Google Nest WiFi router LAN port not working

[Mabio]

Though there are many threads on this same issue I thought I should start another one to highlight the not-uncommon problem.

I had a perfectly functioning two-point Google Nest WiFi system for 14 months.  My home fibre ONT fed directly to the WAN port on the Google router via ethernet.  From the Google router I had an ethernet cable connecting the LAN port of the router with an unmanaged switch.  The switch then feeds a handful of wired devices.

All was working perfectly with this system for 14 months.  Then I noticed the wired devices were offline.  After extensive troubleshooting (numerous factory resets of Google router, new cables, bypassing the switch and plugging directly into a laptop to test LAN  port of router), Google agreed that it was a malfunctioning unit and replaced it.  I got the replacement, connected it, set it up and now discover the same exact behavior:  wifi works fine, but nothing with a wired connection leading to the LAN port works.  

I can see some of the devices within the Google home app (though they come and go), but none of the devices get internet access.  Connecting one laptop directly to the LAN port with a known working ethernet cable (tried a CAT 6 and a CAT 5e) results in no internet connection for the laptop.

[olavrb]

So you have 2x Google Wifi 1st gen in wireless mesh?

• https://support.google.com/googlenest/answer/6280668?hl=en

And the ethernet coming from the first / main puck does not work, not even if you disconnect the switch and connect the LAN port directly to a laptop for instance?

What exact switch do you have (brand, model), sure it's unmanaged withouth any anti-loop mechanism like STP (spanning tree protocol)?

Are you connected with both Wi-Fi and ethernet from one given device at the same time? Maybe that can trigger some anti loop mechanism in Nest Wifi, but I have no idea.

[Mabio]

I have one Google Nest wifi router with one access point.  Let's take the access point out of the picture since it doesn't have to be connected for the problem to be observed.  

The ethernet connected to the LAN port on the router worked for 14 months, and then it stopped working.  Nothing else in the system changed to cause the failure.  The replacement router LAN port failed out of the box.  A laptop wired directly to the port fails to get an Internet connection.

With the replacement router I did not connect the switch.  The first thing I did after setting up and confirming wifi was working was to connect an ethernet cable from the LAN port to a laptop.  No internet.  When i disconnect the cable and turn on the laptop wifi, everything works perfectly.

[olavrb]

Have you set a static IP on the ethernet NIC on the laptop?

What IP do you get, in the 192.168.86.1-255 range?

Have you tried with other devices with an ethernet port?

[Mabio]

No, I have not set a static ip on the laptop. It's set to receive dhcp derived ip from router.  

Which reminds me of another thing: I'm unable to change the ip address of the router and the dhcp range it delivers. The router that had been working for 14 months was set up to a custom ip and dhcp range. Now when I try to make changes it looks like it saves but when I go back into the settings they've reverted to default values.

To answer your other questions: I've tried two different laptops. And they don't get delivered an ip address when connected via ethernet. The ethernet setting says "unidentified network. No internet"

The laptops don't even appear in the Google home app.

However, when I connect the LAN port directly to the switch, SOME of the devices show up in the home app with an ip address - for instance, my NAS appears as a wired connection with a 192.168.86.34 address.  

I can force my headless Ubuntu machine to a static ip within the router's range, and it then shows up on the Home app, but trying to ping 8.8.8.8 results in "Destination Host: Unreachable"

[Jhonleanmel]

Hey folks,

@olavrb, we appreciate your helpful responses.

@Mabio, thanks for the details and for doing the suggested steps above. 

A quick question: have you tried to use another Ethernet cable?

A new firmware release is going out now to the WiFi routers and points. You won't need to do anything to receive the update and it will install automatically once it's available for your hardware. Over the next 1-2 weeks the update will be pushed out to all users. There are a variety of performance updates and bug fixes in the release, so I'm hoping this clears up the issues you're seeing here. Let me know if you have any questions about the update.

Thanks,
Mel

[Mabio]

Yes, different ethernet cables were among the first things I tried.

If you're suggesting a new firmware update might fix my problem, does that mean a firmware update is what made it stop working after 14 months?

[Jhonleanmel]

Hi Mabio,

Thanks for getting back to us.

Firmware updates are meant to fix issues. For now, I suggest waiting for your device to be updated.

Best,

Mel

[Mabio]

I realize firmware updates are meant to fix issues.  I'm enquiring as to the possibility that a behind-the-scenes update might have inadvertently caused a problem with the LAN port.  Everything was working perfectly normally, both wifi and ethernet connected internet, until right around August 25th, when ethernet through the LAN port died.  

The Google Wifi team, rather than continuing to troubleshoot the problem with me, have simply approved me for yet another replacement router.  I suppose I will go through the process again...but I have a very distinct feeling that the same behavior will be discovered.

[olavrb]

@Mabio 

Have you tried the basics? Ref this Reddit thread post:

• https://www.reddit.com/r/GoogleWiFi/comments/jw45nb/comment/gcnylxx

"Get back to the basic setup. Disconnect that LAN cable at the primary router, leave the WAN cable connected to the modem and turn off all other points. Ensure WiFi works. Then connect that LAN Ethernet cable to a laptop, turn off that laptop's WiFi and test that Ethernet wire works. Then connect that LAN Ethernet cable to one switch, disconnect all other cables. Now just connect another cable to the switch. Essentially just two cables (one to GWiFi, one to the laptop) and test that.

Rebuild your network a piece at a time going down the chain until it falls apart.

If the unmanaged switches have reset button, reset them without connecting any Ethernet cables."

The problem in this scenario turned out to be a misbehaving BluRay player:

• https://www.reddit.com/r/GoogleWiFi/comments/jw45nb/comment/gcoluqs

"I noticed all the lights on my switches were flickering like no tomorrow, so I googled it, and it seems that "streaming devices" can cause heavy traffic and crash switches? So I unplugged a blu ray I had on the main switch, and suddenly all the lights stopped flickering and I magically had service... Could that seriously be the problem? This Blu Ray player I never use randomly decided to go ape **bleep** and that **bleep**ed my network??"

[Mabio]

@olavrb Yes, I stripped everything down to the basics many times, including factory reset just to really clean the decks.  The problem is this part: "Then connect that LAN Ethernet cable to a laptop, turn off that laptop's WiFi and test that Ethernet wire works," because even with the LAN port connected to only one device I cannot get an internet connection with that device.

The replacement router straight out of the box set up perfectly.  I left LAN disconnected during initial setup, confirmed that WiFi was working correctly, THEN connected device via LAN port and got no internet service...no successful ping...nothing.  The device pops up in Home app, but the ethernet settings on the device itself show "unidentified network. No internet".  Try new ethernet cable, same behavior.  Try a second laptop, same behavior.

[olavrb]

Roger that. This sure sounds like an edge case.

[Jhonleanmel]

Hey folks,

@olavrb, we appreciate your helpful responses.

@Mabio, I'm sorry that you're still having issues with your Google Nest Wifi's LAN port even after the replacement. We'd like to take a deeper look into this — could you fill out this form and let us know once you're done?

Thanks,
Mel

[Mabio]

@Jhonleanmel Okay, I filled out the form.

[Jhonleanmel]

Hi Mabio, 

We got your form — thanks for filling it out. Keep your lines open as our team will reach out to you via email anytime soon. 

Also, please continue the conversation there as this thread will be locked after 24 hours.

Cheers, 
Mel

[olavrb]

Please don't close this thread before you know what was the problem in this case. Or at least add the solution to this thread afterwards.

[Jhonleanmel]

Hi olavrb,

I will keep the thread open.

Thanks,

Mel

[Mabio]

The team reached out to me.  I got an email asking what the problem was and assigning me an entirely new case number.  I'm sorry, but I'm not going to spend my time explaining the whole story yet again when it's all documented in the original (still open) case number.

Thanks anyway.

[Jhonleanmel]

Hi Mabio,

Thanks for letting us know. I suggest continuing the conversation there for us to avoid confusion and to keep you supported by one of our specialists.

Best,

Mel

[Jhonleanmel]

Hi Mabio,

I wanted to follow up and see if you are still in need of any help. Please let me know if you are still having any concerns or questions from here, as I would be happy to take a closer look and assist you further.

Thanks,
Mel

[Mabio]

Nothing has been solved, so I guess I'll do the replacement process for a second time.  Just super inconvenient to take everything apart again.  Starting to wish I never went the Nest wifi route.

[Jhonleanmel]

Hi Mabio,

Thanks for your patience and understanding. Please let me know if there is anything else I can help you with so I can look into it further.

Best,

Mel

[Jhonleanmel]

Hi Mabio,

I wanted to follow up and see if you are still in need of any help. Please let me know if you are still having any concerns or questions from here, as I would be happy to take a closer look and assist you further.

Thanks,
Mel

[Mabio]

Well, I responded to the email from the WiFi team with all the information they requested for my second replacement, but I haven't heard back.  So if you have any sway with that it would be greatly appreciated.

[Jhonleanmel]

Hi Mabio,

Thanks for the update. Could you give us your case number from your interaction with our Support Team so I can take a closer look?

Best

Mel

[Mabio]

It's still 6-0088000032959

[Jhonleanmel]

Hi Mabio,

Thanks for the update. I've reviewed your case and we're able to see that you have responded with the details needed for the replacement and should be processed shortly. We appreciate your patience. 

Best,

Mel

[Mabio]

Well, rather than the replacement being processed I've just gotten an email from yet another new wifi team member asking me questions about the problem that have all been answered multiple times over the past 5 weeks or so.  

[Jhonleanmel]

Hi Mabio,

Thanks for the update. I suggest continuing the conversation there to avoid confusion.

Best,

Mel

[Jhonleanmel]

Hey Mabio,

Checking back in should you still have some questions here. Let us know by replying to this thread. 

Thanks, 
Mel

[Mabio]

Only question I have is: what on earth is happening to my case?  I've had no reply since responding to the last person from the wifi team 4 days ago.

[Jhonleanmel]

Hi Mabio,

I suggest replying to the email you received. Also, I have notified our support team so they can get back to you as soon as possible.

Best,

Mel

[Mabio]

I've replied to the WiFi team yet again, but my faith in the people responsible for customer support over there has dwindled to nothing.

I have been ABUNDANTLY thorough with providing detailed description of my setup, of the problem, I've answered EVERY question they've asked...and they leave me hanging day after day after day.

[Jhonleanmel]

Hi Mabio,

We appreciate your patience.

Best,

Mel

[Jhonleanmel]

Hey Mabio,

Checking back in should you still have some questions here. Let us know by replying to this thread. 

Best, 
Mel

[Mabio]

Do you have some information on when Google WiFi team is going to respond to me?  Because I have, as you suggested, replied numerous times to their email and they're completely ignoring me.

[Jhonleanmel]

Hi Mabio,

We're sorry for the inconvenience that this has caused you. I already did a follow up regarding this and I'll make sure to keep this thread open until you are assisted.

Best,

Mel

[Jhonleanmel]

Hey Mabio,

I wanted to follow up and see if you are still in need of any help. Please let me know if you are still having any concerns or questions from here, as I would be happy to take a closer look and assist you further.

Thanks,
Mel

[Mabio]

Hi Mel,

I do indeed still have questions and concerns.  My concern is that Google is not taking care of my issue to make the equipment I spent full price on work as advertised.  My question is, how many WiFi experts and how long does it take to get a resolution?

I've now got a new case number...don't know why, but it's now 5-5682000032825.

Any way you might be able to influence the progress of my case would be very appreciated.

[Jhonleanmel]

Hi Mabio,
 

Thanks for the update. I suggest continuing the conversation there to avoid confusion. Also I have followed up with our support team about your case ID so they can help you out as soon as they receive the reports for your concern.

Best,

Mel