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Nest Outdoor Camera Won't Factory Reset (Wifi Name has changed)

Tabbate1
Community Member

Hello, 

I recently changed my Wi-Fi name and now the outdoor nest cameras don't show up and can't be connected. 

I tried physically going up to the camera and putting a pin in the reset hole (which is located in the front of the camera. There was no button or hole in the back of the camera). However the light on the camera was still flashing blue, indicating that there was no factory reset. Whenever I stick a pin in the camera, I don't feel a button being hit.

I also tried calling support and changing back my previous network name, but this didn't work.

I would appreciate any help possible. It would be unfortunate if I had to replace the cameras outright. Thank you

7 REPLIES 7

MplsCustomer
Bronze
Bronze

@Tabbate1 

What camera do you actually have? Your post says "Nest Cam Outdoor", but the older 1st gen Google Nest Outdoor Cameras, which are installed in the Google Nest app, do NOT have a factory reset button, and are reset by removing the camera from the Google Nest app while you are still connected on your old Wi-Fi network:

https://support.google.com/googlenest/answer/9252162?hl=en&sjid=11499781080140575820-NC#zippy=%2Cnes...

If you have the older 1st gen Nest Cam IQ Outdoor, there is a reset hole on the front of the camera, below the Nest logo; after the reset it should ALSO be removed from the Google Nest app while you are still connected on your old Wi-Fi network:

https://support.google.com/googlenest/answer/9252162?hl=en&sjid=11499781080140575820-NC#zippy=%2Cnes...

If you have the newer 2nd gen Google Nest Battery camera, the factory reset button is on the back of the camera; after the reset, you should ALSO remove it from the Google Home app while you are still connected on your old Wi-Fi network:

https://support.google.com/googlenest/answer/9252162?hl=en&sjid=11499781080140575820-NC#zippy=%2Cnes...

If you did NOT remove your camera from either the Google Nest app or the Google Home app while you were still connected on your old Wi-Fi network, it seems that things then get problematic. You could try contacting Support again.

A flashing blue status light is supposed to indicate "Ready to connect" or "Trying to connect". What happens when you try to reinstall?

Tabbate1
Community Member

Thanks for the help, I really appreciate it.

It's hard to tell if it's Gen 1 or 2 (I can't find a definitive image online). I've attached some images. It has the word "nest" on the front and some air vents in the back near the wire. The hole I've been poking is below the word "nest".

I've also removed the cameras from the nest app and the home app.

Any attempt to physically reset the camera just results in the flashing blue light. When I attempt to add the  cameras back into the nest app, it says "Finding the camera", but then gets stuck indefinitely on "Finding Wi-Fi network". The camera also still has the flashing blue light

20231226_131614.jpg20231226_132324.jpg

My apologies, I also forgot to mention we didn't remove the cameras while we had our old wifi. We changed modems. 

@Tabbate1 

You have a 1st gen Google Nest Outdoor Camera. We have 3 of them. It does NOT have a factory reset button. I don't know what the hole on the front below the word "Nest" is for.

If you didn't remove the camera from the Google Nest app while on your old Wi-Fi network, then I'm not sure what will work; it hasn't happened to us.

For some older cameras, you can update the Wi-Fi settings in the Google Nest app:

https://support.google.com/googlenest/answer/9223711?hl=en&sjid=10917705179491505254-NC#zippy=%2Cuse...

Some posts in this forum suggest leaving your camera unplugged for 48 hours and then trying to install, using the process in EmersonB's 1/5/2023 post on this thread:

https://www.googlenestcommunity.com/t5/Cameras-and-Doorbells/Deleted-my-nest-account-2-years-ago-did...

But you may need to contact Support again.

Thank you for your response. What's odd is in the Nest App, under "Home Info" there isn't a "Home Wi-Fi help" option.

We called support but they haven't been too helpful; it's been basic troubleshooting that hasn't worked.

I may not be able to shut off power for 48 hours but I appreciate the find.

 

Any other suggestions? 

Thank you

@Tabbate1 

I don't know why you don't have a "Home Wi-Fi help" option under "Home info" in the Google Nest app. We do, and it lists all of our 1st gen cameras and doorbells.

You don't have to turn your power off; only the camera needs to be unplugged.

I have no other suggestions.

EdmondB
Community Specialist
Community Specialist

Hello Tabbate1, 
 

Thanks so much for helping us out with all the details.Could you take a screenshot of the Nest app after you select the "Home info" option in the settings? It would really help us get this issue resolved.

 

Below are the steps on how to upload a photo or video:

 

Hit reply or Start a new post.

Click Insert Image.

Choose an image source location.

Follow the on-screen instructions

Also, you can tap the "Drag and Drop" option. Maximum attachment is 5 MB.


Thanks for the help @MplsCustomer

Regards,
Edmond