topic Re: Question about Nest WiFi Pro in Nest Wifi

Question about Nest WiFi Pro

tonyt76 — Tue, 29 Aug 2023 21:05:57 GMT

I have a Nest Wifi Pro as my router (Basement) and a second connected by ethernet backhaul (Living Room).

If I click on the connected devices list, they all show that they are connected to (Basement)

Is this because the Router hands out all of the IP addresses?

I was hoping that the devices would state which Point that they are connected to. (Basement or Living Room)

None of the devices say, connected to Living Room.

Thanks everyone.

Re: Question about Nest WiFi Pro

MichaelP — Wed, 30 Aug 2023 14:32:49 GMT

Hello @tonyt76

The Google Home app will show which access point each WiFi client device is actually connected to in the WiFi details for that device.

Client devices decide which access point to connect to. Some know how to switch between access points, and some don't. Fixed devices mostly don't. I suspect what's happening here is when the Nest WiFi Pro system starts up, the primary/router unit begins offering WiFi service first, so all of the devices jump on that. Later (even if "later" is a fraction of a second later), when the secondary Nest WiFi Pro unit starts offering service, the clients in that area don't care – they're all still happily connected to the primary/router unit and stay there. You might try power cycling those clients to see if they connect to the closer Nest WiFi Pro.

Re: Question about Nest WiFi Pro

tonyt76 — Wed, 30 Aug 2023 22:12:47 GMT

Thanks @MichaelP

Literally all of my connected devices say they are connected to Basement, none are connected to Living Room. Could I have defective hardware?

Re: Question about Nest WiFi Pro

MichaelP — Wed, 30 Aug 2023 23:04:49 GMT

Did you try restarting any of those devices to see if they connected to the nearby Nest WiFi Pro after a restart?

Is your secondary Nest WiFi Pro unit connected via Ethernet to the LAN Ethernet port on the primary/router Nest WiFi Pro?

Does a mesh test show that secondary Nest WiFi Pro as having a "great" connection?

Answers to these questions will help figure out what may be going on before jumping into an assumption that the hardware is defective. That's not impossible, but it's... unlikely.

Re: Question about Nest WiFi Pro

tonyt76 — Wed, 30 Aug 2023 23:08:00 GMT

Yes I restarted the device in the same room as the nearby Nest WiFi Pro, it did not switch over.

I have FIOS connected to the WAN port on #1, LAN port on #1 to a network switch, then ethernet from network switch connected to the WAN port on #2.

Mesh test states "great" connection.

Re: Question about Nest WiFi Pro

MichaelP — Thu, 31 Aug 2023 13:17:41 GMT

Ok, this helpful information. I have a few more questions:

What type of device are you using to test?

What band is it connecting to? 2.4GHz, 5GHz, or 6GHz?

Do you happen to have anything like a soundbar near that device? In particular, one that supports a wireless subwoofer or wireless surround speakers?

What type of Ethernet switch are you using? Make+model would be ideal.