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Devices Dont Cast on Google WiFi

Davy123
Community Member

I bought a Gen 2 Google WiFi mesh set to replace my basic Plusnet broadband router wifi.  

I have visited each of my dozen Wifi-enabled devices and converted them to the Google WiFi network. The phones, Chromecast, tabs etc all work well. The Google Nest devices work perfectly providing Google Assistant.

But I find I cannot cast from my PC (Ethernet wired connected to the router), using the Chrome browser or Spotify web app, to either my Chromecast Audio or Google Nest Audio products. Neither the Chrome browser or the Spotify web app are able to discover the CC Audio or Nest devices. 

If I swap the two devices back to the Plusnet WiFi network then casting works very well.

Incidentally, the Plusnet router generates two Wifi networks; one at 2.4GHz and other at 5Ghz - they can be enabled separately. Google WiFi, on the other hand creates two networks (2.4 &5) with the same SSID but cannot be managed separately.

I cant believe that Google Chrome casting to Google Wifi to Google Nest does not work but a cheap and nasty ISP-provided router does.

Any thoughts anyone?

22 REPLIES 22

olavrb
Platinum Product Expert
Platinum Product Expert

Like I mentioned in the previous thread you created (https://www.googlenestcommunity.com/t5/Nest-Wifi/Can-t-Cast-to-Nest-Audio/m-p/51422) it sounds like you are trying to reach the audio devices through a NAT router. That does not work. If that worked, you could reach devices in your home network from the internet.

What IP address does your PC get, and what IP do the audio devices have? Are they on the same subnet? Can you ping them?


I don't work for Google.

Davy123
Community Member

Olavrb, ah ..... It beginning to seep into my thick skull. I also have problems connecting to a wireless printer and two internet radios. They are ALL connected via the wired network in some way. The printer jobs sent from my wired PC on the LAN; the internet radios connecting to a media server on a NAS device wire connected to the LAN. 

I will come back to you tomorrow with the IP addresses.

Davy123
Community Member

A quick sketch of my problematic  setup. It seems the problem is that the wired devices connected to the ISP router cannot see/work with the devices on the Google WiFi

RA Computing Network Nov 21.jpg

 

olavrb
Platinum Product Expert
Platinum Product Expert

Then you have these two options basically:


I don't work for Google.

Davy123
Community Member

Thanks Olavrb, but unfortunately my ISP router does not support 'bridge' mode.

Our posts have overlapped each other so please see below regarding your second option of installing a network switch

olavrb
Platinum Product Expert
Platinum Product Expert

Third option is running double NAT; don't bridge neither ISP router or Nest Wifi. But connect all your devices behind the main Nest Wifi puck, no devices connected by cable or Wifi to the ISP router.


I don't work for Google.

Davy123
Community Member

Thanks Olavrb, I think that that is going to be the only solution. 

But, maybe I am old school but connecting PCs to the  ISP 'switch'  seems to be the right; but not right connecting downstream to a Google puck! But I suppose I will have to do it. At least I will be able to switch off the ISP wifi.

See my later posts below.

Before I do it, anybody see any drawbacks?

Jeff
Community Specialist
Community Specialist

Hey, Davy123.

I just wanted to jump in real fast to see if that suggestion worked for you or to see if you still needed some help on this. If you are still having some issues, please let us know.

Thanks.

Davy123
Community Member

Jeff, thanks for your concern.

Adding everything to the Google WiFi network did allow PCs to cast to Next devices etc.  But it lost the Microsoft networking. So PCs can no longer see each other or the NAS. Also my internet radio and my smart TV not able to play media from my NAS.

So further experiment needed.

Jeff
Community Specialist
Community Specialist

Thanks again for the update on that, Davy123. Hmmm, it definitely gives a different look at things with things changing around like that. Thanks for the info and I'll see if that helps sort things out.

Davy123
Community Member

Jeff, I've changed my mind. The title of this thread no longer adaquately describes the problem. 

When I have sorted it, I will start a new thread with a more relevant title and a description of what works and what doesn't.

Thanks for your interest, you can lock/delete this thread now

Jeff
Community Specialist
Community Specialist

Ok, Davy123. That works. I'll go ahead and close it up for now. When you're ready, just go ahead and get that new thread up.

Thanks!

Questix06
Community Member

Hello, sorry to bust in but I think I have a Similar problem. My setup is simple. I have my ISP and a total of 10 Nest Audio speakers around the house. The couldn't deliver to large areas of the house so I bought a Linksys Velop MESH system (MX10600) 3 nodes for now. Spotify to al my Nest Audio speaker groups worked without problems (sometimes slow or short disconnect). BUT now my ISP is in bridge mode. One ethernet cable from my ISP to the Internet port of my Linksys Router, and from my Linksys router I have my other Linksys nodes connect via ethernet.

The link you shared states that MESH won't work in this situation ? (https://support.google.com/googlenest/answer/6240987?hl=en)

 

Does this mean I have to factory reset my ISP and turn off wifi ? And ¨add Linksys as existing network or stand alone ? My current situation if I try to stream to a particular Nest Audio group it says ¨sorry but something went wrong or if I'm lucky I get one of the 10 speakers to play sound while they are all in that group.

Thanks a lot.

 

 

olavrb
Platinum Product Expert
Platinum Product Expert

Yup, you probably are having a NAT situation here.

The thing about mesh not working if in bridge mode is Nest Wifi specific. Linksys might be different. I found this:

But simplest will probably be what you described: Bridge ISP modem and turn off its' Wi-Fi. Then configure main mesh node to work as the NAT router in your home. Connect all other devices, be it more mesh nodes or Nest audio gear, behind it.


I don't work for Google.

Davy123
Community Member

olavrb, thanks for the thoughts.

Unfortunately my ISP router cannot be switched to bridge mode.  And the Google Wi-Fi Mesh can only be switched to bridge mode if it is a single stand-alone unit - so no mesh.

I have a Windows hard-wired network running off the ISP router, and also a GWFM - but they cannot talk to each other. I would  imagine because the ISP router cannot see the NAT/IP addresses of devices running behind the GWFM router.

I have read  your first reply which states that it works for you. Do you have the situation I describe above?

 

olavrb
Platinum Product Expert
Platinum Product Expert

Then just run double NAT, connect all the rest behind the primary Nest Wifi. Add more ethernet ports by connecting a unmanaged switch to the primary node (https://support.google.com/googlenest/answer/6274262?hl=en).

There is a lot of topics on this, search this forum and Reddit. 👍


I don't work for Google.

Jeff
Community Specialist
Community Specialist

Hey, Davy123.

Just checking in to see if you are able to set your network up as olavrb is suggesting. If so, let me know if you have any issues getting things to work.

Thanks.

Eric_B
Community Specialist
Community Specialist

Hey there,
Just wanted to jump in here to check to make sure that you saw our response. Please let us know if you have any other questions or concerns as I will be locking this in 24 hours.

Have a great day!
Eric

Davy123
Community Member

Still working on it, but it is a time consumming business to try different networking configurations, restart all devices and run diagnostics. I will report back when done.

Jeff
Community Specialist
Community Specialist

Sure thing, Davy123. Thanks for keeping us in the loop.

Davy123
Community Member

Following on from Olavrb suggestion that I might have a NAT issue, I connected my PC to the spare ethernet socket on the Google Wi-Fi hub and .... voila I can suddenly cast to devices on the Google Wi-Fi Mesh. AND, amazingly my PC can still access the internet.

Anybody see a problem with this new configuration?

Davy123
Community Member

A bit more info. I have discovered that Google WiFi contains a firewall - The firewall is basic and is designed to stop unsolicited incoming from the internet. But I wonder if that done by placing a very basic firewall control on  the connection between GWFM and the ISP router - ie the ethernet cable linking them. So maybe the GHFM/ISP router ethernet connection is designed purely for internet and not for LAN networking?