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"Can't connect to assisting device"

Ardovini21
Community Member

I purchased the Google Nest Cam 2 Pack. Installed the first one in the Google Home app with no problems whatsoever, went to go install the second one and was met with the "Can't connect to assisting device" error. Doesn't matter what I do, I cannot get past this screen. Tried an iPhone, and Android, tried turning off the dual-band wifi so everything was on 2.4ghz, tried putting the cameras beside each other, nothing works. 

 

2 Recommended AnswerS

Hancfo
Community Member

I had the same issue. I just disconnected the camera I had initially setup and then setup up the camera I was having trouble with. After that camera was good to go the second camera was able to connect. Hope this helps!

View Recommended Answer in original post

This solution worked for me as well. Same problem here. I bought 2 nest cams and a doorbell. Couldn’t install anything past the first camera.

I removed the camera from the Google Home app, installed the doorbell properly, then came back to re-install the camera.

you will still briefly see the “connecting to an assisting device” screen, but it freezes and jumps to the following one and everything works fine.

I left both charging now. God knows what’s going to happen tomorrow when I try to install the second camera.

View Recommended Answer in original post

161 REPLIES 161

EddieveddNZ
Community Member

I purchased the 3 pack and am having the exact same issue. Doorbell set up no issues, but the Nest Cams are not connecting?

 

Yep, cameras just won’t connect. Called support and they did not have any solutions for me either. At a loss for words what to do at this point besides return them all. 

Return and submit reviews on every purchase platform warning people not to buy google product

Same issue. I think the camera is fine and that the problem is the Google Home App.

Gish
Community Member

Any answer to this problem? I have the same issue. Nothing works to add another camera. 

 

JD2021
Community Member

Need answer from google asap - otherwise should all be returned and reviews submitted on all platforms warning people not to buy nest products

Jsmit
Community Member

Same issue here. I worked around the issue by making a new home then adding the camera. Of course the downside is I have to select a different home to see each camera but at least they all work this way.

Come on, Google...rookie mistake. Obvious use case you all didn't bother to test?

Ardovini21
Community Member

Yes, this allowed me to use the camera, but is not an acceptable solution imo. 

Jsmit
Community Member

I don't think it's acceptable either. This issue just needs to be patched. Frankly speaking adding a device took way longer than I thought it should (first time Google Nest user...was surprised how clunky the entire process was and with stupid bouncing animations that annoy)

garlicbread789
Community Member

I am so frustrated with this issue. I've made sure i'm connected to my 2.4GHZ network band (the same one the doorbell is using), making sure local network access is enabled in privacy settings on my iPhone, setting it up on a different device (iPad), turning the doorbell on and off, turning my phone on and off, turning my internet on and off and bringing in my other doorbell and putting it right next to the new one. The thing that annoys me the most is how google decided not to just implement a button to set it up the way it set up the first one if the setup process cant connect to an assisting device. Like they designed the screen to have 'retry' or 'exit setup' but didn't think 'set up without assisting device' was a necessary option. Completely unacceptable considering the cost of these doorbells. I'm seriously considering giving up and replacing them with ring doorbells and chimes. It would be a shame though since I like the feature of the google doorbell announcing visitors on nest speakers. 

Yep, waiting for someone from Google to respond to this before I buy anything else from Nest/Google for my house. I was about to spend $400 on the Nest Yale lock and won't now because there's no guarantee it will actually work. 

It’s now late December and still no response from Google on this. I’m so frustrated. I’ve had Many Nest products for years. Always worked flawlessly until the Google Home app came out. Now it’s a total disaster in many different ways. 

Backtoapple
Community Member

Seems like I am not the only one with this problem.  Does this forum get monitored or is it a waste of time? ok google this is the first and last google product I will buy, and if i do buy google it will be when the matter std is in place so I can skip the google experience all together!  As soon as matter is available I am sure Apple will solve the problems experienced by google users with the flawed setup experience.  

pedjam
Community Member

Same here-bought the two pack and a nest smoke detector and can’t add anything past the first camera. What a joke!

Noctanet
Community Member

Same issue here. Added the first indoor plugged in Camera just fine but can’t pass the « assisting device » screen for the outdoor plugged camera (which doesn’t even exist in the list of available cameras).

 

MplsCustomer
Bronze
Bronze

I wish Google would address this. From all the postings about this issue in this forum, it seems Google's use of an "assisting device" often does not work. Google should provide information on how to configure a new camera or doorbell without going through an "assisting device" when that avenue does not work.

Hancfo
Community Member

I had the same issue. I just disconnected the camera I had initially setup and then setup up the camera I was having trouble with. After that camera was good to go the second camera was able to connect. Hope this helps!

How did you disconnect the camera? Did you delete it from the app and then re-add it? 

Brad
Community Specialist
Community Specialist

​​​​​Hi there,

 

I am glad to see that a workaround is doing the trick for some. Please continue to provide your feedback here. Just checking in to see if you still need assistance with this issue. If so, please let me know and I would love to look into this further for you!

 

Best Regards,

Brad.

 

@Brad 

All of the workarounds on this thread and the many other threads about the "assisting device" problem were all suggested by customers. While they are "doing the trick" for some, other customers still seem to be unable to get past the "cannot find assisting device" error.

What is Google Nest Support's answer to this issue?

Should people be using the Nest Cam Troubleshooter (https://widgets.nest.com/nestcam-troubleshooter/)?

Are there other answers? Can Google Nest Support provide its own workaround(s)?

What's the cause of this error?

@Brad , yes please do tell what Google's official answer is.  And how are we trying to connect to an assisting device?  Is it over WiFi or over Bluetooth?  To me, the solution is quite simple: allow users to bypass connecting to an assisting device and manually enter the WiFi password in the Google Home (or Google Nest) App.  It's a simple update to the App.  Yes, entering a WiFi password multiple times is cumbersome and prone to error, however, it's a much better solution than the workaround that we, your customers, have come up with.

Workaround doesn’t work for me

rajeth
Community Member

Brad I have a Nest Doorbell and am trying to add a Floodlight Camera. I get the message that it is looking for an Assisting Device and then gives up. Removing a Bell is painful.

Brad
Community Specialist
Community Specialist

Hey folks, 

 

Thanks for sharing your feedback and I understand how frustrating this has been. Our team will need to gather additional information from each of you to check what's happening with your devices so we ask that you reach out to support using that form so we can get your case escalated. Someone from our team will be in touch with you soon once you've done so to work on appropriate next steps, 

 

Best Regards, 

Brad 

athomenow
Community Member

I'm having a similar issue with a Nest thermostat and a Nest Connect ( see thread https://www.googlenestcommunity.com/t5/Security/Can-Nest-Connect-use-the-latest-Nest-thermostat-as-a...). I submitted the form you mentioned to support.

Zzzz
Community Member

I ran into the same issue with installing two Nest thermostats today. I tried the advice of disconnecting the first one (downstairs) and then connecting the second one (upstairs) but ran into a snag.  The solution may be helpful for others. 

 

I disconnected the downstairs Nest, then connected the upstairs Nest successfully. When I tried to connect the downstairs Nest again, it gave an error that it couldn't connect (via Bluetooth). The Support link suggested a few things like getting closer, turning the phone BT on and off, removing other BT devices, etc. but none of these worked.  What did work was to clear all data from the downstairs Nest via the settings menu on the device itself.   Once the data  was cleared, when I initiated the connection again, it found the upstairs Nest, then successfully configured the Wi-Fi. Now both devices are working properly in the app. If I had to guess, there is a conflict with the two devices on Bluetooth together. 

This solution worked for me as well. Same problem here. I bought 2 nest cams and a doorbell. Couldn’t install anything past the first camera.

I removed the camera from the Google Home app, installed the doorbell properly, then came back to re-install the camera.

you will still briefly see the “connecting to an assisting device” screen, but it freezes and jumps to the following one and everything works fine.

I left both charging now. God knows what’s going to happen tomorrow when I try to install the second camera.

I ran into the same problem, but I had a Nest doorbell and five wireless cameras already installed and the app choked adding the sixth camera. After reading this post, I just took down all the cameras (of course, they had anti-theft tethers on..) after labeling them, put them in my car and parked the car around the block, outside my WiFi range. I went home and added the sixth camera with no problem, then just re-mounted the cameras back in their original location. All working fine now!

Unfortunately I have the same problem. I took the original flood light camera off the wireless network, but I guess since it has a built in battery powering it I still cannot get the new flood light camera to connect. Guess I’ll be returning all these google flood light cameras. Somehow I was expecting google products to be better. 

CM222
Community Member

Were you able to install the second camera with no issues?

H3
Community Member

I successfully added my first camera with no problems. I could not add the second camera. I tried deleting the first camera and adding the second but that did not work. Now neither camera will connect. I tried re-adding the first camera and got the same "Connecting to joining device". I tried rebooting the cameras using the reset button - that did not help. VERY frustrating!

This worked for me. Thank you so much.

I had originally installed my Google Hub Max, followed by my Google Nest (battery) Doorbell, and was unable to connect any Google Nest cams (Hub Max or Outdoor (battery) cams).

Followed this instruction, removed all devices from my Google Home, and then installed my Google Nest Outdoor (battery) Cams 1st, followed by my Doorbell, followed by my Google Hub Max cam. Now everything works fine. 

Thanks for the help!

Brad
Community Specialist
Community Specialist

Hi there,

 

Just checking in to see if you still need assistance with this issue. If so, please let me know and I would love to look into this further for you!

 

Best Regards,

Brad.

athomenow
Community Member

Yes, I still need assistance with this issue.  I have a very new Nest thermostat which can only be controlled using the Google Home App.  The Nest Connect cannot use this thermostat as an "assisting device" during installation.  I have no other Nest products.  Can this configuration work?  Do I need to buy or borrow another Nest product in order to get the Nest Connect configured properly?

I found a solution for my issue.  I had to delete the thermostat from the Home app, install the Connect device, then install the Yale lock using the Nest app.  Finally, I installed the thermostat again using the Home app.  It seems to be order dependent and the correct order was found by trial and error.

Melvinitis
Community Member

Yes, the app is not working. I cannot get past the cannot connect to assisting device error. I bought a two pack and can only set up on camera.

Brad, thx for follow up.  I tried one of the workarounds of deleting the first camera, then installing the second camera. When I tried to reconnect the first camera, the first camera was never recognized by the network.  I returned both cameras to store. Disappointed in and embarrassed for Google in putting out such a flawed solution in such a strategically important home automation space. 

JeppeJeep
Community Member

Just bought two cams. Same issue as all the others. Besides installation of 2:nd cam failing the Google Home app is a disaster. Expected more and better from Google.

Brad
Community Specialist
Community Specialist

Hey folks,

 

Thank you for your continued patience! I am afraid we still do not have a fix for this issue. But we are still collecting your feedback, case numbers, etc. which we would love for you to provide if you choose here. They will be escalated and we'll be reaching out for more information from that form. Please let me know if you need further assistance.

 

Best regards,

Brad.