Why does Google Nest Mini broadcast an SSID?

[valipod]

Very similar to an issue with the same title. But that one is closed.

My Google Nest Mini, although connected to a Wireless Network and fully working, answering, playing music from Youtube Music, it still broadcasts its own WiFi ("Valipod speaker.ynm"), as it were in the process of setting up. I have not found any way to turn that off.

In the other issue I mentioned, the suggestion was to reset the Nest and re-add it to the app, but the issue there was that that nest had lost its connectivity. Mine is clearly working and has an internet connection, so its own WiFi should not be broadcasting.

Is there any chance of help? 🙂

[David_K · Accepted solution]

Your speaker should only do this when it loses connection to your Wi-Fi network. It's there for ease of setup so you can connect to it and reconnect it to your Wi-Fi. I'd recommend doing that step of factory resetting it, and see if the issue persists.

Factory reset Google Nest or Home speakers or displays - Google Nest Help

[valipod]

Well, it should. But id doesn't. I have reset the Nest (going through a world of trouble because it seems to not like being activated by an account of a 16 year old - what the $) and nothing changed: the SSID is still there, albeit with another string at the end.

[David_K]

After you reset it, I would expect the SSID to be there as it's been reset, but you're saying after completing setup in the Google Home app, you still see it broadcasting that SSID?

[valipod]

Of course I would expect it to broadcast the SSID while it was being re-added to an account, but it broadcasts it also afterwards (just as it did before resetting: the Nest clearly had an internet connection, it played music and worked as expected, I could see it in the router leases, but it still broadcasted the SSID). Now, it's the same: it works, it plays music, answers commands, but also broadcasts that SSID, which is interfering with my home WiFi.

[David_K]

In that case, I've asked a specialist to review this topic and advise on next steps. Just so you know, it may take a short while for them to do that.

[valipod]

Thank you very much!

[maedacortez]

Hi valipod,

Thanks for reaching out. I understand that the SSID does not disappear even when you have a good connection to the Wi-Fi network. I am happy to assist you!  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.

Regards,

Manuel

[roguepuppet]

I am seeing the same behavior from multiple devices and it is stepping all over my network.  Is there a resolution to this? 

[valipod]

I have submitted the form.

[maedacortez]

Hi Valipod,

Thank you for submitting the form. Someone will contact you by email soon.

Regards,

Manuel

[TE42]

Did you get any resolution on this? I have 5 devices doing the same thing and haven't been able to disable it.

[valipod]

No, after going through the factory reset AGAIN, they had the nerve to tell me to contact Ubquiti (I have a Unifi system), because "maybe it's their problem".

[TE42]

LOL, what a joke. It's funny when you get support personnel that don't understand networking. Coincidentally, I'm running an UDMSE myself with U6-Enterprise. However, I saw the SSIDs on my previous TP-Link setup too so defintiely not Ubiquiti related.

I haven't tried exploiting one of the SSIDs yet, some of them are secured, others are "open". Hopefully there is nothing that can be done from a malicious actor, or curious neighbor. Thankfully it is just the speakers; Nest Cams don't seem to be afflicted with this flaw.