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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

skoman
Community Member

i am having the same problem. with my battery outdoor camera.  I can't connect it to my wifi.  I also bought a new nest battery doorbell and had no problem setting that up.  

Ataturk
Community Member

Same issue.

feng2090
Community Member

any solution to this?

Ataturk
Community Member

Hancfo's solution worked for me, too. There will be many people who give up and return the product. It took me forever just to find this thread.

Thanks, Hancfo! Google, not so much. 

(Once again I don't blame the Nest folks, I blame the Google product strategy to force all customers to use their Google Home App for this installation. Guessing the Nest engineers - who know their products - had to handhold the Google Home App developers - who don't know the Nest products - on this project. Fail.) 

I will close in adding a few details for the process: 

1) Rather than just delete the first, successful camera I unplugged it to make sure it wasn't discoverable even after deletion. 

2) I kept the second, failed camera powered on. 

3) Went to the app. To delete the first cam you click on it, go to Settings in the upper right-hand corner, scroll down, and you'll see Remove Device in red. Remove it.

4) You should see no cameras in the Google Home App.

5) In the upper left-hand corner of the Home App you should already know by now there's a "+" to add a new device.

6) Select a camera that you had not been able to connect previously and set that one up, first. 

7) After that is set up go ahead and add all of the other cameras - including the one you originally set up first, successfully (the "offending camera" - lol).

C_T
Community Member

This procedure worked!!!  Had to delete the Nest Hub, then everything worked like a charm.  At the end just relink the account for the Nest Hub.

GABURACER
Community Member

hey I was having the same problem and found the solution
I have 5 cameras for my warehouse and I was getting frustrated already 
Here is what you do 
1 - INSTALL THE FIRST CAMERA, Once you have it working fine go to the wheel on top of the video screen .. you should be watching video there is a wheel at the top right, go there and delete the device. 
2 - INSTALL THE SECOND CAMERA. normal like you did the first one, once you are done. without disconnecting anything just go and install the first camera again. it will recognize not only that one but any other new camera or device after that. I have installed 5 cameras total with an IPHONE 11 pro. 

Thanks, this worked for me too for setting up a 2-pack Nest Cam battery.
Just turning off the first camera I set-up wasn’t enough, I had to remove it from the home first.

Google, this makes for a really horrible set-up experience. 😠 !!!!  In the Google Home app, when it is looking for the “assisting device” to “help it connect faster” there needs to be a way to skip that and succeed on the first try of adding additional cameras. (I tried 5 or 6 times, then finally found this thread, and still had to make the additional steps of removing the first camera, adding the second one, then re-adding the first. That isn’t making anything faster!)

Hypothesis: When the first camera is set-up, it gets a software update, making the “assisting device” communication incompatible between the cameras since any additional cameras are still on the factory supplied version of the software.

Thank you so much. Worked just like you said. I bet it is the software update on the first that causes this. Finally, my 2.5 hour frustration is over!!!!

Jimmy2
Community Member

FINALLY FIGURED IT OUT. The first one connected great but the second one couldn’t find “assisting device”. I realized that my first camera that was already connected also needed to be plugged in to an outlet in order to “be found” when connecting a second camera. It will still say “connecting assisting device” but after a minute or so it will find the first camera you have plugged in that will be “assisting” the second camera. Basically I had two cameras plugged in at the same time, one of which had already been connected. 

 

DOWNSIDE, i purchased (2) 2 packs for a total of 4 cameras which gave me one charger for each pack. If you only purchased one or the 2 pack, odds are you only have one charger. So you would have to purchase a second charger to have both plugged in. I really don’t think that’s the way it should be but I spent an hour and a half trying to figure it out until I finally plugged in my first camera as well and it finally connected my second, third and fourth camera. I hope this helps.

skoman
Community Member

Hello, I’m trying to post this as a solution but not sure how to.  I called nest support.  The 1st person troubleshooted but nothing.  I was escalated to another person who fixed the problem right away.  The solution is the order the devices are set up.  Nest support used the term hierarchy.  I had a doorbell which I connected 1st.  I could not connect the camera.  I was fine after disconnecting the doorbell.  I was able to finally connect the camera and had no problem with connecting the doorbell.  

MplsCustomer
Bronze
Bronze

This latest solution seems to be a variation on the previous solutions posted on this thread.

I think Google needs to provide clear documentation on how its "assisting device" feature works--including whether there is some hitherto undisclosed hierarchy or order that should be used--and a process for configuring a new camera or doorbell without using an "assisting device" when that avenue simply does not work.

JD2021
Community Member

This solution does not work for me as I have multiple wired devices with video history - the solution of setting up a new home is not acceptable either.  Need a means of setting it up on existing system WITHOUT using assisting device - google need to sort this

Jeffboyarrdee
Community Member

I agree this is a bug and/or an issue as a second camera gets stuck on “assisting device”.  But I found an easier solution than creating new homes. Just connect your first camera as seamless as they sell it, then press the “…” icon on the top right and “turn off camera”. Once that is done you can connect another camera. If you want to add another camera make sure all other connected cameras are turned off. Once done adding all the cameras within the home is complete you can just go back and turn them all back on. This is way simpler than disconnecting cameras or creating new homes. Hope this helps and hope google fixes the bug of looping with “assisting device”. 

Same problem adding 2nd Camera(battery) which Google says only works with Google Home.  I’m using iPhone version of app.  
Your stated solution did not work for me.

Make sure all other cameras are turned off and then you can attempt to connect a new camera. “Turn off camera” by selecting the “…” icon. This would be different than “remove device”. I did not have to remove devices or create a new home. 

Thanks for reply. Unfortunately no joy for me.  Will try the “remove device” method next.

Duke
Community Member

The “remove device” method did work for me. Thanks much!

Google should be ashamed of itself for letting this problem persist. Poor code and testing of their product!

THANK YOU JEFFBOYARRDEE!  I had a dropcam and nest cam prior to google, bought two google outdoor battery cameras and had the same problem installing the second camera. Turning off ALL the other cameras allowed me to install the second outdoor camera.  After turning the cameras back on, the two outdoor cameras said "device offline" but this eventually resolved thru multiple attempts via the home app.

Fine, here I go again to try using your solution, Thanks for your input! I hope this works, otherwise, back to Ring I go.

gammon
Community Member

After enduring this issue myself, I resorted to borrowing an Android phone to try to set this up.  On Android, you get a question in the Home App add device wizard about available assisting devices in your home, first.  It lists suitable devices and a big surprise to me was that Nest Home and Nest Mini are not suitable as assisting devices! No wondering I could not get this to work.  Also, the Nest network is not Wi-Fi, so you can't defeat it. 

MplsCustomer
Bronze
Bronze

Google Nest Support has not responded at all to this three-week-old thread.  They could either provide a software solution to address when a camera cannot find an "assisting device" or they could provide documentation on how to resolve it manually--including any undocumented "hierarchy" of "assisting devices".  And this is not the only "assisting device" thread in this forum.

Google Nest Support: please address this issue.

HpnotiqSteve
Community Member

Well I tried to switch from Arlo but I guess I’ll be going back since their has been no support from google on this issue. 

JohnEdmonton
Community Member

No joy for me either. I tried setting it up with every single Google device in my home disconnected. 8 speakers, 3 chromecasts, 4 displays... it still looking for a stupid "assisting device". I wish there was a way to specify a "manual setup". 

A manual set up is truly the answer… this sucks…

DFB
Community Member

I have the same problem with the "Can't connect to assisting device" error. I can connect my nest doorbell , but then I can't connect my nest cam indoor/outdoor battery. I removed the doorbell, then I can connect my nest cam, but then I can't connect the doorbell. So both at the same time is still impossible for me. 

MplsCustomer
Bronze
Bronze

If Google isn't going to correct this problem with a software fix, then at least they should provide a help page on their Google Nest Help website.

Austenpowers
Community Member

Definitely a Google software bug.  The workaround, as Hancfo states, is to delete the existing camera, add the new one (which was giving you trouble), then go back and add the previously existing camera.  I think the reason this works is because the previously existing camera has already had it's software updated, so I think it's a problem with the software version that comes loaded with new cameras out of the box.  There's really no way for Google to fix this unfortunately.  They are definitely not going to do a factory recall for a problem that has a workaround.  As the supply of the old software dwindles, and new cameras come with the new software, the problem will go away.  But that doesn't help you much if you're buying a camera now. 😞

I just bought my new camera (battery) just a few days ago. So if this is true, the cameras on the shelves to sell are not sent with the new updates. 

MplsCustomer
Bronze
Bronze

I have been wondering if, when you already have Google Nest devices installed and try to install a new one (with your mobile device running the Google Home app close to the new device), the new Google Nest device tries to communicate with an existing Google Nest device via bluetooth--perhaps using some sort of hierarchy, as others have said--in order to obtain the password (and other info?) for your WiFi network. If this guess is right, then you may need to configure your new Google Nest device in close proximity (bluetooth proximity) to an existing working Google Nest device and get the new device configured and working before then moving it to its final location.

The only thing on which I base this guess on is that I encountered problems recently trying to get a new Google Nest Hub configured. After numerous attempts where it got to the last stage and showed our WiFi's SSID on the Hub but then just wouldn't connect, I finally got it to work by locating it temporarily near an existing Google Nest Hub.  (It could also be a coincidence.  Who knows?  Google provides no documentation on how this "assisting device" process really works.)

@MplsCustomer , that's a very sound theory, but i'm afraid proximity to the existing camera is not the answer.  I thought of that too, and relocated my new camera within 10-feet of the existing camera (thinking, like you, that perhaps it had to be within bluetooth range of 30-feet) but that didn't work.  I think the bluetooth connection is just between your phone and the new camera (temporarily) and to access the config data on the existing camera it likely uses WiFi.

Anyway, I do think it's a software bug with the factory-loaded camera software, and I do think Google has already fixed the problem with the latest camera software (but that doesn't help with all the new cameras sitting on store shelves with the defective software). 

So, I have two cameras now, and my thinking is if I were to buy a third, I'd likely have to delete/remove both of my existing cameras in order to set up the new one (unless I was lucky enough to buy a new camera with a new version of the software, but there's just no way to tell).  But, I likely won't be buying a third camera, especially knowing the pain i'd have to go through to set it up.

I tried moving my new Nest Cam (battery) right next to the Nest hub…still no luck getting past the searching for assist device to help connect faster. Then I took the new cam and held it right next to existing working camera and still could not get the new camera past the searching for assisting device.  I am so tired of wasting so much time on this.

Alexey
Community Member

I got same issue with my 4 cameras. I did exactly what someone suggested from this chat. Instal and elite one by one all my 4 cameras, then install them again in one account without any issues.

Alexey
Community Member

I got same issue with my 4 cameras. I did exactly what someone suggested from this chat. Instal and delete one by one all my 4 cameras, then install them again in one account without any issues.

kenn3012
Community Member

I ran into the same issues and tried all that was on this page.

What worked for me was that when the error "couldn't connect" came up after an initial try, I pressed the hard reset button on the camera and held for the appropriate amount of seconds (typically 12) and then tried again. The outdoor camera didn't make any noises or provide feedback from the reset whereas the wired did. I was still in the app and didn't restart the process. Afterwards it let me connect and prompted me to the select wifi once the connection was done. 

 

Key notes for my workaround:

I use an indoor wired and outdoor battery version, both second gen. I tried from an Android using Google home, I have 4 total devices, it worked for same home, also 2.4 ghz network. I don't have the setting on to save my wifi password for future devices. I set my cameras up 10 feet from my wifi router

Philson
Community Member

I’m having this problem too, except mine is with my doorbell. 

TP2
Community Member

Same issues

Philson
Community Member

So I solved my issue. 

I removed all of my devices from the home app, removed all secondary users from family, deleted the home and then deleted the app and started again using the same email and just creating a new home.  And so far so good. I connected in the following order using the + button in the top left. Hub max first, battery doorbell, the smaller display hub, the smaller hub speaker, then 5 smart plugs. Cameras all work, and everything connected perfectly. 

Vap
Community Member

I just connected 4 devices in single home.

Got similar problem like mentioned in this thread.

following was my procedure.

- connect thermostat to google home - worked

- connect doorbell to google home- failed

- disconnect thermostat from app

- connect doorbell - worked

- connect camera - worked

- connect google home - worked

- factory reset thermostat, reconnect - worked

 

So if your 2nd device failing connection then disconnect first device, connect all other devices. Factory reset first device and reconnect.

Now all are my device working fine IN SINGLE HOME.

Good luck guys!!

 

 

PM7
Community Member

Hands down most frustrating evening of electronics.  Returning all of this **bleep**. 

kelscahill
Community Member

CONFIRMED FIX FOR: "Can't connect to assisting device".

If you have a Nest Camera or other Nest device, delete it from the Google Home app, then run through the setup for the new device that you want to connect (i.e Nest Thermostat). It will now connect and then re-add the deleted device. I've tried literally everything and this was the only thing that works.