My mini turns on lights in my parents house

[Ayshaya]

Hello! I have my own home configured in the Google home app, and I am also a guest in my parents home in the next city over. If I say the wrong words, Google Mini turns on the lights at their house instead of mine. How do I fix this?

I have a smart plug named "Christmas tree" which my Mini only recognizes if I say "Turn on Christmas tree light".

My parents have a different kind of smart plug named " Christmas tree", which unlike mine can be triggered without using the word "light".

So, while at my house, if I say "turn on Christmas tree" and forget the word light, or Google doesn't catch the word light when I say it, then it turns on the tree at my parents house.

I've also accidentally turned off all the lights in their house while they were still awake - from my Google mini at my house. I'm still not sure what I said to my mini to trigger that, instead of my own lights.

How do I fix this? I don't want the Google mini at my house to ever trigger anything at their house.

They have dozens and dozens of routines and smart devices, so naming things in a way that can't have a potential similarity between the two houses is pretty difficult (We both have Christmas tree lights, kitchen lights, outside lights, driveway cameras, etc).

I do not want to remove myself entirely from their house, because when I'm at their house I want to be able to use their devices and play my own music.

Thanks!

[MplsCustomer]

@Ayshaya

My guess, as just another Google Nest customer, is that this is just how Google Nest works, unfortunately. Google Nest does not have any sort of "guest" access. You are a member of your parents' Google Nest "household" and Google Nest does not any way of differentiating your parents' "household" from yours in terms of rank or priority or anything. If you're a member of a Google Nest "household", you have full access to all devices, just like you do in your "household". So, if you're a member of two Google Nest "households", and you issue a command, Google is trying to execute it in whichever "household" it seems to apply.

[Juni]

Hi folks,

@MplsCustomer, thanks for the help.

@Ayshaya, thanks for posting. I’m sorry for the trouble this has caused you, let me help you out. Since you are in both home structures the best option if you don't want to remove your account on their home structure is to rename the devices that have the similar name to your home. I know this is a pain, but as of the moment this is how things work. We're always looking for ways to improve. I'd suggest you submit feedback about it, here's how.

Check the steps below on how to rename your devices.

1. Open the Google Home app .
2. Touch and hold your device's tile.
3. At the top right corner, tap Settings Device information Device name.
4. Enter a new name tap Save.

Let me know how it goes

Regards,

Juni

[Dan_A]

Hi folks,

@Juni, @MplsCustomer, thanks for the help.

@Ayshaya, I wanted to follow up and see if you still need help. Please let me know if you are still having any concerns or questions from here, as I would be happy to take a closer look and assist you further.

Best regards,

Dan

[Ayshaya]

Thanks all! @MplsCustomer answer helped me understand what is happening, and the limits of the system as designed. I will likely remove myself from my parents Home, as it's a struggle to come up with unique names for each home that we will all remember - that last part being key. We really liked having duplicate or similar names actually because then there is no memory or guesswork involved, kitchen light is "kitchen light" at both homes, and habits form that work at both houses.

This seems like a really useful scenario for a "guest" or some kind of "second tier" household member option, or for a software setting to only voice control devices registered at the same address (part of the same Home) as the triggering mini. 

Thanks! Ayshaya

[Azarco]

Hello Ayshaya,

We hear you — we appreciate users who are keen on sharing with us their thoughts/experience. You can share your feedback directly from your Home Mini or in your Google Home app using this link.

Please let us know if you have any other questions or concerns as I will be locking this in 24 hours.

Kind regards,

Alex