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I use Google Nest WiFi a lot. I support WiFi for 16 sites of a non-profit organization in Ontario, Canada. In addition I am a manager for 5 families with Google Nest WiFi. So that's over 60 Google Nest APs worldwide.
The 16 sites in Ontario, Canada are spread over a 200 km radius.
Some (less than 10%) of the sites have the old hockey-puck shaped AC-1304 models (original Google WiFi). The first of these were installed in 2019.
But most (more than 90%) are the Google Mesh AP/speaker combo. For these, the router is AC2200 (shows up as H2D in Settings) and the Points are AC1200 (shows up as H2E in Settings).
I have never had an issue with the older AC-1304 models. But over half of the sites with AC2200 have APs that go Offline within a week of rebooting. Reports of APs going offline have increased in 2022. It wasn't so bad in 2020 and 2021.
Troubleshooting steps, based on numerous sessions with Google Nest WiFi Support, include:
- Restart router from Google Home app --> Does not help. Obviously, network is offline for the duration of the reboot, but offline APs remain offline.
- Restart AP from Google Home app --> Does not help. Makes no immediate difference.
- Physical reboot (unplug/replug) of offline AP --> Everything looks good for a few days. But then after a few days, the problem resurfaces and APs go offline. This is something I coordinate with remote people at those sites. I tell them where the AP is and ask them to physically reboot the AP. They typically do not have access to the Gmail account for the Google Home app.
- Factory reset AP or router --> Not attempted. This is not an option. This is a complex operation that would have to be done by me. I cannot ask the remote volunteers to do this. Because of the sheer number of APs that go offline and their distance from where I live (I have a day job), it is not practical to drive hundreds of kilometers out to do this myself when I did the initial install just months earlier.
- HW exchange --> Not an option for the same reason.
- Disabling Bridge mode on the ISP modem --> Does not help.
I have worked in technical roles at Cisco, Juniper, and HPE, and know a thing or two about networking. Google Nest WiFi is obviously not an enterprise-grade solution. It is a home-grade solution. You get what you pay for. Nobody is debating that. However, stable reliable performance is what every consumer demands. It should not require a physical reboot every few days. These are not supposed to be Windows 95-like devices. One should be able to expect a reasonable level of quality from these devices.
It is pretty clear to me that Alpha (of Killed By Google infamy) has diverted Engineering investment away from Nest WiFi, leaving their customers with bricks.
I challenge Google Nest WiFi Product Management to come to this forum and address this comment with a roadmap for software support of these devices.
