google Fiber blah blah," and even so, the only reason I knew about it is because some friends in Raytown and up north were bragging that their fiberhoods had qualified. Naturally I was compelled to check the status of mine.

Totally bush league. Google sent no notification of any kind, neither to my email nor to my snail mail, so I can't imagine they notified anyone else. I have no idea when the signups re-opened, but I am 99% sure I am the only person who has signed up. I believe we needed 40 total last time and, after my signup, we still need 39. And Google hasn't bothered to tell anyone they can sign up. There's no advertising of any kind anywhere in the neighborhood. I can't find anywhere to get yard signs. It seem futile, like they expect me, and me alone, to successfully evangelize to 39 other people--people who may or may not have far more pressing matters, like whether they can afford enough food--to make this happen.

Maddening.

[earthling]

Just got hooked up.. speed directly connected on ethernet...

[KCLover]

Anyone know anything about NKC (Northtowne) getting it?
It seems we were completely left out here and I'm sure it has something to do with the LinkCity city owned cluster of a bad decision.

[earthling]

My review of Google Fiber here...
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r291576 ... ansas-City

[bobbyhawks]

My review of Google Fiber here...
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r291576 ... ansas-City

Very nice review. One way I have gotten around the lack of a "favorites" feature is to use the previous channel button on the remote. It retains the history of something like 10 channels. During the NCAA tournament, I had to navigate to the 4 or 5 channels I wanted available, but then after that, you can hit "previous" and scroll over to the channel you would like to bring up. I found this actually more convenient than TWC's favorites while using it, though you lose some of the benefit as you browse to non-favorite channels. Looking in the product forum, it sounds like they are also working on a way to hide channels in the guide you never use or care to see. I think there is already the ability to hide channels you are not subscribed to.

[earthling]

^Thanks. Would like to see a way to setup custom Guides like in Windows Media Center. You can name Guide listings so each person in house can have their own favorite listing.

[SWFan]

My neighborhood in the Northland (near Liberty) reached its fiberhood signup goal yesterday. Not sure what the timeline will be later this year for actual installations. About 1/3 of our neighborhood had Google Fiber conduit being laid the last two months, but that activity has mostly stopped here in the last two weeks. No utility markings anywhere in the other 2/3rds of the neighborhood.

[flyingember]

they said they want to get the actual fiber to each home by the end of the year, at that point it's all about scheduling installs

the activity you saw was just the backbone conduit into each area. you'll know when there's actual fiber going in because you'll see the boxes installed over their conduit access panels

[NDTeve]

I'm sure has been brought up ad naseum but no AMC is a bitch. Watched the Pilot of "Turn" on Itunes and its another great AMC show that I don't want to wait to come out on netflix!

Get it done Google!

[earthling]

I imagine a lot of GFiber users will torrent AMC shows. AMC would be better off coming to agreement with Google as they don't seem to go after torrenters.

[pash]

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[earthling]

I've been tinkering with the Network Box (router) and using my own and noticed that my Google router is setup using same SSID name for 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz WiFi, which can be an issue. Newer devices/computers that support 5Ghz WiFi may at times connect at 2.4Ghz, which is slower.

I picked up the Samsung Galaxy S5 this weekend and it supports 5Ghz WiFi. It gets up to 180Mbps on 5Ghz WiFi but 'only' 50+ on 2.4Ghz. The first 3 are Google Fiber tests, the last 3 are on Sprint 4G network.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/381 ... %20GS5.png

On the Nexus 7 tablet that is included with TV service, I get 50Mbps on 2.4Ghz and 100Mbps on 5Ghz.

This only matters for Gigabit users, not the 'free' 5M service.

Need to go to Advanced settings to change name of one of them if not already different.

- click on My Fiber in Google account
- click on Network button
- click on Network Box
- enable Advanced interface if not already
- copy the password
- click on Advanced Interface
- login with admin and your password

- once in Advanced settings, click on Wireless tab
- click back and forth between 5Ghz and 2.4Ghz (tab under WiFi tab)
- Look at Virtual Network section and check if SSID name is the same for both
- If so, click on the Action pencil, change the name so they are different then Apply
- reboot Network Box just to confirm

You might want to name 5Ghz SSID with 5G on end of whatever name you use.

Now go to device that supports 5Ghz and use the 5G SSID name when connecting to WiFi. If the 5G name doesn't appear as available in WiFi list but the other name does, your device/computer probably doesn't support 5Ghz WiFi.

More here...
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r291576 ... ansas-City

[pash]

.

[earthling]

Yeah, that's a good point as I'm in a condo so would rather be 5Ghz at all times. Some devices that start at 2.4Ghz won't go back to 5Ghz when able to get signal - if the same SSID name. Is worth trying and if you lose 5Ghz often, can go back to using same name for both. Or, once you setup password for both with different names on the device/computer side, you could set 5Ghz name as 'preferred' (on some devices/computers) and it will go to 2.4Ghz if it can't find 5.

Might also be better to use 5ghz as primary in apt/condos because more likely to have a lot of closer neighbors with WiFi and 2.4 is more susceptible to interference than 5.

Edit: Actually, if you have multiple TV boxes, they can be turned on as WiFi repeaters. So if in a large house with TV boxes distributed around house, is possible to get solid 5Ghz covering entire house.

Edit: I just tried gong back to using same name for both 2.5/5 and even though in same room, performance is well under 100Mbps. It seems it won't even connect to 5G in the same room at times. Then set back to two different names, the 5Ghz performance clearly kicks in, consistently over 150Mbps on my new phone, and now up to 190.

Is worth trying this if wanting to get the most out of your Gigabit connection. But it depends on how each device/computer behaves when 2.4/5Ghz Net Box have the same name.

[bobbyhawks]

Not really Google Fiber-related, but I noticed my parents' Apple TV was very confused by 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz signals that have the same SSID. After diagnosing that problem, I think I will definitely play around with renaming the 5Ghz network and making it prefered (as I also add my AC router to the mix). I also got a Galaxy S5 and am so far impressed with the speed of that thing on my Fiber wifi. My first speedtest with the S5 was 51 down and 28 up with the default GF wifi setup, but I can't wait to try out the AC on both my laptop and the phone. I've been too lazy to set it up considering the default wifi has worked fine so far.

[earthling]

I have an N router that I've been tinkering with but am thinking about trying an AC router via Costco Online (easy to return if no improvement). But the S5 phone is only mobile AC device I have I think and my two main laptops are usually hardwired when docked. The included Nexus 7 tablet doesn't do AC. AC does give 5Ghz more range due to beam forming. More here...
http://www.zdnet.com/the-five-things-yo ... 000017112/

Edit: Looks like Asus AC68U is only one out so far that does 802.11ac Wave 2, and is a top performer for distance...
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2082233/ ... ingly.html

BTW, for those attaching your own router, be sure to enable AP Mode on your router as it will put in the same network segment as Google's router, allowing say Fiber app on phone/tablet to see the TV Box.

Would also recommend to anyone planning to use GFiber to buy computers/devices with 802.11ac if available from this point on. Google doesn't support it yet but can be done now with own router or a future one Google puts out.

[KCMax]

Most neighborhoods in south Kansas City, Grandview and Raytown will be sold Google Fiber

Google Inc. has decided to sell its TV subscriptions and ultra-fast broadband connections in south Kansas City, Grandview and Raytown in all but two neighborhoods....

Both of the neighborhoods that missed Google’s most recent cut are in Raytown. One neighborhood is bordered roughly by Raytown Road, 59th Street, Blue Ridge Cutoff and 52nd Terrace. The second area is broadly east of Blue Ridge Cutoff, south of 83rd Street, west of Elm Avenue and north of 87th Street.