Floodlight keeps disconnecting

[Johncop64]

Nest floodlight worked great for two years.  Now it disconnects randomly.  I’ve rebooted it 7 times, did a hard reset 2x, it always comes back after these reboots but then drops out again after few days.  On 2.4, 10 feet from router, stayed connected for 2 years before issues, have a second floodlight, 40 feet away from router, works great 

[tstart]

This usually happens due to unstable Wi-Fi connection, weak signal strength, or power supply issues. Try moving your router closer, checking for any interference, or reconnecting the device to ensure a stable connection. Also, make sure the firmware is updated, as outdated software can cause frequent disconnections.

In my experience, keeping your devices updated and properly set up really makes a difference—just like staying informed through resources such as, where having the right information at the right time helps avoid unnecessary problems.

[Johncop64]

All of those recommendations have been trued as well as all of the others I listed.   A second exact same floodlight installed on the same date 30 additional feet from the router works perfectly 

[Johncop64]

how do i update the firmware of the floodlight?

[StephanieQ]

Hi @Johncop64, 

Thank you for reaching out to the community! I understand that your Nest Cam with Floodlight disconnects randomly, reconnects after a reboot, but then drops out again after a few days. I appreciate your confirmation that a second device is working as expected, as well as your efforts in rebooting, resetting, and checking your Wi-Fi frequency and distance. I know how frustrating it is when a device that worked reliably for years suddenly stops. Don’t worry—I am here to help.

To help me investigate, I’d like to ask some questions: 

• What color is the status light usually? (e.g., solid green or blinking blue?)
• Are you getting any error messages?
• Have you recently experienced any power outages? 
• Are there devices or appliances (such as baby monitors, microwaves, cordless phones, etc.) near the camera?
• Have you made any changes to your Wi-Fi? 

Regarding your question on how to update the firmware, this happens automatically when you factory reset the device. The latest update is applied as part of the setup process.

@tstart, thank you for jumping in and sharing your insights. 

I look forward to your reply. 

Best regards, 

Stephanie 

[Johncop64]

Hi and thx for responding.  Here are the answers to your questions

• What color is the status light usually? (e.g., solid green or blinking blue?) solid green 
• Are you getting any error messages?  google home says the device is offline.  I can see thru my routers app that it is getting full 5 bar wifi
  • Have you recently experienced any power outages? no
    
• Are there devices or appliances (such as baby monitors, microwaves, cordless phones, etc.) near the camera? No
• Have you made any changes to your Wi-Fi?  No

As I stated before, all of the other 6 cams and 1 doorbell are working fine.  The other floodlight cam is at least 30 feet from the router, works great, the one that isn’t working is 1b feet from the router.   It also worked fine for well over a year.

[StephanieQ]

Hi @Johncop64, 

Thank you for the update and for answering the questions from my last post. Since you've already tried some steps, let’s check some details and explore other options to resolve this.

1. To ensure the restart was fully effective, please confirm if the steps you took match these specific instructions for a proper reboot:

• Plug the camera into a power source.
• Locate the reset button on the back of the camera.
• Press and hold for 5 seconds. Your camera will restart, and the status light will be steady and solid white.

2. Verify the following configuration settings on your Wi-Fi router:

• Check that Parental Controls, firewall security settings, or VPNs are not enabled. If you're unsure, your Internet Service Provider can help you check these settings.

3. Please review the steps below to confirm that your factory reset attempts followed this specific procedure:

• Plug the camera into a power source.
• Locate the reset button on the back of the camera.
• Press and hold the button: At 10 seconds, the status light will blink yellow four times, and you'll hear a countdown tone. Then, after 12 seconds, the status light will be steady, solid yellow while the camera starts the factory reset, and you'll hear a confirmation tone.
• Release the button. Your camera will restore to its factory settings.
• After the factory reset, your camera will appear as “Offline” in the app until you remove it.

4. Restart your Wi-Fi router to refresh the connection:

• Unplug the modem and router power cords. All the lights on the modem and router should be off.
• Wait for 30 seconds, then plug the modem and router back in.
• Wait a couple of minutes after the modem and router restart or until the router shows a steady power and connection lights.

Keep me updated on how it goes.

Best regards, 

Stephanie

[Johncop64]

A few items to clarify and update.  Since it’s a cam and floodlight, it’s a hardwired product so you can’t plug it in.  I cut the power instead of unplugging. Step 3 is let undone, or I am missing a detail.  If I remove the floodlight cam from the home app, should I expect it to reappear after I reboot the router?  All other steps have been completed. 

[StephanieQ]

Hi @Johncop64,

I appreciate your reply. Regarding your concern, if the camera is removed from the app, it will not appear automatically and must be set up again to be viewed. But no worries—let’s proceed with resetting your camera and adding it back to the app together. Just a heads up: a factory reset erases all configured settings and deletes your video history. Please proceed with the next steps:

Remove the camera from the app:

• Open the Google Home app.
• Tap Home > Cameras > your camera. To help restore your settings after you reset your camera, write down or take a screenshot of your camera settings.
• At the top right, tap More > Settings.
• Tap Remove device > Confirm.

Reset your camera:

• Keep the camera connected to its power source with the power turned on.
• Locate the reset button on the back of the camera.
• Press and hold the button for at least 12 seconds:
• At 10 seconds, the status light will blink yellow four times, and you'll hear a countdown tone.
• At 12 seconds, the status light will be steady, solid yellow while the camera starts the factory reset, and you'll hear a confirmation tone.
• Release the button. Your camera will restore to its factory settings.
• Confirm if the status light is blinking blue. This signal means the camera is ready for the pairing process.

Pair the camera to the Google Home app:

• Please follow the instructions in this article on how to properly add your camera back to the app: Set up your Nest camera in the Google Home app.
• After the device is successfully paired, test it to confirm the issue is fixed.

Keep me posted on the results. 

Best regards,

Stephanie

[Johncop64]

I did all the steps, step by step.  The camera came back up, then dropped out overnight , same error message 

[StephanieQ]

Hi @Johncop64, 

I value the update and your efforts with the troubleshooting so far. As the issue persists, let’s try additional steps to isolate the problem, which involve a factory reset and pairing the device to a new home structure within the Google Home app. To do this, follow the process below:

Camera Factory Reset: Please follow the steps previously provided to reset your device.

Create a new home: Set up a new structure within the Google Home app by following the next steps:

• Open the Google Home app.
• Tap Add > Home.
• Follow the on-screen instructions.

Set up the camera in the new home: Follow the pairing steps in the article provided earlier, ensuring the camera is added to the newly created home structure. Once set up, monitor the device for 24 hours. 

Let me know how it goes. 

Regards,

Stephanie

[Johncop64]

Ok, I set up ‘Gio home 2’ went thru the steps, the camera came dropped overnight 

[StephanieQ]

Hi @Johncop64, 

Thanks for your follow-up. I understand the issue remains after trying the workaround, and I appreciate you walking through those steps with me. To further assist you, the team would like to learn more about this behavior. When you get a chance, please fill out this form and let us know when you’re finished. We’ll have someone reach out to you via email from there. Please make sure to include your community username and the link to this thread. 

I’ll be waiting for your response. 

Best regards, 

Stephanie