Cannot run safety check for nest protects (gen2) in app

[Arnar]

I have about 7 nest protect gen2s in our home.  I can run the safety check from the protect devices via the button on it.  However from the app I can not start the safety checks.

The message I get in the app is: "The Safety Check wasn't able to start." 

The phone is on the same 2.4ghz wifi as the nest protect devices.  Wifi connectivity is good, I've actually gone as far as installing a terminal shell on the phone and run ping to the IP numbers reported by the Nest app (and confirmed on the access points those are the right IPs).  The wifi connectivity is good and I'm very close to a protect when trying to start the test (less than two meters).  I've tried with or without the cell network enabled on the phone just in case.  Bluetooth was enabled in all cases.

I've tried all the obvious things on the wifi side (resetting routers, phones, power cycling the protects etc), but the ping test seems to conclusively indicate that wifi connectivity is not an issue.

I've tried 3 different types of pixel phones with the app and they all have the same issue.    

Is there some way to debug / fix these issues?  It seems like the app knows everything about the devices and gets updates about them, but is unable to communicate for the safety check.

[JillG]

Hi @Arnar 

I don't know what is going on with your app not being able to do the safety check. I want to escalate this to our Nest Protect team so I'll send your post over to them for a look. They may know if there are any known issues or bugs. 

Can you let us know the Home app version you have, your region and if your Protects are battery or wired? Were you ever able to do the safety check from the app or is this a new thing?

Thanks-

J

[Rusell]

Hi Arnar,

Thank you for reaching out to the community. I understand that your 7 Nest Protect (2Sec Gen) can't run safety checks from the app for the error message "The Safety Check wasn't able to start." I'm happy to help!

At the moment, i need to ask a few questions below:

•  What type of light is on the Nest Connect? 
  • I hope that this article is helpful: Nest Protect lights and sounds - Google Nest Help
• Are the batteries from the Nest Protect new?
  • If not, we recommend using new ones.
• When did the inconvenience start? 

In the meantime, please follow these steps:

• Delete the Nest Protect then Factory reset it
  • Take a look at this article: Reset Nest Protect and erase all settings - Google Nest Help
• Create a new home structure then add Nest protect back to the new home
  • Please view this article: Organize your homes and devices in the Google Home app - Google Nest Help

Let me know how it goes,.

Best regards,

Rusell.

[Arnar]

Hello.

Thanks for you responses.  The app version is 5.80.0.8 (Dec 5, 2024 update date).

The protect devices are all wired, the light on them is the solid power led indicator that says it has wired power.

I've swapped out the batteries as needed.  The speaker function and wifi are working fine, unplugging the nearest unit it is still able to function on the batteries so I assume they are still fine, I have a bunch of spares and can check that to make sure.

I've never tried running the safety check from the app.  The reason I actually wanted to run it was that a carbon monoxide in one of the nests failed (as they last for about 10 years).  I was unable to add a new device to the home network (fails to work with assisting device) so I assume that the fundamental issue is communication with the existing devices.

There are a bunch of wired cameras (in hard to reach places) with subscription on the account that make it very non ideal if I have to create a new home and transfer things (do the subscriptions and assignments of video recording quota carry over?)

I can try adding a new device to its own home, but they will all be on the same wifi, will that create a problem?

[Rusell]

Hi Arnar,

Thank you for the update. I appreciate the information that you shared therefore, you need to do some basic troubleshooting as you're getting some inconvenience through the app.

Please follow these steps:

• Confirm that the Nest app has all the permissions allowed
• Check for any available iOS updates
• Sign out of the Nest app and sign back in
• Force close the Nest or Google Home app
• Power cycle the device
• Uninstall and Reinstall the Nest app

Keep me posted.

Best regards,

Rusell. 

[Arnar]

Quick notices:

1. reinstalled (and that checks all the permissions and all are granted).

2. this is android not ios.

3. done by reinstall.

4. also by reinstall.

5. power cycled everything (network, nests, phones)

6. reinstalled the app

Still cannot add devices (even after factory resetting all of them) and removing all the devices from the home.  after removing all devices I can always add one device to the home, but that device looks healthy in every way except the safety check never works from a phone.

Even tried adding things to a new home... still failed in the same way.

I never tried to interact with these from the home app.

[lotusmad2001]

Having the same issue. All my protects in the home app are showing offline. Cannot start safety test

[Rusell]

Hi Lotusmad2001,

Thank you for posting to the community. I understate that Nest protects are showing offline and cannot start a safety test. I'm glad to help you!

To help me find the best solution, I'll need to ask you a few questions:

• How far are the Nest protects from the router?
• Did you have any power outage in your area?
• Which Nest protectors do you have, battery-powered or wired?
• When did the inconvenience start?

Keep me posted.

Best regards,
Rusell.

[lotusmad2001]

Just to confirm Russell;

The Nest protects show up absolutely fine on the nest app and have done for 7 years. It's only the google home app that shows them as offline

[Rusell]

Hi Lotusmad2001,

Thank you for your update. I appreciated the information provided therefore i have to confirm the relevant information.

I'll ask you these following questions: 

1. Are you using the same email address for both the Nest app and the Google Home app?
2. Did you migrate your Nest Protects to the Google Home app?
3. Do you see any error messages other than "offline"?
4. Are you enrolled in the Public Preview for Google Home app?
5. Are the Nest Protects still offline in the Google Home app?

In the meantime, I can offer some basic troubleshooting steps regarding your concern below:

1. Force updating the Nest Protect: Press the Nest button once. It should say "Press to Test." Press and hold the button until the Protect says, "Checking the network."
2. Restarting the Nest Protect.
3. Restarting your router.

@justsam thanks for your assistance. 

Keep posted.

Best regards,

Rusell

[lotusmad2001]

@Rusell 

1) yes

2) yes

3) '"offline - 2 devices offline because of connection issue" (referring to both the nest protects)

4) yes

5) yes (fine in the native nest app)

1) done that

2) done that

3) tried this

Thank you

[justsam]

I am an IOS user so will not pretend to be much help, but curious if you are using the new HOME Protect app for Android, or some web based app?

[lotusmad2001]

The protects disappeared, after deleting data and cache for the app they reappear as online and 'all OK'

safety check still won't work

[Keith5274]

I am having the same exact problem.  If I run a test from one of the installed Nest Protects, they all test, report and the text shows up in the Nest app.  I have an iPhone 15 Pro, updated to the most current iOS.  I have always been able to run safety checks from the app, or from the devices.  Trying to replace an old Nest Protect...app will not add it because it both 1) cannot find it, 2) cannot find the devices on the app already, despite the fact that if I initiate a test from the devices, they communicate with the app both during and after the test.  Try to run a safety check, I get the same error "The Safety Checkup wasn't able to start".  Cannot install new detector!  In the Nest app, however, they all show working correctly.  I have eight detectors total, plus trying to install a 10th (used to have 10).  I have never had a problem with the Nest app, aside from the time when Google bought out Next, and got rid of the Nest home security system.  I can communicate with my thermostat through the Next app.  In looking at the history, it seems that in November, the devices stopped running their monthly tests.  I am worried that if I remove them, I won't be able to add them back, since I can't seem to do it right now.  I have not migrated them to the Google Home app, and don't want to.  I hate the Google Home app, it is basically worthless.

Any help would be appreciated.  All of my detectors are wired, except one which is battery operated.  Your response above, about checking the batteries is confusing.  All detectors come with a ten year battery, and after ten years, they basically quit working and you have to purchase new detectors, to ensure that the detector itself is replaced, as they have a life of ten years.

[Arnar]

Minor update...

I've factory reset all the nest protect devices.

I can always add one back to the home... adding a second one always fails.

I always factory reset everything before a new attempt.  I've also tried adding this to a new home in the app.

Currently I only have 1 working nest protect and basically no working smoke alarms in the house ;-/

I tried adding the protects to a second home in case the metadata for the home somehow got messed up.  Doesn't seem to do the trick.

Even with a single protect device in the home I can not run the safety check from the app.

Using an upto date android phone (two different ones), apps are up to date, literally pinging the device on the network while doing the setup flow.

All my devices are wired as well (but again, I'm literally pinging them on the network during setup). 

[aw_boston]

I am having the same issue with my 9 Nest Protects. My problems started when my Wifi Network changed - because your phone can't talk to the Protects the network could not be changed - no problem doing so on the Nest Thermostat. So the advice was to take down all 9 Protects reset them to factory defaults and connect one to the new wifi network (that always works) and try adding the other ones (nope the other ones do not talk to the one that is added and my phone still does not connect to the one that is connected to run a safety check even though that one Protect appears on my phone with a green light (and an orange if I disconnect it) so it is communicating in some way. I spent two hours with Tech Support, had it escalated two levels answered a million of their questions and the best I got was "Its a problem with your router, call your ISP". There are dozens of threads on this problem online so it is highly unlikely that it is a problem with my ISP but apparently that's it - thanks for buying our product, sorry the fancy stuff does not work. Epitome of en**bleep**tification - buy a small company, take a great product made by that company and break it. Then when someone asks for help, accuse everyone else of being the problem. An art pioneered by Microsoft and now adopted by Google

[AnilPann]

I am having the same issue. Not able to run the safety check. It says connecting to nearby Nest protect. Then counts down from 10 to 0. And after 2 or 3 min. Cannot run safety check message. I ran it 3 months ago and nothing has changed since then. The Nest App shows that all is well and shows a sensors, battery and WiFi checked 5 minutes ago and ok. Alarm and voice checked 3 months ago. 
so obviously it is not a problem with WiFi connection. I have Bluetooth turned on and am 2m from the device. I have 6 Nest protects Gen 2 which are 6 years old