Unable to factory reset Google Wifi AC2200 router

[Adithya]

I followed the steps in google support 

The factory reset button is located on the bottom of the router. Look for a circle etched into the bottom.

1. Press and hold the factory reset button for 10 seconds. The light will flash yellow then turn solid yellow. When the light is solid yellow release the button.
2. This starts the reset process, which can take up to 10 minutes. Do not unplug the power cord during this process.
3. When factory reset is complete, the light on your router will pulse white.
4. After the device has been reset, the device will still appear in the Google Home app. To now remove the device, follow the instructions for app factory reset. To set up again, you’ll need to create a new networkand add any points again.

The problem is the router remains at step 2 above ( bright yellow) never moves on.

what should I do?

regards

Adithya

[frustratedH2D]

I’ll try this right now and get back to you..

[Jhonleanmel]

Hey there,

frustratedH2D, thanks for letting us know. After 7 to 10 minutes, go to your phone's Wi-Fi settings, and check if you will see a setup network.

Also, to power cycle your network, unplug the power from your modem and your Google Wifi devices for 2 minutes. 

Cheers,

Mel

[frustratedH2D]

Sorry Mel, no luck. After following your instructions, it stayed on solid yellow over night with no setup network. 

[Jhonleanmel]

Hi frustratedH2D,

Thanks for the effort and I'm sorry to hear that you're still having an issue with your Google Nest Wifi. We'd like to take a deeper look into this — could you fill out this form and let us know once you're done?

Thanks,
Mel

[frustratedH2D]

Hi Mel, thanks for following up. I’ve filled the form.

[Jhonleanmel]

Hey frustratedH2D,

We got your form — thanks for filling it out. Keep your lines open as our team will reach out to you via email anytime soon. 

Also, please continue the conversation there as this thread will be locked after 24 hours.

Cheers, 
Mel

[frustratedH2D]

No luck. Left unplugged for an hour, plugged in and waited around 5 mins, and reset with ethernet plugged in. I only get a solid yellow light, it doesn't advance past this stage.

[pnews456]

Look for a circle carved onto the bottom of the bottle. For 10 seconds, press and hold the factory reset button.This initiates the reset procedure, which could take up to 10 minutes.
The LED on your router will pulse white once the factory reset is complete.

[TechHack]

Except… it doesn’t.

[jenriner]

Can someone help? I was just on the phone with support for an hour for the same issue because my router was offline for 6-8 months and will not reconnect (I haven't set up the points yet since those are in storage). The unit was working fine last spring, but was unplugged for 6 months. When I go to factory reset (I've already removed it from the app), it flashes white - then blue - then pulses blue - then flashing amber (eventually). I tried to connect to the Google Home app while it was pulsing blue but the app does not find the router and takes me back to the "What are you setting up?" page. Then, after a while of pulsing blue, it goes amber. If I just unplug/replug the device, it does not show a white light - that only occurs if I press the reset button. The support tech I spoke to said the router isn't able to set up as new because it remembers the old network (I factory reset it from the app initially), and now it won't manually reset to get rid of the old network because I somehow damaged the reset button (lol). I explained that the reset button is working because it shows the white light after I press it and plug it back in. He kept reiterating that it's the hardware, but then also said as long as I could get another point/router, I could use that as a router and set up this "broken" router as a point. So much for me damaging it! He refused to send me a replacement. He also said they get no negative feedback (for anything) and no one else has had this issue, but the forums show otherwise.

[Rod1637182]

Few days ago I power cycled my nest router and it got bricked, on boot it would just stay solid white and factory reset instructions don't work at all. Tried for hours and got flashing yellow but couldn't make it to solid yello (reset in progress). Hope google can take these issues more seriously.

[Rod1637182]

Update: I was able to unbrick the Nest Router (AC2200) by power cycling multiple times waiting the white light to go on and off four times until seeing a weak solid white and then hold the factory reset button, had to do it four times for the factory reset to complete properly since device restarted before factory reset completed, lost four  hours power cycling and trying things, hope google can release an update soon.

[Rod1637182]

Update: After working fine for a couple days it went offline at night and its bricked again on solid white and no activity, I gave up, I will just move another more reliable router brand.

[frustratedH2D]

 can you describe the process of power cycling?

[Darren3]

Exact same problem with mine.  Spent two hours with support.  They are unwilling to replace it because we are two months  past warranty.  Since this is a common problem, Google should be replacing these units.

[Danmt]

Same here! I get a solid white light, as of no reset, but also no wireless and no way to add it to Google home! 😭

[Rod1637182]

I was able to fix it by plugging in the router, wait for three minutes or so but ot took me hours. Honestly I decided to try the Amazon Eero 6 and its way faster and more stable.

[LaZyDayZ]

Same problem, Google-Nest just isn't even close to what it once was. First the group volume, now this. Googles customer communication has gotten horrible. Go with a different brand.

[FCUT]

I have been having the same issue for the past 3 weeks and I haven't managed to get the router pass the solid light, ... After multiple attempts, it still doesn't pulse white. I moved to a new house in a new country, tried to set it up and the only Google product that is having an issue is the wifi nest router. This is very frustrating.... Very surprised to see many other people having the same issue.... Has any of you managed to fix the issue?

[Rod1637182]

I had to try for hours to get it working, basically unplug, plug, wait for the three restart cycles and then keep and hold the reset trying to get blinking yellow on hold for 10 seconds and then release to start the reset process, again just try many many times...

[FCUT]

I have been reseting the unit the whole day (5 times), all the time connected to the internet, with still the same issue... the light remains solid white.... very frustrating. 

[Confusedcrib]

I am sad to say that I've become a part of this community. Nest WiFi stopped working, factory reset multiple times and it either gets stuck yellow or stuck white. Absolutely insane this thread has gone on as long as it has. Between this and the pixel 6 issues, I think I'm just done with Google. 

[Adithya]

I finally dumped my google router and went with Netgear Orbi mesh system 3 months back. 
I get absolute gigabit connection everywhere in my house. 

[conroy1]

I am also having this issue, was led through the reset steps by google support over chat and was unable to get it to move past the solid yellow. This is an issue that needs to be addressed by google support, at the very least they should override warranty expirations to replace nests that are having this issue. 

[TsengFayt]

This may not be a fix for everyone, but pressing and holding the factory reset button until the device blinks yellow is actually too long for some models/firmwares. It will never go solid yellow, because blinking yellow indicates the button was pressed down too long and canceled the attempted factory reset. 

The actual way to reset these units is to press and hold the factory reset button, while plugging in power. Start counting exactly 10 seconds from the moment you connect the power cable. Don't wait for a yellow light, just count to 10 and let go. It should start flashing blue, it will cycle through a few light cycles and go back to solid blue for upwards of 15-30 minutes. Eventually it will fast blink blue, and finally slow pulsing blue. Once it is slowly pulsing blue it is in setup mode and should show up on the Google Home app. 

 YMMV, but this has worked for me literally hundreds of times for customers of mine. I do mesh network installs as part of my business and this is always my failsafe when the documented steps fail to work. 

[frustratedH2D]

Has ANYONE been able to get past the solid yellow light? It's been a year...

Same problem, H2D model. I have no problem getting to the solid yellow light, it just never moves past it. 10 mins later, one hour later, one day later, always solid yellow.