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Google Nest Wifi setup with Spectrum Modem

scottperz
Community Member

Hi,

I had Spectrum internet at previous house and had my Next Wifi connected to it without any issues.  I am in the process of moving and received a newer Spectrum modem to use at my new address.  I tried for hours to get the Nest connected to the modem with no luck.  I had a Spectrum service person at the house today to troubleshoot the problem, and he was able to confirm that the modem is working properly by connecting a Spectrum Router to it.  I tried resetting the Nest, and I followed the setup instructions on the Google Home App numerous times without any luck.  I get as far as connecting to the router, but it always fails while trying to obtain a connection to the modem/internet.

Anyone else experience this problem?  Any tips on things to try?  I really want to use this router at my new location, but I'm getting extremely frustrated trying to get things setup.

Thanks in advance

Scott

167 REPLIES 167

If you use the new router to hook up to the Google router.. just to get them to see each other. Add or reconnect in the home app.

Then reconnect the Google router only.

-with Nest router plugged in and connected to the modem, unplug modem, wait 2 min, and plug modem back in to restart it

 -when your modem is done rebooting, go on your phone and turn off cellular data (on iphone, go to settings, cellular, and then slide it off)

- go to your wi-fi connections and you should see your router. Mine said cannot connect. Excellent signal. 

 

- I had to re-enter my password to connect;

 

- then turn cell network back on..

I used this as an opportunity to upgrade to a Wifi 6 router, so have no interest in getting the Google Wifi to work again.  Just logging another example of Spectrum/Google Wifi incompatibility that seems to be a wider issue........this worked for 3 years with no issues then spontaneously failed.  I can solve 95% of the tech issues I run into - this is really user "unfriendly" if the products require this degree of specialized setup/support.

Thank you! Turning off cellular data worked for me (miraculously). I had Nest Wi-Fi working with an older Spectrum modem that was failing. Spectrum gave me a new mod and it wouldn’t work with the Nest Wi-Fi router - the Spectrum eMTA modem was sending internet but the Nest Wi-Fi would not handle it. Yellow blinking light. I did a factory reset on the Nest router but it hung up in the Google home install. I rebooted the modem, turned off cellular data on my phone, and was able to complete the setup on Google Home. 

It’s a miracle I found this solution on the forum. I was on my way out the door to buy a new mesh system. Thank you! 

TSP
Community Member

I seem to be having the same issue everyone else is. I’m trying to plug-in the nest router directly to my spectrum modem only. It will not connect to the Internet. Although, it does connect if I plug it in through a different router. I’m trying to illuminate the second router so this is not the direction I wanted to go. Need to be able to plug-in the nest router directly into the spectrum modem.

tjaeckle
Community Member

Good luck.  I have my Nest currently working with a second router (my old one) in between the Nest and the modem.  I am just leaving it that way because it's working, and while I would like to eliminate the second router (just seems dumb to have to do that) I am not messing with it.  I've gotten Nest to connect to the Spectrum modem twice in the past, but both times it eventually failed (once after two weeks, once after 1+ years) and created a huge hassle.  I simply have that second router there and plugged in but I turned off wireless broadcasting on it so it literally is just there as a go-between and other than physically seeing it back there next to the modem it's not even evident to anyone that it's there. Going with "if it ain't broke don't fix it" cuz I can't trust that Nest-Modem direct connection won't fail again in the future at some inopportune time even if I do get it working again. So frustrating.

jjporter1979
Community Member

Perhaps Google should bundle old Wifi routers as an upgrade option with the Nest Wifi 3-pack as a "Spectrum compatibility add-on".   😜

aslaker
Community Member

Hi folks,

 

I had this same issue recently and I have a potential solution for some of you that was provided to me over a phone call with Google support.  This solution likely doesn't cover all of the issues that folks have been experiencing, but it is worth trying for anyone that had a "Home" set up in the google home app and moved to a new location with their routers.

After I moved to our new house, I tried plugging the router directly into the modem and I experienced the same issues listed above, where the router couldn't get a connection.  The issue was resolved for me after I created a brand new "Home" in the google home app and then set up my devices under that new home.

There was likely some cached data stored with the original configuration for my first home, and it was causing connection issues when I tried to use the same configuration at my new home.  Adding a new home and factory resetting the routers and points solved the issue for me.

Rf2312
Community Member

I have read some of the threads here about issues connecting the Nest to a Spectum only modem. Most are dated from earlier this year and talk about firmware updates. I have had my Nest for two weeks and I am still unable to connect directly to the modem. My Nest has been updated to the most recent firmware but still shows a continuous red when connected to the modem, directly. I am now connected to the Spectrum router which I  renting from them so I can continue to have connectivity which is very much a waste. Is there a solution anywhere? 

AngieSt
Community Member

Not sure if you saw my post, but I spend days trying to get this to work and after hours on the phone with Google, this was what worked. 

______

I had everything factory reset when I did this but I couldn't get my nest router to see the internet connection even though I knew it was good. 

-with Nest router plugged in and connected to the modem, unplug modem, wait 2 min, and plug modem back in to restart it

-when your modem is done rebooting, go on your phone and turn off cellular data (on iphone, go to settings, cellular, and then slide it off)

- go to your wi-fi connections on your phone and you should see your router. (should say setup___ or something similar). Click on it here and connect to it. It will say no internet, but its getting your modem and router to see each other

-turn back on your cellular data and run through the normal setup with your Google home app. 

Good Luck. 

adam1173
Community Member

Thanks!  This is the solution that worked for me after trying for 3 hours!

AngieSt
Community Member

Glad this worked for you! Seemed way too simple after a million reboots and hours on the internet. 🙂

tjaeckle
Community Member

One solution is to use your own modem, not the spectrum one. Another solution, and the one I am employing, is to use a second router in between the modem and the Nest. I still have my old router, so I simply put it between the two and turned off the wireless broadcasting, and I’m good to go. I have an extra device on my shelf and an extra device plugged into power, but those are the only downsides. It’s still maddening that it can’t connect directly – but since my Nest is not working, I’m just moving on with this “solution”. 

Yep, a lot of stuff gets buried in these threads! 🙄

What worked for me was to use the Spectrum App and tell it to reset the modem. (Unplugging the modem didn't work.)

One I used the app to reset the Spectrum modem and the modem rebooted, the Google Nest Wi-Fi router immediately connected and completed the set up.

jyoung618
Community Member

I had success getting this working by setting up the google wifi (behind the charter router), unplugging everything including the coax from the charter modem, plugging in the modem and coax...waiting ~10 minutes, then connecting the ethernet cable to the google wifi and powering on.  

 

Now....I'm only seeing about 40mbps when connected to my google wifi from a windows machine, mac, and iPhone.  When i test via the google app it says 500mbps+ which is what it should be...

 

Anyone else have this particular issue?

ihodgex
Community Member

Hey everyone, I had ran into the same issues as everyone else with my Google Nest Wifi Router not working with my Spectrum Modem. However, I was able to get it working. These are the following steps needed to make it work (Mods, please make this info available to others that may have this issue).

1. Connect the Spectrum Modem to the provided Spectrum Router, and then the Nest Wifi Router to the Spectrum Router.

2. Follow the setups necessary to get the Nest (and any Points) up and running on your network.

3. Once everything is working (you should see a wifi signal for both the Spectrum Router and the Nest Router), pull the power cable from the Spectrum Modem and then the Spectrum Router.

4. Connect the Nest Router to the Spectrum Modem while it is still powered down.

5. Reconnect the power to the Spectrum Modem and allow it to boot up. The Nest Router should automatically connect to the Spectrum Modem and work properly. If not, repeat steps 3-5.

tjaeckle
Community Member

Thanks. I'm going to let others try this and see if they have success first, before I give that a shot. I don't have a Spectrum router, but I do have my own Nighthawk router presently in between the Spectrum Modem and Nest and things are working properly. If I'm understanding what you are saying, I should now try pulling the power from the modem and then my Nighthawk router, then connect the Nest up to the modem and power the modem back up. If others can replicate that successfully then I'll give that a shot. But for now, since I have things working, I'm not going to risk messing with it. But long term I'd love to get rid of that second "in between" router...

I noted a couple of months ago that the solution that worked for me was to disconnect the Spectrum router, then use the My Spectrum app to reset the modem. Once the modem finished resetting, I plugged the Google Nest Wi-Fi router into the Spectrum modem, and everything worked properly.

ihodgex
Community Member

You understood my steps correctly. Good luck.

Sdbuzzcuts
Community Member

I’ve lost my whole day trying to connect the  google mesh WiFi to the new spectrum modem.  I turned in my old one for a new updated. Same issues as everyone else. Gets hung up and fails at the connection. Now have to wait 2 days for the geek squad to come to try and work it out. Another $ drop. Good luck trying to find someone to call on the google app. Nope.  Very frustrating! I have 4 of those paper weights around. 

Longdrvr
Community Member

I have the very same issue today. I have a new Spectrum router and I am unable to get my Google Home to connect any of the devices. Even though all other items in my home are now working under the new wifi password. 

 

Have you tried using the My Spectrum app to reset the modem? After I did that, I had no problem connecting my Nest Wi-Fi.

jmctiernan
Community Member

It took me an hour on the phone with google,  but its working.   In simple terms, you need to factory reset the google devices and then rebuild your mesh network. 

 

here are the steps (as I remember them, sorry if I missed any) what worked for me. 

 

  1. Disconnect the ethernet wires from the google wifi hub
  2. using the button on the bottom, do a factory reset.  Press the button (looks like just a dimple on the rubber base) with the tip of a pen and hold for about 10 seconds.   
  3. Do the same with any mesh connection points you have
  4. unplug the spectrum router and wait 2 minutes
  5. plug in spectrum router, wait 2 minutes. 
  6. Plug the ethernet cable from the Spectrum router to the google wifi hub.   Make sure its in the input with the globe symbol 
  7. go to your google home and click the + sign to add a new devise.  Add the wifi hub.   
  8. Google home leads you from there.   

 

 

Ipr5
Community Member

Have you tried power cycling your modem and nest router to see if they connect back seamlessly.

 

jmctiernan
Community Member

I did, a few times with no success.   It would not even recognize it was plugged in to the Ethernet cable.   The Google home just said it was offline.   

 

Factory reboot was the only thing that got it to be recognized.   Its only been a week, but so far so good.  We even had a brief power outage recently, but it came back up without issue.   We will see from here. 

I had a similar issue, but what worked for me was to use the MySpectrum app on my phone to reset the Spectrum modem (as opposed to cycling the power).

See how here.

As soon as the reset was completed, the Google Nest Wi-Fi router connected and everything has been fine ever since.

This doesn’t work for me. I just tried to setup my ac2200 router with my spectrum modem; it is a combo modem and wifi, but I shut down the wifi to prevent interference. My old netgear ac1900 works, but I have spotty coverage, hence the ac2200 and satellite mesh AP. The setup failed to connect my router to the internet and then went into the loop: power reset, check cables, call your ISP…there clearly is a compatibility issue, and I have tried all the tricks mentioned, with no progress; the router will work as a bridge port with netgear router, but as soon as I connect google router directly to modem, internet connection failed. And I have my fill of google’s lame support on this. This problem has threads back three years…and I have seen zero explicit instructions on how to navigate through this problem. I think I am headed for the return line at costco.

I had a similar issue, but what worked for me was to use the MySpectrum app on my phone to reset the Spectrum modem (as opposed to cycling the power).

See how here.

As soon as the reset was completed, the Google Nest Wi-Fi router connected and everything has been fine ever since.

Ipr5
Community Member

I have been living with this frustration ever since they gave the new Spectrum modem for higher speed. The earlier modem and nest wifi worked fine for me.

I do a multiple combo of powering down Router & Modem and randomly it gets connected. But if power goes down, then they do not reconnect. I again have to do the dance of power cycling both of them to get it to working again. Each time it takes from 10 to 1 hour. The sequence which works once will not work the next time !

  Its to do with the Google nest wifi router and seeing this long thread for over 2 years with no solution from Google is really frustrating.

 

 

TexasBW
Community Member

Hello did anybody ever get this to work because I've had it for a few months now I switched from AT&T to Spectrum and it worked for a few months with Spectrum then stopped I'm getting TD codes and it can't connect to Wi-Fi I have tried to contact the help desk people and they're not very helpful they're telling me that I need a rewire it and put it somewhere else but that doesn't help the situation if I've had it all this time why would it be a problem now It will not even let me connect to the app. That's my only issue is that I can't get it connected to the app It says it's online it's got internet so I don't know if I'm in the wrong thread

I had a similar issue, but what worked for me was to use the MySpectrum app on my phone to reset the Spectrum modem (as opposed to cycling the power).

See how here.

As soon as the reset was completed, the Google Nest Wi-Fi router connected and everything has been fine ever since.

aslaker
Community Member

The only way I was able to get this to work was to set up a brand new home in the Google Home app.  What had happened was there were cached settings in the Google app that were configured for my previous router and I wasn't able to remove those, so I just removed the entire home instead and added a new one.

Ipr5
Community Member

Background:-

I started getting issues with my Nest router once I connected my new Spectrum modem. The same nest was working great with my earlier Spectrum modem.

Issue:- Each time power goes  or if one of teh 2 devices get turned off, then the Modem will not resync automatically with the router. We need to do multiple retries of switching teh Modem or router On/Off to get them to talk to each other again. This was hapenning for more than 6 months.

Solution:-

Logged into spectrum app using my spectrum account. Did a reset of Modem. After this I never saw the issue again.

 

CSLUCF
Community Member

So I spent three days on this problem after buying the ac2200 mesh system, with 3 APs. On initial setup, I always got through the initial connection, but it failed when checking the connection as there was no internet. My spectrum modem is both a modem and router, but I shut down the router, to preclude interference on my older netgear router. And like many other threads, I proved to myself my cable connections were good by connecting my new google ac2200 router to the netgear router, and I was able to lock in to its connection and get out to the internet. So after two days, resetting the router to default settings, and trying numerous times following the google home instructions for setup, I finally got a hold of someone at google support who directed me to different setup instructions. The google home app tells you to power down the modem and the router, and takes you through a hard modem reset, and brings the modem online, and then tells you to plug your google router in and power it up. But this is apparently where it is flawed; the google support told me to leave my google router powered on, and plugged in, but to fully reset the modem. As I reset the modem and brought it fully back online, with my google router connected to the modem via ethernet port, and still powered on, per the directions of google support. And what to my wondering eyes should appear: connected and good internet connection. When I followed that instruction set, my router was assigned an ip address, I connected, and I had internet access. I have had no issues since, and the other day the spectrum modem went down, but as soon as it came back, my network reconnected on its own and worked just fine. I also had no issues connecting the APs, to extend coverage through out  my home. So, my belief is that the initial google home instructions are flawed. If you hard reset your modem, but leave your router powered on and plugged in, you just may realize a useable connection and network router. Versus google home that is telling you to leave your router powered down…I hope this helps, as I know I was ready to take this equipment back to costco thinking it had issues.


johndimier
Community Member

I'm having that exact problem now.

So, fully reset the google router, by holding that button. It takes quite a bit of time for it to reset. Once you have fully reset the router to default condition, make sure your ethernet cable is connected to modem, and your router is powered on.  Now, instead of following the google home instructions, power reset your modem only. Wait until it is fully back online, and once your lights indicate that is true, initiate the google home instructions to launch, but just don’t follow them, or wait, and go ahead and proceed until the process checks the connection. Hopefully this will take care of things, and then you can go ahead and add your APs…good luck, and I hope it works for you.

If that doesn't work, reset the modem using the My Spectrum app. Unplugging/replugging the modem did not work for me, but as soon as I reset the modem using the app, the Google Nest router immediately connected and all was well.

AEE007
Community Member

One key item with this is after having the same problems (NEST will not do a initial connection for setup) the way I was able to fix was to remove Spectrum by connecting the NEST via WiFi to my AT&T cellular phone. It connected and worked prefect. Not a good solution but points to root causse. Had Google on the phone as well and we both came to the conclusion there is something in Spectrum's network impeding this. 

Doing a reset of the Spectrum mobile by using the MySpectrum app seems to resolve it, as well. I suspect that reset clears some data that had been preventing the Google Nest router from connecting.

What exactly we need to reset using MySpecturn app, the specturm modem?

Yes, that's correct. I posted screen shots on Google Photos.