Unable to connect 2nd nest router: unable to join network

[Hhhutch]

I purchased the three Nest routers from Amazon. I was able to connect the first easily. However, when I attempted to extend the network coverage by adding the 2nd (and 3rd)  Nest router, they will not  connect to my existing Home.

When I try to set up the new router (as a nest wifi point) using Google Home, it takes me all the way through the setup process, recognizes the device, lets me scan the QR code in, and asks me the following: "Google Home wants to join Wi-Fi network setupxxx.ybd". This is the network which is printed on the bottom of the new router (not my Home....).  My understanding is that it is supposed to be connecting to my Home? After that, it tells me:  "unable to join the network setup:xxx.ybd.  Again, isn't it supposed to be asking to join my home, not its own internal setup network? 

I am unable to get it to recognize my existing wifi Home and it's not connecting as an additional point. I've attached a pic of what it's telling me. Any help is greatly appreciated ! I've spent over three hours trying to figure this out!! 

[olavrb]

Make sure the device used for the setup process with the Google Home app have no VPN enabled/ connected; not any 3rd party product, nor the "Apple iCloud Private Relay" ( https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212614 ).

Make sure the Google Home app has been granted permission for "local network access" ( https://support.google.com/chromecast/answer/7172427?hl=en ).

Make sure that proxy is set to disabled while connected to the Nest Wifi network ( https://www.expressvpn.com/support/troubleshooting/disable-proxy-safari/#ios ).

When adding additional points: IPv6 on Nest Wifi has caused strange problems lately. One thing to try is to disable IPv6 ( https://support.google.com/googlenest/answer/6361450?hl=en ), add new Nest Wifi unit, then leave IPv6 off or enable it again.

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Does it still not work?

[samuelli]

Disabling IPv6 worked for me! I've spent so much time trying to set up a 2nd Nest Wifi Point without success, until I disabled IPv6.

[olavrb]

Great! I'll provide feedback to Google of yet another case of where disabling IPv6 makes it possible to add additional pucks.

[Jeff]

Hi Hhhutch,

I just wanted to jump in real fast to see if you saw olavrb's reply and to see if you still needed some help on this or if you were able to get it sorted out. It looks like olavrb's suggestions worked out for samuel, so that's good news. If you are still needing some help, just let us know and we'll be happy to continue helping.

Thanks,
Jeff

[Andy8989]

Hi Hhhutch,

Did you fix your problem? I'm having exactly the same issue trying to adding a second router to my home network.
I've tried all the suggestions above but still having no success.

Thanks
Andy

[Jhonleanmel]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for the help, @Jeff and @olavrb.

@Andy8989, could you try to connect your second Google Nest Wifi router using an Ethernet cable to the main point while adding it as a mesh point?

Let us know how it goes.

Best,

Mel

[Andy8989]

Hi Mel,

Thanks for getting back. I spent some time going through trying to connect with support and this is one of the things we tried. ie connecting the second router to the primary via ethernet.
Unfortunately that failed with the same error. It possible that the second router hadn't comletely updated its firmware before trying get it to join so I've left it overnight and will try again but I think its pretty unlikely to succeed.
From looking at similar issues I'm beginning to suspect the new router is not compatible with the existing wifi. The existing wifi was bought in Australia and we brought it back to the UK with us when we relocated but the new Router was bought in the U.K.

[Jeff]

Hey Andy8989,

That's some good insight on a possible conflict between the router and the rest of the setup, especially with the products originally being produced in separate regions. While it's often possible to use the same products across some regions, many times cross-compatibility doesn't work out due to a difference in local wireless standards. Hopefully when you get a chance to try things after the update things will work, but compatibility might be an issue. Go ahead and update us on what you find out.

Thanks,

Jeff

[Andy8989]

Ok, after a long fight I think I've got the it working. Here's exactly what I did, I don't know precisely what resolved the issue though.(Basically I've built a whole new Home network).

1. Disconnect the existing primary (bought in Australia)

2. Factory reset the new secondary router (bought in UK)
3. Connect new (UK) router to ISP and set it up as the primary for a new Home network,
4. Factory reset one of the two wifi points (bought in Australia) and join it to my new Home netork. (this was mainly to check out if the new router and wifi points were incompatible). It joined OK.
5. Repeat 4 for the second wifi point (also vintage australia). That joined too.

6. Finally factory reset the original Australian router and rejoin it to the new home as a secondary router.

So I lost everything I'd set up or the orginal Home network but in my case that wasn't really much an issue as I hardly had anything configured outside of the mesh wifi itself.
Hope that's of help to anyone else that hits the same issue.
Andy

[Jeff]

Hey Andy8989,

That's great news that you got things working for you. That's quite a troubleshooting checklist, and I appreciate you sharing that here. Let's watch things over the next few days and see if they remain stable and if those suggestions can work for others as well. If anything else comes up, just let me know.

Thanks,

Jeff

[Dan_A]

Hey everyone,

I wanted to follow up and see if you are still in need of any help. Please let me know if you are still having any concerns or questions from here, as I would be happy to take a closer look and assist you further.

Best,

Dan

[Jhonleanmel]

Hi folks,

Just one quick final check in here since activity has slowed down. We'll be locking the thread in the next 24 hours, but if you still need help, I would be happy to keep it open. If there's more we can do, just let me know.

Thanks,
Mel