Nest Protect P009(0.80) error

[vivlund]

I've had 2 Nest Protects connected on the network for years, but as of yesterday, neither of them will connect to the network, and they both went offline at the same time, possibly after some update to their software or the iOS app. Same router, same router settings. I've tried the troubleshooting steps and made a new home on the app, but nothing works. Can anyone help me? 

[JPH92 · Accepted solution]

Hello to all the community.
I'm based in France and I had the exact same problem as all of you.

Seeing nothing coming, I called Google Support directly and had a human being who handled the matter as follows:
He had replaced free of charge one of my detectors (which are 7 years old) for a more recent model/firmware (it a 2020 model).
To be able to make everything work again with my other detectors, I had to declare it as "master" (I had deleted all the others) and then I was able to add the other detectors by pressing this new  as "Master".
Suddenly everything works perfectly again.
On the other hand, it is necessary to declare the sensor exchanged as master (or 1st) because the detectors which have the problem are not capable of playing this role.

I don't know if in the US, this could work, but since Google cannot correct its Bug, the solution they offered me works and allowed me to keep my other detectors.

Hope this helps, keep me posted.
Good luck.

JP

[PaulC2]

I have reinstalled my protect and it’s connected and back in the app following a factory reset. 

[Colossus]

My nest are back on line. I still have to do the one reset to factory defaults. But, we need accountability from Google. They refused to work with me when they clearly broke the system and by telling me to replace them all. That is not acceptable. I am not withdrawing my complaint with the Illinois attorney general either. The fact they can in an instant brick our devices is not acceptable. We need a full accounting of what happened, and those of us hours in on this issue need to be compensated appropriately. Google is no longer a trusted brand in my household. 

[vivlund]

The one I factory reset is online again. The one I did not factory reset will not connect. The offline one is trying to connect through the online one now, and I get error code P024 (6012). Says to move them closer- I can't! They are wired!! What do I do now? And now it's giving a new error: P013(4078).  Great.

[ChrisElly]

Yes all of mine have come back online and I had to reinstall the one I did a factory reset by putting in the code on the back of the protect and connect it that way 

but now when you use the app to do a test and it countdown it stops at 0 and say try again later 

Google you have really messed this one up 

[TedSl]

I have all 3 of mine back online now.  The first one joined by scanning the QR code, but the next two had to be added using the 6 character code and the Protect local Wifi, they couldn't communicate with the first Protect I set up. 

I'd say there's still some software patching to be done. 

[dpdpdpdp]

How do you by-pass the communication with first Protect and use local Wifi only?  That looks like what I need to do — since this morning I can finally add one of my two Protects but the other one keeps trying unsuccessfully to communicate with the first when I try to install it.

[vivlund]

I am having the same problem. I can connect each Protect to the network separately, but when they try to communicate with each other during the setup process, the setup process ends in error P024 or P013 or P006. I made a separate home on the app, and now each protect is in it's own home online, but they cannot communicate with each other, and one thinks the other is offline. I have reset them so many times now, I give up. Also, both of my protects are wired, so it's not easy to just shut one off while trying to set them up so they stop trying to communicate with each other.

[Guenter]

Do you have a 5G network, or a combined 2G/5G network ? I got the same error. In my case, it asked me which WiFi network to use, and then failed to connect to it. My network is a combined 2G/5G network. I created a separate 2G only network and was able to configure the protect by using it.

[manHands]

I have a combined 2.4/5Ghz SSID and a separate 2.4Ghz only SSID. All my IoT devices use the 2.4Ghz only SSID including the Protects. However, I still can't get anymore than the 1st Protect to connect. Trying to add additional devices and I still get the P024(4078) error.

[Guenter]

In my case it was P006, but only after I did another factory reset on the protect I tried to (re-)install. I think P024 is failure to connect to the assisting device. No idea how to resolve that one except by moving closer to that device.

[manHands]

Having the same issue as well, but can’t figure out how to add other Protects as you’ve described. I can connect to the Protect local WiFi, but it still tries to connect to the other Protect during set-up.

[TedSl]

Sorry, folks but you are on your own to figure out how to get your Protects back online.  Too many variables involved.  My only help is that when you're trying to add the Protect, at the bottom of the screen to read the QR code you have an option to use the 6 character code on the back of the Protect.  Then you have to go into WiFi and select the NEST-XXXX Wifi network device the process starts.  Beyond that, I can't help you. 

[jnorton]

Finally, this worked for me: when you're trying to add the Protect, at the bottom of the screen to read the QR code you have an option to use the 6-character code on the back of the Protect.  Do that. Then you have to go into WiFi and select the NEST-XXXX Wifi network device the process starts. I was able to add more than one (all 7 actually).

[dpdpdpdp]

How did you get your second and third Protects added?  I can use the 6 character code, but the Nest app still insists on trying to connect to my firdt Protect.  And I can see the local Wifi and join it, but what should happen then?

[lgladdy]

I have spent *all day* trying to debug this. I was convinced I had a hardware failure. Only one of my two protects has this fault.

I reset everything, even made a whole new home... all because your status page said everything is okay.

[zignice]

I had three of seven go offline this week. I took two and tried to reset and add again. Today the one that I left alone came back online by itself. I was able to reset and connect another one and one just does not add to the network 

[vivlund]

I can only add one nest back to the network. When I try to add the second one, I get any of the following errors P024(4078), P023, P013(4078). I took one of the wired Protects off the wall and put it right next to the other one and the router, this did not work. I put one of the Protects in its own home, then tried to add the second protect, that did not work. The only thing I have not tried is removing all the other thermostats and cameras from the Nest app and starting over, but I don't think will work because it doesn't work in the separate home I made for the 2 protects. Does anyone have any ideas here?

[Guenter]

One more idea: Take the wired protects (the ones that are working) off the wall, open up the battery case, disconnect the batteries. That will take them offline for sure. Then try to re-activate the other protects. Also, make sure that you connect them to a 2G-only network.

[vivlund]

I will try removing the protect that is online from the wired power and removing the batteries (or put it in a shield box), but I wonder if the second protect will still try to connect through other devices or the offline protect. I’ll post an update when I have a chance to do this. 

[Dougputnam]

When will we be able to add the nest protect smoke detectors we have deleted due to the crappy nest instructions? The detectors that I left alone are back, but the ones I deleted cannot be added to nest protect and cannot talk to the others.

[vivlund]

I am in the same situation. I was told via email they are still working on a fix. I have one Protect on the Nest app with the other devices, and one Protect that refuses to connect no matter what I try. 

[Cj77]

Was able to get one back online, but now the other will not connect keep getting error P024.  It only gives the option to connect through the other protect but it will not work. So ridiculous. 

[Dougputnam]

I am past to point of having any hope of this being resolved. I believe that when a company is in the middle of a crisis that it is important to communicate with your customers. We are 6 days into this and there has only been one communication. Customers (people) can be more understanding when it is communicated that they are still working on the solution and tell us what the current status is. It could be that we are dealing with a foreign company that does not care about customers/people. I find it hard to believe that this only affects a small group. Many people may not even know that they are not protected and all of their smoke detectors are offline. If I had not noticed the red status light that came on Wednesday when I turned the lights off, I am sure I would not be aware of an issue. Has I stated a few days ago, Nest is open for a class action suit or someone suing for injury or death. 

[JPH92]

Unfortunately all owners of these detectors are affected!
I don't know how many were sold, but it must be huge. For security equipment it is totally abnormal not to have more information on the correction... especially since it worked very well before.
JP from France

[Dougputnam]

It has been more than a week now and I am still at 3 nest working and 3 not working. Has anyone figured out how to get to 100%? I try to connect them several times a day hoping something will miraculously connect them. Hope is all I have.

[Wim]

Same here. 2 out of 3 are back but under a seperate house...meaning they are not connected between eachother. The 3th does not want to connect...

[Space083289]

I am also having the same problem. I can get one of the two protects working but not both. 

I get error p024(4078). Also been hitting my head against a wall. Spent endless hours trying to figure this out. And yeah...

[Dougputnam]

It has now been two full weeks without resolution. There has been no update from Nest. Is it time to go to social media or place negative product reviews to wake Nest up?

[MikeEastgate]

Extra info.

I found this issue today when I purchased a new nest protect.

[MikeEastgate]

And reset my original nest, which won't connect back.

I'm about to go away for a month, which is why I bought another one.

Now I've lost remote notification.  Is there anyone at Google we can call?

And how will I know when it is fixed.

[JeroenV]

Agreed, unacceptable to break something and not fix it right away. Especially a possible lifesaving product as a smoke detector. The things have been working for years, so a solution shouldn't be hard to make.

[Dougputnam]

I wonder what Nest is telling new customers when they are purchasing a new nest system and they cannot connect to nest protect. Maybe they are getting the runaround and telling them to return the detectors and swap them out, or telling them to try again later.

Again, I suggest we start posting online reviews to get some attention to this issue.

[Dougputnam]

After working on this problem for 3 weeks here is my personal assessment:

• Something happed in Nest Protect on or around November 15th that caused all of my Nest smoke detectors to show offline. I have 6 smoke detectors in all.
• the next morning I went through all of the troubleshooting steps with no success. I did a factory reset on 3 of the 6 smoke detectors which remove them from the Nest Protect. The other 3 still connected to Nest Protect were still showing offline. When I tried to reconnect the 3 factory reset Nest smoke detectors they all failed. Failed with error code P024.
• On or around November 18th, the 3 Nest smoke detectors that remained in Nest Protect, were now showing on line. I tried to connect the 3 Nest smoke detectors (that I did the factory on) back to Nest Protect. No luck. Failed with error code P024.
• Over the next 3 weeks I try daily to reconnect my factory reset smoke detectors and I alway get either P024 or P013 error.
• December 5th I set up a second Nest Protect and try to connect my factory reset smoke detectors. I successfully connected 1 of the 3. The process used for the first unit does not rely on connecting to an existing Nest smoke detector, it connects directly from your phone and you select the router name and enter the router password. Success on 1 detector. Now, when I try to add another detector, fail with the same errors P024 or Error P013. So I remove that smoke doctor from the new Nest Protect I created and added one of the factory reset nest and success! Now I try to add a second fractory reset unit and it failed. I removed the second unit from the new Nest Protect I created and tried to connect the third factory reset unit. Success. But it seems that i can only connect one unit to the new Nest Protect I created. Whenever I try to connect another Nest it will always try to use a currently connected Nest unit to do the setup and always fails. But now I look at my router’s list of connected devices and I can see all 6 routers on the list. After all of this I have the original Nest Protect showing 3 nest smoke detectors online and the additional Net Protect I set up to do my testing, I only see 1 nest smoke detector online.

I searched the forum for any issues that were similar to our problem and found someone who, months ago had the same isssue. They had Nest detectors with different firmware. I believe he started connecting them by adding the first detector with the newest firmware first, then he was able to add the nest with the older firmware next. None of the smoke detectors he had were on the firmware I am using (3.5.rc3). So it seems that what we are dealing with is a firmware issue that does not allow current connected Nest smoke detectors to assist newly added Nest units. You first unit uses your phone/tablet to add the first Nest unit but then the Nest protect uses the other Nest smoke detectors to set up any newly added Nest detector which fails.

I surmise that if I had none nothing when all of this had started then on November 18th or 19th all of my Nest units would all be back on line. But following the Nest trouble shooting steps to do a factory reset on 3 of my units bricked them. 

i know this post is kind of long and drawn out but I felt as though I needed to document this for others with this issue.

[Colossus]

Thank you @Dougputnam - I think you nailed it.  I only factory reset 1 of my 6, and I have been fully functional since the first fix. My detectors expire in 2 years, but I don't think I will buy Nest again because of this issue. Would be good to see Google articulate what occurred and a statement/promise that this will not happen again. It could change my feelings about a future investment. @Lance_L 

[Wim]

Indeed. Same here.   Can fully confirm your story.

[Phil_blanco]

Thanks for this. This is exactly my issue. Any idea of when we can expect a fix please Nest/Google? 

Going on this long without comms is quite frankly really poor. 

[JeroenV]

I've noticed the same after resetting both my protects many times; you can only add one, the second always failes. Only difference is that I don't even see the working one connected on my router, the ip it states in the Nest app is not shown as used.

Have you tried to do a safety test on the working protect through the app? Mine also failes with that, saying the safety test cannot be started. If I test from the protect itself it says everything is fine.

[vivlund]

I can confirm. This is exactly the trajectory I took and had exactly the same outcome. I now have a bricked protect that cannot connect to the same nest home in the app as the other protect that is online, because the setup fails when I try to add the second protect. The firmware update bricked them when you try to add more than one to the system. If the one that is online can be updated to a new firmware version that will allow a second one to be added, then the second one could go online and update firmware to unbrick it possibly. 

[Space083289]

Exactly my issue as well. Only one works to connect. I have two. If I connect either one of them, the second one will fail. I went as far as removing the nest thermostat (the only other nest device in the home) and removed the batteries on the initial programmed protect hoping that it would use the phone. But it still fails to add the second protect. My failure also happened around the same time. Oddly I don't remember a notice stating that the nests went offline. 

[Phil_blanco]

Can I ask if there is ever going to be a resolution to this? It’s been off for over a month. In the solution coming? Still not able to get 3x nest protects back on network. So frustrating! Please help.