2nd Gen Learning Nest Not Connecting (not even finding) WiFi

[Teegeecee01]

We have had no changes to our network and every other device connects fine. But suddenly the Nest will not connect. I've done the trouble-shooting steps twice and nothing has worked. Have not done factory reset, because who wants to do that ever?

[DeboraJ]

Hi @Teegeecee01 

Thanks for reaching out to the Community! I understand that you were having some inconveniences with the Wi-Fi connectivity on your Nest Thermostat. I understand how frustrating this situation can be, so don't worry! Let me assist you with that.

Before we continue, I need to know some information about your case to provide you with the best troubleshooting steps:

• What Nest thermostat model do you have?
• When did the issue start?
• Did you notice any code on your thermostat screen?
• Are you trying to connect to the 2.4 GHz or the 5 GHz network?
• Has your thermostat ever connected to your network?
• Are there devices or appliances (such as baby monitors, microwaves, cordless phones, etc.) near the thermostat?
• Are you controlling your thermostat from the Nest or Google Home app or the thermostat display?
• Does it show offline in the Nest or Google Home app or is it indicated on the device?
• Can the thermostat find or detect other networks?

Once you have this information, I would be more than ready to assist you!

Best Regards,

Debora

[Teegeecee01]

Thanks for reaching out to try to help. I'll answer your questions in the order asked
From what I can tell, a Gen 2 learning.
It started about 2-weeks ago.
No specific code, just "not connected".
5 GHz
Has connected for past 2 or so years.
No devices nearby.
Usually use the Nest app, but it has shown up in the Home app.
Nest cannot detect any other networks. It doesn't detect mine when I type it in manually.
When I first noticed the issue, it did see my network and try to connect, but failed. And I finally got it to connect and thought problem solved. But that was a short-lived victory.

Thanks

[DeboraJ]

Hi @Teegeecee01

Thanks for the information provided! I really appreciate it. I found some steps that you can try. Let me share them with you:

• Step 1: Make sure that the thermostat is at least 12 feet from the Wi-Fi router.
  • If the thermostat is too close to the router, it might lead to an unreliable connection.
  • If the thermostat is at least 12 feet (3.6 meters) from the Wi-Fi router but the issue persists, proceed to the next step.
• Step 2: Check for wireless interference.
  • The following are examples of devices that may cause interference:
    • Cordless phones
    • Baby monitors
    • Microwaves
    • Bluetooth devices
    • Wireless video equipment
• Step 3: Check if the network is hidden.
• Step 4: Check if your router has incompatible network settings.
  • If you are using one of the following incompatible networks, try to troubleshoot the issue with these steps:
  • Enterprise encryption (also known as 802.1x and requires a username and password input)
  • Captive portal networks that require input via a web browser (to agree to Terms and Conditions, etc.)
  • Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS)

Please try these steps and let me know what the result was! If they don't work, I have more steps for you.

Best Regards,

Debora

[Teegeecee01]

Debora,

Thanks for taking the time to respond and to try to help. I'll respond to each step:

Step 1 - Check. Nothing moved from when it did connect to when it stopped connecting.

Step 2 - Check. Again, nothing changed or moved from when it did connect to when it stopped connecting. 

Step 3 - Check. No change in network availability.

Step 4 - Check. Again, no change in network settings from when it did connect to when it stopped connecting. 

I'm open to more steps. But keep in mind, nothing changed in the house or with the network from when it did connect to when it stopped connecting.

Thanks again.

Tom

[DeboraJ]

Hi @Teegeecee01

Thanks for sharing the results! I really appreciate it. I have more steps, but let's check a few things that are important for this:

• Step 1: Restart your thermostat's network. For this, you only need to follow these steps:
  • To erase previous network connections, go to:
  • Settings
  • Reset
  • Network
  • If there's no option for Network, select Account connection instead.

I know that you mentioned before that you don’t want to perform a factory reset on your device. Don’t worry, this restart doesn’t make changes to your device, just to your Wi-Fi network. It’s possible that you may notice an error message after this restart. If that happens, please let me know the error.

• Step 2: Check the battery level. To check the battery level of your thermostat device, go to:
  • Settings
  • Tech Info
  • Power
  • Please send me the battery level of your thermostat device.
• If the battery level is 3.6 or below, please charge it with a USB cable for about 1 hour.
• If it is above 3.7, the battery is fine.

Once you follow those steps, let me know of any changes. I will be waiting for your response!

Best Regards,

Debora

[Teegeecee01]

After talking with support for an hour this past Saturday, it was determined that the Wi-Fi chip had burned out. I already have the replacement installed and it functions perfectly.

Thanks again,

Tom

[DeboraJ]

Hi @Teegeecee01

I’m happy to know that the issue has been resolved! Thank you for your efforts; I really appreciate them. Please let me know if there is anything else I can help you with or if you have any more questions!

Best Regards,

Debora