Typically, you shouldn't need to make any changes to your Wi-Fi network or router settings. Most connection issues are fixed other ways. You should first follow the instructions in Troubleshoot Wi-Fi and connection issues to fix most issues.
If you're not familiar with Wi-Fi router settings, contact your internet service provider (ISP) or router manufacturer for help with these settings.
Summary of recommended settings
Here are the most important recommended Wi-Fi network and router settings for use with Nest products. For more details, refer to the sections below.
- Enable 802.11 b/g/n if you have an 802.11 ac router.
- Set your Wi-Fi router's DHCP lease time to at least 2 hours.
- Turn on your router's Power Save Mode (PSM), if you have a Nest thermostat.
- Enable IPv6, if you have a Nest Protect.
- On your Wi-Fi router, turn on multicast, if you're adding additional Nest devices.
If you've confirmed these settings, and are still having issues, check for more settings below.
Important things to do before you change settings
Nest products work almost anywhere if there's a Wi-Fi signal. But, there are a few things to keep in mind if you're trying to connect to certain types of Wi-Fi networks or routers.
- Standard Wi-Fi routers use the 2.4 GHz band, the 5 GHz band, or both (dual-band). Some Nest products, such as Nest Protect smoke alarms, and 1st and 2nd gen Nest Learning Thermostats, only work with the 2.4 GHz band. Learn how to use Nest products with dual-band Wi-Fi networks.
- If you want to connect a Nest Protect, make sure that your router supports IPv6.
- When adding additional Nest devices, make sure your router supports multicast and that it's on. Nest devices use multicast to communicate and set up connections with other Nest products.
- Mobile hotspots, guest networks, and public or open networks are not recommended for use with Nest products. Nest products do not support Enterprise networks such as 802.1x/RADIUS or captive portal networks (networks that require you to agree to terms of service, such as a coffee shop or hotel). Learn more about these types of networks.
- Open-source firmware such as DD-WRT, OpenWRT and Tomato are not supported. While some versions may work well with Google Nest products, compatibility may vary from release to release.
- Check your router's device limit. All Wi-Fi routers have a limit on the total number of devices that can be connected to Wi-Fi at the same time. If you have a lot of devices on your network, you can try disconnecting a few to check if your Nest product is able to connect to your network.
- Check if your router has wireless isolation settings turned on. This will prevent devices on your network from connecting to other devices in your home. Nest products talk to each other during pairing, setup, and during daily use, so they may not work properly with these settings turned on.
Range extender settings
If possible, try setting up your device close to your router to test if everything else is working and if range is the issue.
If the device works near your router, but not further away or in the location desired, you may need to add a Wi-Fi access point to extend the range of your Wi-Fi network so your Nest products can connect.
- It's recommended to use a product from the same manufacturer as your router. Often products from the same brand work well together.
- To make it easier to use, you can set the settings such as network name (SSID), password and encryption to be the same as your existing router.
- If you already have a range extender or second wireless access point, it could be the cause of the connection issue. Temporarily unplug or turn off that device, and then connect your Nest product directly to your router.
Refer to your router's manual or contact your ISP to learn how to change its settings. You can usually download the manual from the manufacturer's website. Be sure to download the manual that matches your router's model number.
Some of the changes you make might prevent you from connecting to the internet. So it's important to follow these steps in case you need to switch back to your router's old settings.
Follow the instructions in the manual to back up your router's current settings. If your router doesn't have a backup feature, you can print out the current settings, or simply write them down.
To ensure the best performance and compatibility, install the latest software updates for your router from the router's manufacturer's website. Follow the instructions from your router's manual.
Change settings
After you've followed the previous steps in “Important things to do before you change settings,” you can start to check and change your router's settings. Connectivity settings issues are often fixed by doing one or more of the following:
- Turn on your router's Power Save Mode (PSM), if you have a Nest thermostat.
- Enable 802.11 b/g/n if you have an 802.11 ac router.
- Set your Wi-Fi router's DHCP lease time to at least 2 hours.
- For Nest Protect, turn on IPv6 or multicast.
However, we recommend you review the basic Wi-Fi router settings below before changing any advanced Wi-Fi settings.
Note: After you update Wi-Fi settings, you may need to update the Wi-Fi information for your Nest products in the app so that they can connect to your Wi-Fi network.
Note: If you use multiple access points on your network, such as a second router or range-extender, all of them should use the same settings. Otherwise, they may not be able to connect to each other, or your Nest products.
Network name (SSID) and password
If you get a new router or factory reset your router, your Nest products may disconnect if the network name (SSID), password, or other settings don't match the previous ones.
If you give your new home network the same SSID and password as the previous one, your Nest products should automatically reconnect, as long as the manufacturer settings of the new router are the same.
If your Nest products don't reconnect to your new network automatically, or you want to use a different network name or password, you need to update the Wi-Fi information on each of your Nest products in the app.
Wi-Fi channels
Usually, it's best to set Wi-Fi channel selection to Auto instead of a specific channel. This lets your router automatically switch channels to avoid interference from nearby Wi-Fi networks and wireless devices that can slow down or even block Wi-Fi signals.
Encryption type
It's recommended to use WPA2 encryption on your router when using Nest products.
Nest products are not compatible with WEP-ASCII.
Dual-band (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) networks
If your Wi-Fi router is dual-band (supports both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz signals), your Nest product may connect to one band better than it connects to the other band, depending on your surroundings. Most Nest products work with 5 GHz networks, but there are exceptions.
1st and 2nd gen Nest Learning Thermostats, 1st and 2nd gen Nest Protects, and Nest Connect only work with 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi. If you have one of these products in your home, you need to enable 2.4 GHz on your router to connect them.
Tip: A 2.4 GHz network connection won't necessarily be slower than a 5 GHz connection. 2.4 GHz signals travel farther, so they cover a larger area, and they can travel through solid objects more easily.
- Try to switch to a 2.4 GHz network if your Nest product is installed far away from your router, or if you have a weak connection to your 5 GHz network.
- Try to switch to a 5 GHz network if you're getting a weak connection due to interference from 2.4 GHz household devices like cordless phones, baby monitors, microwaves, and wireless speakers.
Power Save Mode (PSM)
Some routers have a Power saving mode (PSM) feature. Refer to your router's documentation to check if it does. You can turn this on to help preserve the battery charge of connected products like Nest thermostats.
If you're familiar with how to configure Wi-Fi networks, firewall settings, or MAC address filtering options, here are some additional things to try. If you're not familiar with these network settings, contact your ISP and ask them to help you view and change these settings.
Firewall settings
Restrictive firewall settings can prevent Nest devices from connecting to the internet. You can try lowering these settings temporarily to check if your issue is resolved. Restore your firewall settings back to your preferred security level afterward.
Warning: Lowering your router's firewall settings may increase the risk of incoming threats from the internet. Refer to your router or firewall manufacturer for additional information.
DHCP lease time
Set your Wi-Fi router's DHCP lease time to at least 2 hours. This can help ensure your Nest products stay connected to your network. Any setting lower than 2 hours may prevent your Nest products from reconnecting to your network, even if the connection drops out for half a second or less.
Network ports
During setup, port 11095 is used to connect some Nest products to the app. If you're having trouble connecting your Nest product, you may need to temporarily unblock port 11095 in your Wi-Fi router's settings to finish setup. Once your Nest product appears in the app, you can close port 11095 again.
You shouldn't need to open specific TCP or UDP network ports for inbound traffic for daily use of your Nest products. If you can check your email or use online banking with your browser, the needed ports are already open.
MAC address filtering
If you have MAC address filtering enabled for added network security, the MAC addresses of your Nest products must be added to the list of authorized devices. You can use your router's software to view the MAC addresses of all devices on your network. Refer to your router's documentation for instructions.
Find your Nest product's MAC address and add it to your router's whitelist
802.11 wireless networks
If you have an 802.11 ac router or range extender, make sure 802.11 b/g/n is turned on as well. 802.11 ac is supported by only some Nest products.
If you've changed your Wi-Fi network or router settings, some of your Nest products may appear offline in the app. When this happens, you may need to manually reconnect your Nest products to your network.