topic Re: Does Nest Hub lengthen thermostat range? in Nest Thermostats

Does Nest Hub lengthen thermostat range?

Samclarke21 — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 19:43:09 GMT

Hi,

This will have been asked before, but I can't find it so sorry.

I have a Nest Learning Thermostat that is two floors away from my heat link in the basement. It just about stays connected, but I can't get it closer without removing it from the 'upstairs' zone.

If I bought a Nest Hub and put it halfway between the thermostat and the heat link, would that improve the connection? Would it act as a mesh point?

I do not have Google mesh WiFi.

Re: Does Nest Hub lengthen thermostat range?

MplsCustomer — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 19:47:39 GMT

@Samclarke21

The Nest Hub does NOT function as a Wi-Fi access point for your thermostat or any other Google Nest device.

Re: Does Nest Hub lengthen thermostat range?

Samclarke21 — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 20:04:07 GMT

Thanks for the reply.

I already have a great wired ethernet network with numerous access points around the house, so am reluctant to pay up for google mesh WiFi. Do I have other options?

Re: Does Nest Hub lengthen thermostat range?

MplsCustomer — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 20:27:28 GMT

@Samclarke21

In the case of a Nest thermostat/heat link, it appears my earlier comment was wrong,

We don't have a Nest thermostat or Heat Link, but a Google Mesh Wi-Fi would not help. When I tried looking it up in the installation guide, it seems the Nest thermostat and Nest Heat Link communicate wirelessly (up to 30 meters, supposedly) even if connected by cables, but they do NOT use your Wi-Fi router or network:

"The Heat Link doesn’t use your Wi-Fi router or network, instead, it uses a wireless mesh network called Thread to directly communicate with your thermostat."
https://support.google.com/googlenest/answer/9256498?hl=en-GB#zippy=%2Clearn-how-your-thermostat-communicates-with-the-heat-link

And a Nest Hub (2nd Gen) can apparently function as a "Thread border router":

"Some of our products have radios for both networks and can act as Thread border routers."
https://support.google.com/googlenest/answer/9249088

So, it seems you COULD get a 2nd gen Nest Hub and place it midway between your Nest thermostat and your Nest Heat Link and it would function as a "Thread border router". I'm just another Google Nest customer, and don't know anything further. Maybe the above links will help you; the second link has instructions on creating a "Thread network".

Re: Does Nest Hub lengthen thermostat range?

Samclarke21 — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 20:29:29 GMT

Lovely - thanks for the pointers! I have been quite surprised at how difficult it is to figure this stuff out. Will post here if I can confirm a solution.

Re: Does Nest Hub lengthen thermostat range?

Vladut — Sun, 01 Jan 2023 10:00:58 GMT

Hello @Samclarke21, thank you so much for reaching out! This is a very good question indeed. Please let me know if the above pointers help.

@MplsCustomer thank you so much for the input!

Re: Does Nest Hub lengthen thermostat range?

AlexD — Thu, 05 Jan 2023 16:43:49 GMT

Hi, I wanted to check in. Does anyone need any further assistance? If so, make sure to let me know.

Re: Does Nest Hub lengthen thermostat range?

AlexD — Fri, 06 Jan 2023 16:44:28 GMT

Hey there, I haven't heard from you in a while so I'll be locking this thread. If you have any new issues, updates or just a discussion topic, feel free to start a new thread in the community. Thanks, AlexD.