Setting up Nest Mini (2nd gen) fails with error "Authentication isn't successful"

[Fred2620]

About 2 years ago, I bought 4 Nest Mini speakers brand new. I installed and set up 3 of them at that time, and the 4th one remained unused and untouched until this week. When I first plugged it in this week, the speaker booted and asked that I use the Google Home app on my phone to proceed with the setup. The Google Home app on my phone then required that I install the Device Utility app in order to "activate" the speaker (that step was not required for the 3 other speakers that I had setup years ago).

After I "activated" the device, the Google Home app was then able to proceed with the setup. In the Google Home App, I performed the following steps:

1. I added a new device to a home
2. The app looked for devices and found the Nest Mini,
3. The app connected to the device and played a sound, asking me to confirm that I did hear the sound, which I did
4. I chose a location for my Nest Mini (Garage)
5. I connected to Wi-Fi, using a saved password from the Google Home app (which were saved from previously setting up the other speakers). The app confirmed that the Wi-Fi connection was successful.
6. Clicked through the next few screens about the Google Assistant, recognition & personalization and voice match
7. The Google Home app then shows a screen saying "Your Assistant is ready", which I click through
8. I set up YouTube Music (already linked) as the default music service
9. The Google Home app then shows a screen saying "Almost done", and I click on "Continue"
10. The Google Home app then shows a screen saying "Configuring your Nest Mini" and displays an animation for about 40 seconds, and then shows "There was a problem setting up Nest Mini".
11. The "Help center" button takes me to a support page about "Authentication isn't successful" (https://support.google.com/chromecast/answer/7177602)

When I click on "Leave setup", I can check in the "Devices" tab, and I see the new speaker, but it is "Offline".

I followed all the steps on the linked support page that were possible:

• In Settings > Recognition and sharing, the linked account for the device is the same as the account on my phone which I used to perform the setup
• "Settings > More > Reboot" prompts for a confirmation, but confirming does nothing. The speaker does not reboot.
• Unplugging the speaker for several minutes and plugging it back does not change anything. The device still appears as "Offline" in the Google Home app.

What doesn't work:

• I can speak commands such as "Ok Google, play my playlist 'Foobar'", and it will successfully find my playlist. However, it will play ads between songs, even though I have a YouTube Premium membership. The device knows about my YouTube Music playlists, but doesn't know about my premium membership.
• From the YouTube Music app on my phone, I can choose to cast to a device, and the new speaker appears in the list of devices. However, when I select it, I hear a chime on the speaker, but when I hit the Play button, the audio comes out of my phone and not from the speaker.

I performed a factory reset on the device and repeated the above steps multiple time, and always had the same result.

The new speaker is on the same wifi network as the other 3 who work flawlessly. Wifi connectivity is not an issue since it can play music fine. Firmware is at version 1.56.356012 on all speakers.

How can I get the speaker to properly authenticate to my Google account so that I can properly control its playback from my phone, and that it gets the YouTube Premium benefits that I am paying for?

[MplsCustomer]

@Fred2620 

Perhaps this old blog will provide some insight:

https://www.googlenestcommunity.com/t5/Blog/Heads-Up-Device-Activation/ba-p/176077

Perhaps, since your Nest Mini is 2 years old, there have been firmware updates since then, but you're caught in a Catch 22 dilemma where those updates need to be applied before you can successfully install, but you can't apply the updates because you can't fully install.

Maybe Google Nest Support will chime in on this thread. Or maybe you need to try contacting Support using the link and instructions below, and hope you get a Support person who understands the issue:

https://www.googlenestcommunity.com/t5/Cameras-and-Doorbells/Using-Google-Nest-s-quot-Contact-Us-quo...

[Fred2620]

As I described in the original post, all of my Nest Mini (the ones that do work and the one that does not) display firmware version 1.56.356012, which as of today, is the latest firmware according to https://support.google.com/googlenest/answer/7365257#zippy=%2Ccurrent-production-firmware-version

[David_K]

Try these steps:

1. Reset the speaker.
2. Force close the Google Home app.
   • Android: Swipe up from the bottom, hold, then let go. Swipe up on the Google Home app.
   • iPhone/iPad: Swipe up from the bottom, hold, then let go. Swipe up on the Google Home app. On older devices with a home button, double-click the Home button, then swipe up on the Google Home app.
3. Open your phone or tablet's settings app.
4. Open the list of available Wi-Fi networks.
5. Look for and connect to an available network with the name “GoogleHomeXXXX" (where XXXX is a random number).
6. Once connected, re-open the Google Home app and follow the steps on screen.

Let us know how you get on!

[Fred2620]

There were no network named GoogleHomeXXXX, but there was one named NestMini1620.ynm, so I will assume that is the one that you meant, since we are dealing with a Nest Mini device and not a Google Home device.

I followed your steps, and I get the exact same result. Setup fails with "Authentication isn't successful".

Here is a screen recording of the entire process: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Zj3cfrL9WRUvumL56 . From 0:40 to 2:50, it's just spinning without any progress, possibly trying to connect to something on the internet, but my phone is connected to the NestMini1620 network, which doesn't have internet access yet, because we haven't reached the point where I set up the wi-fi connection. After 2 minutes it times out, and then I could proceed with the setup, but it failed again at the end.

The phone used during the setup is a Pixel 5.

[David_K]

NestMini1620.ynm is right, the newer models swapped to that convention over the older GoogleHomeXXXX. Two other thoughts; do you have another phone or tablet you can try with? Could you try connecting it to a Wifi hotspot from a phone, tablet, or computer? 

[Fred2620]

I found an old Galaxy A5 that I had lying around. I performed a factory reset on the speaker and used my Pixel 5 as a wifi hotspot. Using the Galaxy A5 to perform the setup of the speaker, I end up once more with the same error.

[Muddi]

Hey Fred2620,

Chiming in, I appreciate @David_K for helping here. Please note that the supported version on the phone should be Android 8.0 or iOS 15.0 onward. Could you tell us where you are located? Also, when and where did you purchase your device?

Cheers,

Muddi

[Fred2620]

Hello Muddi,

The two phones I tried to use had an Android version higher than what you listed: Galaxy A5 (2017) with Android 8.1.0, and Pixel 5 with Android 13.

I am located in Québec, Canada. The devices were purchased at a "Canada Computers" store in mid-2021, although the sticker on the box indicate "MFG: 10/2019".

[Muddi]

Hi Fred2620,

We appreciate your efforts. We'd be happy to take a look into this for you. Please fill out this form with all the needed information then let me know once done.
 

Cheers,

Muddi

[Muddi]

Hello Fred2620,

Checking in, have you had the chance to fill out the form?

Cheers,

Muddi

[Fred2620]

Hello @Muddi . Sorry for the delay, I just filled out the form now. Thank you.

[Kees030]

Hello Muddi,

I don't intend to hijack this topic, however I'm having the same problem in the Netherlands. Nest Mini 2nd Gen with latest firmware, tried to setup with Android 8 Samsung Tab S6Lite and with Android 13 Samsung Galaxy A52s.

I've tried everything Fred2620 did, including connecting to Nestmini.... network and resetting modem/router.

I filled out the form and hope you'll provide a solution.

[Muddi]

Hey Kees030,

We got the form you've submitted. We'll be reaching out to you via email and let's continue working on your concern through that channel.

Cheers,

Muddi
 

[Muddi]

Hi Fred2620,

Thanks — we got your form and have sent it over to our team for review. Please check your inbox from time to time as someone will be reaching out to you. 
 

Cheers,

Muddi

[Kees030]

Hi Muddi, I still have not received anything in my email ("We'll be reaching out to you via email')...

When can I expect a solution or at least a reaction?

[Alex_S]

Hi Kees030,

I see that our support team has already sent an email that has the subject line: [7-8268000034527] Your Google Support Inquiry: 7-8268000034527. Kindly reply to it so the team can further investigate the issue.

Best,
Alex

[DieBlondeJongen]

Hi Muddi and others,

Just like Kees, I'm experiencing the same problem in the Netherlands. 

I also have a Nest Mini 2nd Gen with the latest firmware which I tried setting up with multiple Android 8 devices. 

I've tried everything Fred2620 and Kees did.

I filled out the form and hope you'll provide a solution.

[Dan_A]

Hey there DieBlondeJongen,

Just a quick update. We've got the form you've submitted. We'll be reaching out to you via email, and let's continue working on your concern through that channel.

Kind regards,

Dan