Problem with Google Nest WiFi Router since (firmware version 14150.883.17)

[wimpler]

Spoiler

Since firmware version 14150.883.17 my Google Nest WiFi router drops connection to the modem several times a day. This is exactly the problem reported by others (e.g. https://www.googlenestcommunity.com/t5/Nest-Wifi/Google-nest-wifi-regularly-lost-packets/m-p/660350 or @glodieu  or @Amaan or @thebruce888 ) but no bug has been acknowledged by Google and no workable solution.

The disconnect occurs at the router and is independent of whether using WiFi or wired. I can watch the status light turn yellow, pulse for a second or two then become stable and white again. I can log a continuous ping to google.com and see the packets be lost before connection is reestablished. Browsing a website is mainly unaffected but Teams calls are paused for several seconds before recommencing. Downloads are paused and have to be manually resumed. My remote connection to the office freezes for many seconds before reanimating. It's incredibly frustrating!!

I've tried a full power-down and restart. I've tried changing the DNS' to 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4. I've tried a wired connection. I've tried a factory reset. I've even tried another Google Nest WiFi router! I've tried bypassing my fibre modem and connecting directly to the ONT. I've removed all my other WiFi points. Absolutely nothing fixes this. The new firmware introduced a bug, 3 months ago, and it's making the router unusable. This is not  WiFi issue, it's a router issue. Please acknowledge and please fix else I'm off to buy another manufacture's router and mesh WiFi and actively dissuade anyone who'll listen to stay away from your hardware.

I'm fully entrenched in Google hardware and services but once I jump, I'm out of here for good.

[AndersC]

Hi @wimpler,

Thank you for posting in the community. I understand you have been experiencing some inconveniences with your Nest Wifi Router. I also appreciate you providing information about the troubleshooting steps you have performed. I would be glad to assist you.

To better understand the issue, please confirm or perform the following:

1. Remove any spaces or special characters from the SSID or password, if there's any. The SSID and password are both case-sensitive, and if there are special characters or spaces, it might cause connection issues.

2. Run a mesh test to check the connection of their points.

3. Run a 5 minutes power cycle: 

• Disconnect the modem from its power source.

• Unplug the Ethernet cable and power cord from the router.
• Remove the power cord from the points.
• Leave everything unplugged for 5 minutes.
• Start a timer to track.
• Check the make and model of the modem, and make sure there isn't a backup battery. If there’s a backup battery, remove the battery, otherwise it won't perform a power cycle.
• Connect the power cable to the modem and allow the modem to fully turn on before proceeding.​ This process can take up to a minute. All light indicators should be solid colors.
• Connect the Ethernet cable, then the power cable, to the router. Wait until the modem is fully back online.
• Connect the power cable to the points.

4. Make sure to double-check the model to verify if it's a modem, modem and router combo, or router.

5. Change the password on Google Wifi's network.

Please keep me posted. I'll look forward to your response.

Regards,

Anders

[wimpler]

Hi Anders.

Yes, done all the above, and repeated it again to be sure to be sure. Exactly the same problem - Nest WiFi router dropped the connection twice in the 5 minutes since it restarted. My "modem" is one from Lit Fibre and I suspect it's just a router plugged into the wall-mounted ONT. But I've bypassed the Lit Fibre box and plugged the Nest router directly into the ONT... with identical behavior and dropped connections. I could leave the Lit Fibre box disconnected but at the moment this is the only way I can get reliable internet! (WiFi and wired). This is not a WiFi issue, it's a Google Nest router issue, and I'm not the only one to suffer from it,

[AndersC]

Thanks for the follow-up information.
The team would like to learn more about this behavior. When you get a chance, please fill out this form and let us know when you’re finished. We’ll have someone reach out to you via email from there.
To help us assist you better, please include the link to your Community thread and your Community username.
Keep me posted.

Regards,

Anders

[donaldscanlon]

I having the same issue after the most recent firmware update in addition to wifi points randomly offline. Are still having the issue or did you get it fixed?  I'm just hoping an update comes soon.  

[wimpler]

No, it's as bad as ever. Google Support have been mainly useless. I've sent numerous system reports and the best they can come up with is "it's a double-Nat issue", even if I connect directly to the ISP's ONT, and even with this being a recent issue on a stable setup. It seems that my ISP uses CGNAT and it's not impossible that this is confusing matters but I'm days away from ditching all my Google network products and buying elsewhere. I've had enough. 

[donaldscanlon]

Did all  your issues start recently mostly after the 12-18 update to the Wifi points?  Thats when mine started.  

[AndersC]

Hi @donaldscanlon,

Thank you for replying. I'm sorry to hear you're experiencing the same inconvenience.

Have you tried the troubleshooting steps previously provided in this post?

I'd also like to know if your current modem from your internet service provider is a modem/router combo or just a modem.

Let me know if you have any more questions.

Regards,

Anders

[donaldscanlon]

Yes I have done everything and no luck.  I have even done the custom DNS 8888 and 8844 directed by another Comm. Spec. in another post.  I have Fios 1g internet.  The modem is by Fios and is there quantum one which is tall/skinny black, NOT the fat square white one.  

[AndersC]

Hi @donaldscanlon,

Thank you for sharing this information.

The team would like to learn more about this behavior. When you get a chance, please fill out this form and let us know when you’re finished. We’ll have someone reach out to you via email from there.
To help us assist you better, please include the link to your Community thread and your Community username.
Keep me posted.

Regards,

Anders

[wimpler]

I seem to have resolved the issue by asking my ISP (Lit Fibre) to assign a public IP address to my account, for which I have to pay a monthly fee. It looks like the Google Nest router doesn't work properly with ISP's using CGNAT. I've had various daft explanations from Google Support saying that my ISP's router is too powerful and their WiFi signal is overpowering the Google Nest, etc etc but this is plain wrong. I had the problem without the ISP's router plugged in or it switched off. It seems like a problem when the ISP uses CGNAT. The fact that the ISP's router if/when it's used doesn't suffer from this problem of dropped connections etc, points to poor robustness of the Google Nest router, which I only noticed post the last firmware update. Anyway, I wouldn't buy Google network hardware if I had the choice again. 

[wimpler]

You can check if your ISP uses CGNAT usually from the IP address they assign to you. If you Ping a public Web address (e.g. Google.com) your first IP will be your local IP, the next IP address of your router, then your designated public IP from your ISP. If this starts 100.xx.... then your ISP probably uses CGNAT and your Google Nest WiFi router may have various stability problems. Mine definitely did. 

[JohnnyEngineer]

Google Wifi routers are provided with a 14v 1.1 Amp power plug. It turns out that all of my testing and research boils down to Google providing under rated power supplies. 2 out of 4 of power cords are @ 13.5 volts, 1 is 11.5 v, and on is actually 14V. Yes people, this is the fact. Put a voltmeter on DC so it can test under 20 volts whatever that setting is on your meter. And put the hot pin of the meter to the center of the power, and the ground to the side of the barrel. It should read 14 volts as stated on the actual device too. The charger says 14 volts the base says 14 volts. I don't know what the tolerance is but I do know that they need 14 volts, not 13.5, which is barely operational. And definitely not 11.5 volts. If you find this on your equipment then you can know we all got ripped off. Because they should all be 14 volts, no questions about it. So Google is selling underrated equipment which is failing in the field or not rated right in the first place which I didn't test day one. But you can bet everything I buy now I will look at the transformer and I will test what it's output is and if it's wrong I won't accept it. This is especially sensitive for anything wireless like cordless phones, wireless routers, even regular routers have to have the voltage as they are just doing wireless over the wire with radios that need that power. So it seems like the possible class action suit if Google is not willing to replace these with reliable chargers. End of story.