Nest WiFi H2D router loses connection at least 2x per day

[Tyoung311]

I have a Nest WiFi H2D (not Pro) router and two access points. The router is connected to a Calix GigaPoint 803G fiber modem with a 1 GB broadband subscription . The access points are in direct line-of-sight with the router so there is no architectural interference. Nearly every morning, I have to restart the Nest router as it has lost connection during the night. I also have to restart in the evenings around 5-6 for the same reason. The access points will randomly go offline and need to be restarted as well. The Home app (Android) Activity feed doesn't show any of the lost connections so I'm struggling to determine what is going on. I've powered down the fiber modem and router multiple times, but it has not fixed the issue. The broadband provider has confirmed the signal to the router is fine so at this point, I'm out of answers. I'd appreciate any advice on how to resolve the issue. 

[moralesvicente]

Hello Tyoung311, 

Thank you for taking an interest in our community. I’m sorry to know that your Nest Wifi router is losing the connection at least two times per day. No worries, it’s a pleasure to assist you.

I appreciate that you have taken action by performing the troubleshooting steps above. To continue getting to the root of the trouble, could you please help me out by answering the following questions?

• Do you use a modem and router combo?
• What’s the color of the light on the parent point? Does the device LED switch from orange to teal (or white) continuously?
• How far is your device from the primary point?
• Is there a switch on the network?
• How far are the WiFi points from each other?

Any additional details you can provide will be helpful.

Regards,

Daniel

[Tyoung311]

Thanks for responding.

• I just use a fiber modem, no router in between the primary Nest and the modem. 
• The color on the primary point is white and green on the modem. Neither light changes color.
• The primary point is three feet from the modem. I've changed out the ethernet cable several times.  
• There is a switch downstream from the primary point. I've disconnected several times to test and the problem still exists.
• One point is 40 feet from the primary and the other is 55 feet from the primary. There are no walls or windows in between. It is one large 2,000 sq ft open loft.

The last thing I tried was to change the DNS settings to 8.8.8.8 / 8.8.4.4. It seemed to work for most of the day, then I streamed YouTube on my TV that evening for my dog while I was out of the loft 60 miles away and got a message that both the office and dining points were offline. When I got home, I had to restart the primary point to reconnect to the internet. 

 I've done the manual resets on both the modem, primary and secondary points multiple times, but the issue persists. The Home app on my Pixel (android) says everything is up-to-date, so I'm at a loss.

I have not performed a full factory reset yet, hoping that I could resolve it without that. Let me know what thoughts you may have. Restarting my network daily can't be the answer.

Thanks,

Tony

[moralesvicente]

Hi Tyoung311, 

I appreciate you keeping me updated. In this case, with the trouble you’re experiencing, please try to move the Wi-Fi points closer; the recommended distance is between 20 and 25 feet (6 and 7 meters), and check if the same behavior persists.

Please let me know if this suggestion is helpful. 

Best regards, 

Daniel 

[Tyoung311]

Daniel, I appreciate your advice, but the recommended distance you mention isn't correct. Per this support site "As a general rule, points work best when they're about two to three rooms apart. As an example, if the far end of your house has weak Wi-Fi, don't put a Wifi point in that exact spot. Instead, put it halfway in that direction. Try to place it in an elevated position, like on a shelf." 

If the Wi-Fi points have to be place 20 feet from each other you'd need 6-8 points to cover a normal size house. 

My Wi-Fi points are placed exactly as described in the recommendations, high up on shelves, within visible space of each other and the furthest point is less than 60 feet from the primary. 

[moralesvicente]

Hello Tyoung311, 

I appreciate you staying informed with me. The placement of your router and points is important to optimize your Google Nest Wifi network's reliability. While pinpointing the perfect locations isn't an exact science, it's crucial for consistent coverage throughout your home. The ideal placement is influenced by several key factors, including: 

• Home size

• Home construction type

• Where you regularly use Wi-Fi

• Layout of your home

• Placement of your Wi-Fi points

Furthermore, I suggest checking out this article, Where to Place Your Wi-Fi devices, to learn more about considering these aspects. 

Let me know how it goes. 

Regards,

Daniel