Nest wifi randomly going offline

[Sydtriman]

For the past week my Google nest Wi-Fi go randomly off-line. There have been absolutely no other changes in my network or environment that could cause this. I’ve had no issues prior to this. 

I can see a couple of posts in the forum of a similar vein, has anybody been able to solve this issue? Is it a firmware problem?

I’ve done a full factory reset which hasn’t helped, and in fact seems to have made it worse. 

Setup: Router (firmware 13729.57.27) and 2 points (firmware 1.54.267572)

any ideas?

[gwinegarden]

I find that the Home app is horrible.  Right now, my network is up but the app say everything is down.

[Robert1480]

It's even more fun when it tells you everything is Great and nothing is working...

[gwinegarden]

True, but either way, the app is useless.

[Kitokatlin]

As others have mentioned, it appears to happen at least once a week which is very confusing.  Sometimes more often but regularly once a week for sure.

[Robert1480]

Just wait - for me it was once a week for about a month, then once a day for a few weeks, then multiple times per day every day until I pulled the plug on them and went with a Netgear Orbi. Zero downtime with that and no lost Zoom calls!

[elvesofzion]

I'm seeing this issue as well. And it's been getting worse and worse for the last few months. It's starting to get in the way of my work real bad now.

[Robert1480]

That's what happened to me. And was definitely impacting my ability to work. 

[Scamp]

Just stumbled on this thread..yep my network randomly off and on..also affecting wired connections..reading all the above comments seem I can swing before a fix anytime soon...

[moskoGT]

Just came to say i have been experiencing this exact same issue as well for the last few months and I just thought it was my setup. I had the old Google Wifi Mesh for years without issues and as soon as I replaced with the Nest system, it started happening.  I wont add details because its the SAME as many others have described. Im replacing the system with a different one as we speak until they resolve this issue and then i will decide if i want to switch back. Its affecting my work daily at this point.

[imjeeves]

Wow this incredibly disconcerting. My AP has been going offline all day today. I came here hoping to find some answers, and instead am finding a thread that is 3 or 4 months long with little support or comments from Google employees, and no resolution.

Seems like I'll join the others who are replacing their system. Not going to waste my time 

[Robert1480]

I wasted more than a month. You're doing the right thing. 

[imjeeves]

So spoke with Google Support - the first guy I talked to didn't seem to be very helpful.  I called back in and got someone who actually seemed to understand networking a little better.

Anyway, I found out that my AT&T Modem/Router is known to have some issues with Nest Router/APs (because of course it does).  The main thing we ended up fixing was my Double NAT - basically my AT&T Modem/Router was NATing, and then the Nest Router was NATing again.  So I set the AT&T Modem/Router into an IP PassThrough mode (no bridged mode available, but very similar). This gives the WAN IP to the Nest Router.  We did a power cycle on all the devices (AT&T Modem/Router, Nest Router, Nest APs, in that order).  Left them off for 2 min, then powered on in the same order, allowing each to fully initiate.  

Oddly enough, whatever happened, my two APs both have "Great Connection" when they previously only had "Good" and "Weak".  So... We'll see if that continues. 

[kraine91]

I don't have any solid steps to take but I did follow the recommendation in a prior post of unplugging everything. Letting it sit for 10 min, plug in modem and let it get all the way online then power up the nest wifi devices. Going on a month with no issues now.

[ilz]

Did you do reset to factory settings or just power up in order ?

[imjeeves]

This was part of my solution too.  Powered off all devices (ISP Modem/Router if you have one, Google/Nest Router, Google/Nest APs).  Wait two minutes.  Then power on in that same order, waiting for each to completely initiate (basically wait 5 minutes or so for each device).  The Google/Nest Router will show as "Online" in the Home app once it's good to go.  The APs will do the "google" chime when they are on.

[kraine91]

Did not do a factory reset just powered up in that order. For what is worth I also have a 16 port hub for my wired devices that I plugged in last (once all of the wifi devices had connected)

[Tanacane]

Same issue here, my access point was working fine and since 2 -3 months it's going offline after few days. I contacted the support and went though all the steps, and didn't fixed the problem. Now they say there is nothing I can do and they don't want to send me a replacement since I've bought this 1.5 years ago, which is more than the 1 year warranty. Extremely unsatisfied

[michaeltucci]

THE MOST FRUSTRATING THING!!  It only disconnects my mobile devices now.  I can be trucking along on my phone/tablet and then all of a sudden lose connection entirely.  Seriously, it doesn't even say "connected with no internet" it just switches to mobile data.  However, my Windows PC, Samsung Smart TV,  Roku devices, Google hub devices, etc stay connected just fine!!!!  FOR F*^%s sake Google, fix this.  It's bad enough Sonos is infringing on our product experience, this is unacceptable.  DO BETTER!

[jhardy]

I am having same issues. Same firmware as mentioned in posts. wifi points keep randomly going offline. Did not have these problems before so sounds like a software issue/update. I have contacted Google Support too and guess what... They are looking into it. For how long I wonder! What a joke?

[bknyjp]

Jumping on this train. My post lives here:

https://www.googlenestcommunity.com/t5/Nest-Wifi/Wifi-Dropping-Devices-and-WiFi-Points/m-p/87639#M77... 

[dnewton0203]

I bought a used Google wifi off of eBay and sold the nest wifi. Works perfectly and I have three points. Everything that google touches turns to crap. I about done with them. 

[WiFiSucks]

Same problem here in Germany. And I thought it was our ISP, lol...

[BENIC252]

I am having the same issue and it is super frustrating.  At this point it is keeping me from purchasing other products to integrate.  I work for my local ISP and know for a fact I get a steady 1.1 - 1.5 gbps down at all times.  Usually,  my Google network will go offline,  but 1 of my points will always stay offline. I have to reboot the system and unplug the 1 point to get everything working again

[AnomalySixx]

I have the same problem. All day at random intervals, every day for several months now. I have reamed so many Spectrum Support reps that I am pretty sure I am not allowed in India . . ever. Maybe a good whack with a sledgehammer?  

[imjeeves]

So, I've continued having the issue and have been working with Google Nest Support and reading anything I can find about these Nest Wifi Routers/Points.

Here's my setup (and what I've done since) in a 3-story townhouse.

Original Setup:
AT&T Router is on Third Floor in closet (this is where the DMARC is, dunno why, but that's just where it is lol). 
Nest Router is on Second Floor in the living room. It's on the TV stand sitting behind the TV. (Waist-height, so probably 3ft off the ground)
One Nest AP is on the First Floor pretty much directly under Router.  It's sitting on a shelf on a TV stand about eye-height, so 5ft off the ground.  That would put it *roughly* 8 - 10ft from the Router through the ceiling (10 ft ceilings).
The other Nest AP is on the Third Floor in my office.  It was sitting on my desk next to my computer. It's a standing desk, so it would be anywhere from 3-5ft off the ground.  It wasn't directly over the router, but a few feet in one direction.  So let's say it was *roughly* 15 - 20ft from the Router through the floor.

Things we tried:
- Moved third floor Point away from computer to other side of the room (interference?) 
- IP Passthrough on AT&T Router
- Full Power Cycle of All Devices (AT&T Router, Nest Router, Both Nest Points)
After all of these changes, it seemed to fix things, but only for a little while.

Latest change:
One thing the support team keeps harping on is "how far away is the AP from the router".  They recommend being no further than 2 rooms away.  I had been estimating that my third floor AP (which kept going offline) was at least 15 - 20 ft away, but who knows, I could have been wrong.  In any case, I read somewhere the recommendation that, between floors, you try to locate Points/Routers directly above/below each other.  So I moved my third floor Point to another room that is directly over the Router.  It is sitting at eye level, so roughly 5-6 ft.  This means it would be 12 ft from the router through the floor (Router is on 2nd floor, 3ft off the ground. 7ft to the ceiling. Point is 5-6 ft off the ground on the third floor.  7+5 is 12 - quik mafs). 

After setting things up this way, my mesh is showing "great connections" for both Points.  I will continue to monitor things and let you guys know how it goes.

One thing I really don't understand though is this - even if my one Point was too far away from the router, why would that have an affect on the connection of my other Point?  So if one Point is having trouble communicating, that messes up the whole network?  Seems like a pretty poor design if that's the case.  

[imjeeves]

So after making the above changes, I kept running mesh tests all day. the APs would come back as "great" and "good" connection.  Fine.

Not even a day later, I ran the mesh test this morning and *both* of my APs are at "weak" connection.  But nothing changed in my network - nothing moved, no config changes, nothing.  Why are the APs so freaking unstable?

I emailed my support case and am demanding a refund. I don't have time to be troubleshooting these stupid things every day. From my understanding, I can pay the same amount for two Orbi devices (one router and one AP) and get the same/better coverage, plus faster speeds with Wifi 6.  So I'm definitely looking into that.

[10HzHuman]

I get your frustration. Mine went offline Christmas Eve with family staying with us and no internet. 

You could also be getting interference from other devices/electronics too.

[Swap_to_Orbi]

Its NOT your setup. Google has infringed on another patent and had to make changes to the firmware to comply. Now they dont have a fix for it and they dont want to tell you that this is the problem. Someone prove me wrong.

[Robert1480]

That makes more sense than any other explanation, and is consistent with the Google rep on here saying, "We're aware of the issue and looking into it" for the last 5 months.

[imjeeves]

That's not really how burden of proof works, my friend. You can't spout off theories and tell someone it's correct until proven differently lol. Not even sure what patent infringement you're talking about. Please refrain from conspiracy theories and post actual helpful, factual information with evidence. Thanks! 

[Robert1480]

I'll play. First, issues I can find on this thread started in August and have gotten progressively worse. From August, about a preliminary ruling against Google re: infringement against Sonos. Link:

https://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2021/08/an-early-ruling-has-found-googles-nest-speakers...

Sonos ultimately won in November. Google was forced to change things (and likely did so in anticipation of the ruling):

https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=666fb7############b-45############a-1899e15d5b14

Note - I work in the legal space and have a subscription. The article goes through the legal review of the judges orders, including changes that Google had already agreed to make to comply.

Rather than pay Sonos royalties, Google has opted to strip capabilities from the system and started last year:

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2022/01/google-loses-sonos-patent-case-starts-stripping-functionalit...

So, Jeeves, what's your theory for this cluster**bleep** of technology?

[imjeeves]

It's true that Sonos has had a dispute Google.  It technically wasn't finalized until - a few weeks ago (like Jan 6th I believe?).  But Sonos is an audio/smart speaker tech company.  The disputes were on audio related patents - basically how Google synchronized playback and volume between multiple smart speakers.  It doesn't really have anything to do with networking or Wifi (again, Sonos is an audio company - not a networking company).

So while it's true that Google would have made changes to how synchronizing audio works between multiple smart speakers (Google Homes, Google Home Minis, Nest Hubs, and probably Nest Wifi Points since those do double as smart speakers), but it wouldn't make sense that this would have an affect on how Wifi works.  I can't prove that it doesn't, but I'm not sure how it would (unless it's REALLY that poorly designed).

But to go against your timing, Google actually released proposed "re-designs" in Sept to the International Trade Commission that would basically change how the features I mentioned before would change (the audio features).  So they wouldn't have been pushed out yet necessarily.  Furthermore, the changes that are being forced by the patent infringement case was announced by Google Nest a couple weeks ago here: https://www.googlenestcommunity.com/t5/Blog/Upcoming-Speaker-Group-changes/ba-p/77811 .  These would be going out probably this week if they haven't already.  

So even though there was a patent thing, the technology shouldn't affect wifi (again, unless REALLY that poorly designed that audio controls are hooked into Wifi somehow), and the timing of changes pushed out and when the redesigns were brought up don't match with when people started having issues.  Like you said, the thread started in August, designs were submitted to ITC in Sept for approval.  Sonos didn't "win" until January '22, and Google announced changes a couple weeks ago.  

Again, I can't *prove* that these changes didn't have an affect, but the way that burden of proof works is that if you are making the claim that these patent changes messed up the router/points, then it's up to you to prove that.  Citing links saying that an audio technology patent case happened around the same time that people started having issues with Wifi Routers/Access Points doesn't really prove anything to me.  That's like saying a rooster crowed the same time the sun came up, therefore the rooster crowing caused the sun to come up.  It's just not convincing to me that these are related based on the tech being different and the timing not being correct.

So it's interesting, I guess - but again, I don't see how a change to audio systems would affect how the Wifi works on my Router/Points.

[Swap_to_Orbi]

Google didnt just find out about the patent infringements a few weeks ago. Just bookmark this discussion, If im wrong i'll say so. 

[imjeeves]

And if I'm wrong, I'll say so as well.  I'm not saying that anyone is wrong - just saying it doesn't make sense that a change to audio controls have caused issues with Wifi Routers/Points (especially considering that the issues in this thread started in August and the change for the audio controls was pushed out last week)

[Swap_to_Orbi]

you "ASSUMED" i was talking about soros. That was a WRONG assumption. Anytime google is sued there is a public paper trail. Check it out, you might be surprised how many times google gets accused of stealing. In fact, the update that took everyone's audio links away from you was made BEFORE you publicly knew why. Google wants you know as little of this as possible. 

[Robert1480]

And here I thought George Soros was only responsible for funding incompetent prosecutors like my home's Kim Foxx!

😂

[MSITHero]

If you weren't you would have specified which you were referring. Your a troll

[Robert1480]

Well, if you think the firmware for the audio is somehow separate from the firmware for the wifi, sure, I see your point. I'm fairly certain, however, that it is one intertwined set of code and they likely rushed to push it out without appropriate QC.

Also, Google was sued in these and other related cases as far back as January 2020, and was going through discovery much of last year. Their own attorneys and engineers would have seen the writing on the wall. That means pushing out changes well in advance of a decision - otherwise, once the decision was reached, they'd have to shut everything down and/or begin paying royalties (which they don't want to do) unless they'd already changed the code.

[MSITHero]

This issues are occurring on devices with NO SPEAKER COMPONETS. The old Google WiFi hardware did not have google assistant or speakers built in. They are also having the exact same issue and don't try to tell me they use the same firmware. 

[MSITHero]

Exactly, the lawsuit issues are recent. These issues have been ongoing for some people since September of last year. And it was effecting my older Google WiFi. My Google WiFi were the pucks, they had no speakers.