Troubleshoot your Nest thermostat is offline

Tip: Did you get a new router? Or did you change your Wi-Fi password? If yes, skip to step 9.

1. Check the battery level in your thermostat

If the battery is low, your thermostat won’t connect to Wi-Fi to help save power.

How to check the battery level

1. Open the Menu view.
2. Select Settings Battery . The icon changes based on how much charge level is left.

If the battery is very low

• If the status says “Very low,” replace the batteries with new ones. Then, check if your thermostat reconnects. It might take a few moments. Learn more about how to change Nest Thermostat batteries (Low battery message).
• If the battery often gets low, or if the wires might be faulty. You can get more help and info in Troubleshoot when your thermostat won’t turn on.

If the battery isn’t very low
Go to the next step to fix the issue.

2. Check for messages & help codes

Check the thermostat display for an error or system message. If the message has a web address (URL), type it into a web browser to go to that web page. This will give you specific steps to fix the issue. The web address (URL) will have an error code at the end.

For example, g.co/nest/e298 means an E298 error (no system power). To resolve the error, follow the Troubleshoot Nest thermostat help codes.

If you don’t get an error, or if fixing the issue didn’t fix your Wi-Fi problem, go to the next step.

3. Make sure your app is up-to-date

Make sure you have the latest version of the Google Home app. Go to the Google Play Store or the App Store. Update the app if an update is available.

• How to update apps on Android
• How to manually update apps from the App Store

If your app is up-to-date, or if updating it did not fix your issue, go to the next step.

4. Check if your home Wi-Fi works

Check to verify if you can get online with another device at home. If you’re using a cellphone, turn on Airplane mode. Then turn on Wi-Fi so you don’t have to use your phone's cellular data to test the internet connection.

If you can’t connect, try another device to check. If no device connects, contact your Internet Service Provider (ISP). Check the service status.

If another device connects to your Wi-Fi and can access the internet, go to the next step.

5. Restart your router

Turning your router off and on again will restart your internet connection. You should also restart any Wi-Fi range extenders or repeaters. Consult your router’s user manual for specific restart instructions.

1. Unplug your modem and router power cords. You may have a modem-and-router combo unit or 2 separate devices. All the lights on your modem and router should turn off.
2. Wait for 30 seconds. Then plug in your router and access points. Wait about one minute for them to fully turn on.
3. Plug in your modem. Wait 2 minutes or until the steady power and connection lights appear. A fast blinking data light might also appear.

If this doesn’t fix your issue, go to the next step.

6. Restart your Nest thermostat

Restart your thermostat to refresh its Wi-Fi connection.

1. On your thermostat, tap the touch bar to open the menu.
2. Swipe the touch bar and select Settings Restart Restart Yes to confirm.
3. If your thermostat still says it's offline, go to the next step.

7. Check your Wi-Fi signal strength

Check your Nest thermostat's Wi-Fi signal strength and ping speed. This helps determine if interference or distance from the router is the issue. Intermittent interference can cause repeated disconnects.

Check thermostat connection strength

On your thermostat, go to Settings Network. It will show if it's connected or disconnected and how strong the signal is. If the signal strength is weak, move your router closer.

You can also try to use a Wi-Fi extender. If that does not help, check for sources of interference.

Check for devices that might block your Wi-Fi's signal

If your thermostat's ping is more than 1,000 or the signal strength is less than 50, turn off any devices that use 2.4 GHz. Then check the ping and signal strength again.

Here are some devices that might cause problems:

• Cordless phones
• Baby monitors
• Microwaves
• Bluetooth devices
• Wireless video equipment

Where your router is placed can also cause interference. Since the thermostat is stationary, try moving your router a few feet to the right or left.

If your router is near other electronics, like inside an entertainment center, they could interfere with your thermostat's connection.

For more information and troubleshooting-steps, refer to troubleshoot wireless interference.

If your Wi-Fi signal is good and ping speed is normal, go to the next step to fix the issue.

8. Connect your thermostat to a new network

Incompatible settings on your thermostat and the network might cause it to lose connection. To check if your home network is the issue, temporarily connect your thermostat to a different network. Follow these steps.

Make a temporary network

Many smart phones can make their own Wi-Fi network, called a mobile hotspot. You can use this temporary network to check thermostat behavior when connected to a different network. To make a mobile hotspot, refer to these steps for your phone:

• iPhone
• Android phone

If you can’t make a mobile hotspot, skip to step 9.

Connect your thermostat to the network

1. Open the Google Home app .
2. Tap Home  All devices , then touch and hold your device's tile.
3. Tap Settings   Device information  Wi-Fi .
4. Follow the app instructions. Connect your thermostat to your mobile hotspot.

If your thermostat works as expected with the mobile hotspot, skip to step 10. Learn more about potential fixes for your home Wi-Fi network.

If you still get a Wi-Fi error even with a mobile hotspot, contact Customer Support.

9. Reset your thermostat's Wi-Fi connection

Follow these steps to reset your thermostat’s connection. You will need your home Wi-Fi password.

1. Open the Google Home app .
2. Tap Home  All devices , then touch and hold your device's tile.
3. Tap Settings   Device information  Wi-Fi .
4. Follow the app instructions. Connect your thermostat to your mobile hotspot.

If this doesn’t fix your issue, go to the next step.

10. Consider these other factors

• Incompatible settings on your home Wi-Fi router or access point can make your thermostat lose network connection.
• Highly restrictive firewall security or parent controls can block communication with Nest servers. Temporarily lower these settings to check if that's the cause.
• Refer to your Wi-Fi router or access-point documentation for exemption steps.
• If you still cannot connect after changing parent controls or firewall settings, make sure your thermostat connects. Use settings that allow connection to your home Wi-Fi:
  • 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) For complete instructions, go to recommended Wi-Fi settings.

Older routers are sometimes incompatible with Nest products. You can fix some incompatibility problems by updating the router’s software or firmware.

For additional assistance, contact Customer Support.

1. Check the battery level in your thermostat

If the battery is low, your thermostat won’t connect to Wi-Fi. This is to help save power.

How to check the battery level

Press your thermostat toward the wall. This opens the Quick View menu. Tap Settings Technical Info Power. Find the number labeled “Battery".

If the battery is less than 3.8v

• Have you recently lost power? Your thermostat uses its internal battery until power comes back. If you recently lost power, wait to find out if it charges up and reconnects to your Wi-Fi again.
• If the battery drops below 3.6 volts, it will not reconnect. It needs to reach 3.8 volts.
• If your thermostat battery is low and does not charge, get more help. Check Troubleshoot when your thermostat won't turn on.

If the battery is 3.8v or more

Go to the next step to fix the issue.

2. Check for messages & help codes

Check the thermostat display for an error or system message. If you get an error, follow the additional troubleshooting to fix it.

If you do not get an error, or if fixing the issue did not fix your Wi-Fi problem, go to the next step.

3. Make sure your app is up-to-date

Make sure you have the latest version of the Google Home or Nest app. Go to the Google Play Store or the App Store. Update the app if an update is available.

• How to update apps on Android
• How to manually update apps from the App Store

If your app is up-to-date, or if updating it did not fix your issue, go to the next step.

4. Check if your home Wi-Fi works

Verify if another device can get online at home. If using a cell phone, turn on Airplane mode. Then turn on Wi-Fi so you do not use your phone's cellular data for the internet connection test.

If you cannot connect, try another device to check. If no device connects, contact your internet service provider (ISP). Check the service status.

If another device connects to your Wi-Fi and can access the internet, go to the next step.

5. Restart your router

Turning your router off and on again will restart your internet connection. You should also restart any Wi-Fi range extenders or repeaters. Consult your router’s user-manual for specific restart-instructions.

1. Unplug your modem and router power-cords. These may be a modem-and-router combo unit or two separate devices. All the lights on your modem and router should turn off.
2. Wait for 30 seconds. Then plug in your router and access points. Wait about one minute for them to fully turn on.
3. Then plug in your modem. Wait 2 minutes or until the steady power-and-connection lights appear. A fast blinking data light might also appear.

If this does not fix your issue, go to the next step.

6. Restart your Nest thermostat

Restart your thermostat to refresh its Wi-Fi connection.

1. On your thermostat, press the display to open the Quick View menu.
2. Turn the dial and tap Settings Reset Restart Ok. Your thermostat will take a few minutes to restart.
3. If your thermostat still says it's offline, continue to the next step.

7. Check your Wi-Fi signal strength

Check how strong your Nest thermostat's Wi-Fi signal strength and ping speed. This helps determine if interference or distance from the router is the issue. Intermittent interference can cause repeated disconnects.

Check how strong the thermostat connection is

On your thermostat, open the Quick View menu. Tap Settings Technical Info Network. Check for 2 numbers: ping speed and signal strength.

If the ping is not available, you can check the Nest Weave connection instead.

• Ping shows how long it takes for messages from your thermostat to travel to the Nest servers and back. Ping speed should be less than 1500 ms. To improve your connection, remove Wi-Fi interference sources.
• If the ping speed is 0, the Nest thermostat is connected. But it does not communicate with our servers. This usually happens because of router firewalls or other network settings.
• Go to step 10 for more information about router settings. Based on your thermostat's software version, the ping might not be visible. If so, check the Nest Weave connection for connection information.
• Signal strength is a number from 1 to 100. Any number less than 50 means a weak connection. Try moving your router closer. You can also use a Wi-Fi extender.

Check the Nest weave connection

On your thermostat, open the Quick view menu Settings Technical Info Nest Weave. Then, check the status:

• Connected - Remote control unavailable: there may be an issue with the Nest service.
• Not connected: there may be an issue with the router or network.

Check for devices that might block your Wi-Fi signal

If your thermostat's ping is more than 1000 or the signal strength is less than 50, turn off any devices that use 2.4 GHz. Then check the ping and signal strength again.

Here are some devices that might cause interference:

• Cordless phones
• Baby monitors
• Microwaves
• Bluetooth devices
• Wireless video equipment

Where your router is placed can also cause interference. Since the thermostat is stationary, try moving your router a few feet to the right or left.

If your router is near other electronics, like inside an entertainment center, they could interfere with your thermostat's connection.

For more information and steps to take to troubleshoot wireless interference, refer to troubleshoot wireless interference.

If your Wi-Fi signal is good and ping speed is normal, go to the next step to fix the issue.

8. Connect your thermostat to a new network

Incompatible settings on your thermostat and network might cause it to lose connection. To check if your home network is the issue, temporarily connect your thermostat to a different network. Follow these steps.

Make a temporary network

Many smart phones can make their own Wi-Fi network, called a mobile hotspot. You can use this temporary network to check how your thermostat behaves when connected to a different network. To make a mobile hotspot, refer to these steps for your phone:

• iPhone
• Android phone

If you cannot make a mobile hotspot, skip to step 9.

Connect your thermostat to the network

1. On your thermostat, open the Quick View menu.
2. Select Settings Reset.
3. Choose your mobile hotspot network name and enter your password.

If your thermostat works as expected with the mobile hotspot, skip to step 10. Learn more about potential fixes for your home Wi-Fi network.

If you still get a Wi-Fi error even with a mobile hotspot, contact Customer Support.

9. Reset your thermostat's Wi-Fi connection

Follow these steps to reset your thermostat’s connection. You will need your home Wi-Fi password.

Reset the network

1. On your thermostat, open the Quick View menu.
2. Select Settings Reset.
3. Select Network and choose Reset. If you do not see this option, go to step 10.
4. Confirm that you’d like to reset your network settings.

Reconnect your thermostat to Wi-Fi

1. On your thermostat, open the Quick View menu.
2. Select Settings Reset.
3. Choose your Wi-Fi network name and enter your password if prompted.
4. If your thermostat still has trouble connecting, go to step 10 and check the settings on your Wi-Fi router or access point. You can also try to turn off any Wi-Fi range extenders you might have installed for your Wi-Fi network.

Reconnect your thermostat to the app

1. On your thermostat, open the Quick View menu.
2. Select Settings Nest app.
3. Follow the steps.

If this doesn’t fix your issue, go to the next step.

10. Other considerations

• Incompatible settings on your home Wi-Fi router or access point can make your thermostat lose its network connection.
• Highly restrictive firewall security or parent controls can block communication with Nest servers. Temporarily lower these settings to check if that's the cause.
• Refer to your Wi-Fi router or access-point documentation for exemption steps.
• If you still cannot connect after changing parental controls or firewall settings, make sure your thermostat connects. Use settings that allow connection to your home Wi-Fi:

• 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) For complete instructions, go to recommended Wi-Fi settings.

Older routers are sometimes incompatible with Nest products. You can fix some incompatibility problems by updating the router’s software or firmware.

For additional assistance, contact Customer Support.