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Adding a Nest Wifi router to replace Google Wifi Router in existing mesh

DetFilms
Community Member

I have an existing mesh network that was created using Google Wifi. However, the signal was spotty in distant rooms (large house.) I purchased a Nest Wifi Router and two points in the hopes that this would improve things.

I need to stress that I cannot change the name or password of the existing network. Both my solar and pool equipment controls were installed by technicians and logged into it and I can't change those devices.

I installed the Nest router and points, and they enlarged my mesh, but the Nest router seems to be simply serving as a point, not as a router. And the signal seems no better. In fact, it may be worse. I'm thinking I may need to remove the Google Wifi router altogether and factory reset the Nest Wifi router and re-install it as the primary router.

However, I absolutely need it to become the new primary router for the existing mesh, NOT create a new mesh. A new mesh won't work for my solar and pool equipment. Will this be possible?

3 Recommended AnswerS

olavrb
Platinum Product Expert
Platinum Product Expert

You must factory reset the whole network and set it up from scratch in order to replace the main/ master.

But if you use the same network name (SSID) and password as the existing network, devices will connect to the new network automagically.


I don't work for Google.

View Recommended Answer in original post

DetFilms
Community Member

Ha! I figured it would be something like that. Okay, I think I'm capable, but I'll wait for a weekend when the family's not home trying to connect.

View Recommended Answer in original post

EdwardT
Community Specialist
Community Specialist

Hi folks,

 

@olavrb, thanks for the help!

 

@DetFilms, thanks for reaching out. I'm glad that olavrb's response helped you. Let us know once you've done it and feel free to reach out if you have questions.

 

Thanks,

Edward

View Recommended Answer in original post

12 REPLIES 12

olavrb
Platinum Product Expert
Platinum Product Expert

You must factory reset the whole network and set it up from scratch in order to replace the main/ master.

But if you use the same network name (SSID) and password as the existing network, devices will connect to the new network automagically.


I don't work for Google.

DetFilms
Community Member

Ha! I figured it would be something like that. Okay, I think I'm capable, but I'll wait for a weekend when the family's not home trying to connect.

EdwardT
Community Specialist
Community Specialist

Hi folks,

 

@olavrb, thanks for the help!

 

@DetFilms, thanks for reaching out. I'm glad that olavrb's response helped you. Let us know once you've done it and feel free to reach out if you have questions.

 

Thanks,

Edward

Jeff
Community Specialist
Community Specialist

Hi, DetFilms.

No worries if you haven't had the opportunity to test things yet, but I wanted to check in to see if you gave that setup a try over the last weekend and to see if it all went well. If you've yet to try, just let us know when you get a chance and how it goes.

Thanks,

- Jeff

DetFilms
Community Member

I'll be giving it a try when the family is gone Sunday.

I'm wondering if I can simply unplug all the other points so that the mesh "vanishes" and then factory reset the new Nest router and set it up with the same name and password. There won't be a mesh network by that name visible at that time to conflict. Then just plug in the other points and let them connect?

If that doesn't work I can factory reset everything and set it all up but the first method seemed simpler.

EdwardT
Community Specialist
Community Specialist

Hi DetFilms,

 

How's it going? were you able  try the steps? Please let us know the results or if you have other questions. We're here to help.

 

Thanks,

Edward

DetFilms
Community Member

Unfortunately, no luck with my half-assed method and I'm too scared to factory reset my whole network, since my past experience with Google is that it will never let me give something the same name as before.

Every once in a while the Google Assistant will decide that she just doesn't like one of my speaker groups, and every time I try to play music on that group, I will get the "Sorry, something went wrong" message. The only way to get past it is to create exactly the same speaker group but give it a different name. Then I have to get the whole family to learn the new name. It's a pain, especially because it will eventually happen again. (We started with "Alpha" group - we're now on "Foxtrot.")

So the ONLY way I was willing to do this is if I had an escape strategy. I unplugged all the wifi points in the house, and unly had the Google Wifi router plugged into the Nest router with an Ethernet cable. I factory reset the Nest router, unplugged the Google router, plugged the modem cable into the Nest router, and attempted to use the Home app to set it up as the new primary router.

No dice. Naturally, first I had to choose My Home the place for setup, and then when I tried to set up the Nest router and scanned the QR code, I was simply informed that the network was offline and I should either bring it back online or wipe it completely.

Since I strongly suspected that Google would not let me name the reset network the same name as before, I bailed there. Plugged everything back in the way it was, and the Nest router is back to just being an Ethernet-wired Wifi point into the Google router.

The one upside is I decided not to plug the old Google Wifi points back in and the mesh network is suddenly a lot stronger with only Nest points. So I'm a little better off now?

Sorry for chickening out, but since I can't personally change my pool equipment and solar panel connections, I just wasn't willing to risk Google insisting I needed a new network name. Thanks for the help though!

 

EdwardT
Community Specialist
Community Specialist

Hi DetFilms,

 

Thanks for sharing the steps that you've done. I understand that having to reset the network isn't easy since you have a lot of devices connected to it by I'm glad to hear that your network is stronger now. Let us know if you have other questions and we'd be glad to assist.

 

Thanks,

Edward

EdwardT
Community Specialist
Community Specialist

Hi DetFilms,

 

It's me again. I wanted to check back in to see if you have other questions and concerns. Feel free to let me know if you do. 

 

Thanks,

Edward

EdwardT
Community Specialist
Community Specialist

Hi DetFilms,

 

Just checking in to make sure that you've seen our response. Please let us know if you have any other questions or concerns as I will be locking this in 24 hours.

 

Thanks,

Edward

DetFilms
Community Member

No other questions. Now that my mesh is no longer dropping out at intervals I'm going to leave it alone. I do wish Google would make it easier to switch primaries but I can understand for security purposes why it might not be something they'd want to do. Anyway, thanks for the help and if I ever get brave or desperate I'll at least know what to do.

EdwardT
Community Specialist
Community Specialist

Hi DetFilms,

 

Thanks for the response. I will be locking this thread now. Please feel free to create a new thread should you have some more questions or concerns in the near future and we'll be more than glad to help.

 

Thanks,

Edward