Can't Set Up New WiFi Point - Can't Find Device Error

[rgaila]

Disclaimer: This thread was migrated from our previous version of the Google Nest Community. You can continue to receive updates on your thread issue here or simply ask, browse or more in the new Google Nest Community.
 
Original Poster: Dean O'Kelley 

I’ve been able to scan QR code however I can’t connect Device not found”. Any suggestions?

[Martin48]

GUYS!!!…I went through everything is said here, and had a frustrating “nothing” as a result…in my frustration, I thought of trying something “out of the box”!!!…instead of trying adding the extra Point through my iPhone as I was insisting in doing, I did it on mi iPad Mini!!!…it worked fine at the first try!!!…my network is now super!!…don’t ask me why?…I could not say!!!…good luck!!!..

[Plb4G00gle]

Same scenario/result: Wifi Pro points refused to connect, tried iPad and both magically worked.

[Geex]

Mine worked as well.  Couldn’t get 2nd Wifi point to connect; reset multiple times, powered off for hours.  I tried with my iPad mini and it worked like magic.  Now I have 4 wifi points and all working great.  

[Jeff]

Hey, everyone.

It's been a while since we saw any activity in the thread here. I wanted to jump in and get a check on everyone's status. Are you still seeing the same issues? Have you tried any additional troubleshooting than what you have mentioned here? Have you seen any improvement at all?

Let me know if you're still needing help here and I will be happy to pick this up and go through things with you.

As far as news goes, we have a firmware update rolling out now that should help improve the setup process for additional points.  As long as you have your router connected to the Internet, it will download and install the update on its own. The update is pushing now and before the end of April all users will have it. If you get that update and things don't improve, please let me know.

Thanks.

[Yanivbrb]

Still, the same issue, bought a new Nest router and Nest wifi point and getting stuck in the status of Connecting to Nest Wifi point forever.

On the older Google WiFi points, it works very smoothly, I don't understand why it became so complicated on the newer version.

[Jeff]

Hi, again.

I'm hoping that the firmware update will clear some of this up for you all. For those that are having setup issues, have you tried setting the devices all up in the same room and then moving the points to where they'll be used after setup? For some devices, running setup works best if the main router and all points are near one another just until they complete setup. If you haven't tried that, it's worth giving a try.

Thanks.

[Striko]

I had tried to move the points to the same room as I thought it could probably be the issues of distance/obstacles etc.. same results. the app could detect the point, scanned qr code, but once after selecting the room(does not matter which room), it will have a pop up that states could not connect with nest wifi point..

[James08]

Hi there, thanks but I have done all above and still my best wi fi router & wi fi points will not load onto Google home app, after loading Symbol wheel stops, it says off line.  Any further ideas thanks James. 

[Ccordes2]

Do you have a version of this for the Wi-Fi Pro? These directions appear to be wrong. 

[Edwardo456]

Hi there, I'm having the same issues. New google nest setup. One of the points is added, the other I can't find.

I've turned off/on a 100 times, including resetting all units. I've moved the point closer and closer, including into the same room but it still can't 'find it' when trying to add a new device. I've ensured I'm on the same WIFI as the rest of the nest.

I've managed to work out that the point WIFI is working (as I can connect to it) but I still cant find it in my google home app.

Any other suggestions are very welcome!

Cheers,

Ed

[Chuckcwoo]

Same issue? Anybody else have a fix?

[Edwardo456]

Not one I’ve managed to find sorry

[druddz]

I'm having exactly the same issue

[Jtaylife]

Hey, I was having this very same issue. Basically I installed a new Nest Wifi Router as the primary device and wanted to use my existing Google wifi as an access point in another room.  I reset the Google wifi as instructed by Google and was able to direct and run through the setup process, however it would get stuck each time when trying to connect to wifi. After two complete network resets of all devices, the same setup issue persisted.  So it got me wondering… what if I plug Ethernet directly from the output of the Nest Wifi into the WAN/Internet port of the Google wifi during the setup phase. So I gave this a try and the setup process completed successfully.

So my recommendation for anyone having issues with adding additional Google Wifi APs is to run the setup process while connected to the main router using a LAN/Ethernet cable. It worked for me and it just might work for you too.

Gluck - James 

[narddog71]

Dude you are a genius!  I was going crazy trying to figure out why I couldn't get the mesh points to connect during setup. Glad I came across your post as the hard wired ethernet connect solution worked perfectly...thanks!

[ohheychad]

@Jtaylife you're a god-send!  connecting to ethernet worked perfectly.  Brought all my points where my router was, set each one up to connect to the mesh network, then set up all the points where i wanted them once i finished setting them up connected to ethernet. Thank you!

[Harvader]

Thanks mate, this was the correct answer. Google should probably incorporate it into their help stuff...

[DougL219]

Wow!  Wow!  Wow!  Thanks, Jtaylife!  I've been trying everything under the sun to replace my Google Wifi network with a Google _Nest_ Wifi  without losing the settings for my 35 devices.  That procedure is not documented anywhere I could find.  Amazing.

1. Hint, to set up the replacement router, first factory reset the old network -- it won't lose the other settings.  Then the secret trick is to get your ISP to reset the modem -- cycling the modem and router was not enough for me.

 2. Then I spent days trying everything under the sun to attach the first network point -- until I read Jtaylife's post.  When I ran a wire between the Nest router and an old non-Nest point, it worked!

 3. Then I was befuddled to find the new Nest points do not have a LAN port -- but trying to add them using the simple, standard, non-wired technique worked!  Successfully adding a non-Nest network point seems to have reset something which allows easily adding Nest points.  Wow.

[SynapSidd]

If there’s anyone else for whom this trick didn’t work initially, try the above setup on a different device (I used an iPad). Boom! Worked instantly.

Thanks a lot for your input @Jtaylife!

[behale8]

BLESS YOU. I thought I was going crazy and began doubting my knowledge of wifi and how "easy" this should be from Google. THANK YOU! 

[Teacherchavez]

THANK YOU!  I spent over 12 hours trying to get my points to connect, I tried all the Goggle recommendations and then I found this!  Your suggestion and answer should be at the top of this thread…it will save someone else hours, unnecessary gray hairs, and reduce the amount of bad words that are spoken out of frustration!

[warbuxx87]

Same issue

[Jruderwier]

Same issue

[EaMiNiJo]

Same issue here

[casperskj]

same issue here

[Kvogler]

Same issue here.  Very frustrated.  

[Kvogler]

I have reset everything twice.  Toggled off the cloud.  Even moved the point closer to the router and nothing. 

[Tntcooke]

Same issue , these are way too expensive to be having problems like this

[Edwardo456]

I’m sorry to say I’ve not got a solution for this. Have tried all sorts of things but none have worked. 

In the end I’ve sent my nest point back to google.  Hopefully the replacement point won't have the same issue

[Shwaa]

Same issue, you've dumbed down the device to the point where you can't do anything but factory reset constantly and hope for the best

[johnrichter]

Having the same issue with a new nest wifi point.

[BryanM]

Same issue here. I've tried all the suggestions and spent over 3 hours messing with this to no avail. Very frustrated!!!

[BryanM]

Called Google WiFi support and determined that I hadn't performed the factory reset on the points, only the router itself. Had to hold down the button on the bottom of each point for 10+ seconds to reset. After resetting, both connected without any issues. Should have called support much sooner!

[Jayhawk75]

I can’t even find phone number for support. Can you provide that please?

[TopYogi]

Perfect solution....and it works like a charm

[par2022]

I also tried to connect my new Internet provider to existing Nest Router. Finally got that up, but Internet then disappeared. Power cycling the Nest router worked. Managed to add the additional Nest access point just fine. However, I could not add any of my Google WiFi access points to the mesh - Google Home just kept asking to retry. I followed all the suggestions, factory resets, power cycles, etc. No help.
NOTE: I was using an iPhone, Google Home on iOS 15.3.

What fixed it?

Unplugged all the APs but the one I wanted.
I went back into the iPhone settings, WiFi, and clicked on the (i) for the setup network of the AP I was connecting to. I then disabled "Private Wi-Fi address" and "Limit IP Address Tracking" for the setup network. Also disabled "Auto-Join." Not on my main network, but the setup one only.
Tried setup again, still failed. Instead of hitting retry again, got out of the Google Home app, checked the WiFi setup again and saw that "Limit IP Address Tracking" had been enabled again. Turned it off, then went back to Google Home app and hit retry.
AP connected just fine. No issues - step and repeat for the rest of the APs, and they all connected with the little setup WiFi workaround.
Hope this helps others!

[akasjl]

I had posted elsewhere some weeks ago about my inability to add Google Wifi points to my new Nest Wifi router.  I had tried all the suggested fixes multiple times with no success.  I finally read reports about it being an iOS issue and was hoping an app update would fix the issue.  I upgraded to the latest Google Home version the other day, no luck.  I was looking at another mesh system when I came across your fix.  This one worked for me.  I was able to add all my Nest Wifi points after reading your solution.  Thanks a million!

[oasisontheplain]

Thanks!!! This worked for me. I had actually already tried disabling this in my troubleshooting. But I never went back and checked. That’s the key. You have to keep going back and toggling it off, because it get auto toggled back on. 

[jefftbauer]

This fixed my issue, too. Thank you and curses for getting caught between Apple's privacy tweaks and Google's "old school" joining methodology.

[run_fanboy_run]

This was brilliant!  I was simply able do the steps on configuring the Wi-Fi network on the iPhone and voila.  All worked!