13 Ways to Fix a Nest Thermostat That’s Not Connecting to Wi-Fi (2024)

Fix a Nest Thermostat that’s Offline

If your Nest thermostat suddenly goes offline, it may be due to a disrupted Wi-Fi connection.

Whenever this happens you might have to:

In the steps below, I’ll elaborate further on these.

1. Check the Power to the Thermostat

An offline status can be easily identified either through the Nest application on your smartphone or directly from the thermostat's display.

So as soon as the thermostat loses its connection, you’ll be greeted by a notification from the app or an alert on the thermostat’s display.

Whenever this happens, the first thing you should do is to see if the Nest thermostat has power.

Check the Battery Status on Your Nest Thermostat

When the battery voltage is low, either due to a low charge or an internal defect, the Nest thermostat will enter into a power-saving mode and disconnect from the Wi-Fi.

So before anything else, it’s a good idea to check the battery voltage on your thermostat.

Check Battery Levels on a Nest Thermostat

Settings applicable for the latest 2020 model

See Also

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Usually, the latest Nest thermostat will put up an alert whenever the battery is low. However in case you missed it, you can check the battery level through the settings. Here’s how:

Check Battery Voltage on a Nest E or Learning Thermostat

Instructions on how to access the power information

2. Check The Nest App or Thermostat for Any Alerts or Error Codes

Usually, your thermostat or mobile apps will let you know if the thermostat has disconnected from your device. Along with this notification, they’ll also provide instructions or error codes that will help you diagnose the issue further.

Some of the most common messages and error codes in this situation are:

3. Force-Close or Update the App to the Latest Version

Older app versions may lack the necessary updates and features that help your thermostat connect to Wi-Fi.

If an update is available, make sure to do so, since it can fix existing bugs and compatibility issues that could be blocking the connection.

Beyond that, you can also try force-closing the app and trying again.

4. Restart Your Smart Device Or Try Logging in With a Different Device

Your smartphone, tablet, or iPad can also be buggy or run into issues with maintaining a stable Wi-Fi connection. Apart from that, it might also be running VPNs or security protocols that limit your internet access.

As such, it’s a good idea to restart your device or try logging in to your thermostat via a different smart device.

5. Use a Mobile Hotspot

The best way to eliminate your home’s Wi-Fi router as the culprit is to connect your thermostat to a mobile hotspot on your smart device.

However, when carrying this out, you might have to Wi-Fi reset your Nest thermostat or reconnect the device to the Nest app.

Also, make sure your hotpot is closer to your thermostat and it has sufficient cellular data.

6. Restart your Nest thermostat

Usually, your Nest thermostat should automatically reconnect when you restart the Wi-Fi network. However, if it doesn’t, you might have to restart the thermostat as well.

7. Reset The Wi-Fi Settings on Your Thermostat

If all the above steps failed, clearing all previous network settings and resetting your thermostat's Wi-Fi connection, might help fix the issue.

To reset the Wi-Fi settings, simply head over to “Settings” → “Reset” and select the “Network” option.

Provide the necessary inputs to confirm your settings and wait until the device resets the connection. (Usually followed by a quick restart).

After the thermostat has restarted, open the Nest or Google Home apps and reconnect your Nest thermostat with the Wi-Fi network.

For a detailed step-by-step, don’t forget to check out our definitive article on resetting a Nest thermostat.

8. Check for Internet Access on Your Home’s Wi-Fi

So if you figure out that your Nest thermostat connects to your mobile hotspot and operates without any connectivity issues, you can tell that the problem lies in your Wi-Fi network.

Therefore, this could be due to:

So in the steps below, let’s try to resolve these issues.

9. Restart Your Home’s Wi-Fi Router

A router restart can act as a reset button for your internet connectivity. Therefore, it's a good idea to power cycle your Wi-Fi routers, extenders, or repeaters, if you have any.

Also, if your Wi-Fi router shows any signs of damage or doesn’t put out a Wi-Fi signal, it’s best to check the manual and get help from a professional.

10. Check For Signal Issues Within Your Thermostat

Whenever you find the Nest thermostat reconnecting and disconnecting intermittently, it’s almost always an issue with low signal strength and signal traffic/obstructions.

So in that case, you can try to eliminate whatever is hijacking or blocking the signal and also check the Wi-Fi strength on the thermostat.

Check Wi-Fi Connection Strength on the Thermostat

To check the signal strength on your Nest thermostat (2020 model):

For the Nest Thermostat E or Learning Models:

If the Nest weave information says “Connected – Remote control unavailable” the Nest service is down or pending maintenance. In that case, check the status of the Nest service via a quick Google search or wait a couple of hours and try reconnecting.

On the other hand, if the Nest Weave status is displayed as “Not Connected” your thermostat is disconnected from the Wi-Fi network.

11. Remove Unnecessary Smart Devices or Wireless Gadgets

Gadgets operating on a 2.4 GHz frequency, such as cordless phones, baby monitors, microwaves, Bluetooth devices, smart security cameras, and the like, can disrupt your thermostat signal.

So if the thermostat ping stays above 1000 or if the signal strength drops below 36, try switching off these optional devices.

Beyond that, you can also try disconnecting (and forgetting the network settings) on most of your unnecessary smart devices. This helps you reduce the traffic to your Wi-Fi router and make sure you don’t exceed the maximum device limit.

After that, check the ping and signal strength again and look for any improvements.

12. Reposition Your Wi-Fi Router

When it comes to signal strength issues, your router's location can make all the difference.

So if possible, try moving your thermostat, several inches, to a different room, floor, or anywhere that’s closer to your Nest thermostat.

When doing so, don’t forget that other electronics like televisions or soundbars can interfere if they're too close to your router. So keeping it separated with enough open space, will allow it to propagate the Wi-Fi signal without too much interference.

13. Make Sure the Wi-Fi Settings Are Compatible

On the other hand, if your Nest Thermostat refuses to link up with the Wi-Fi, it's often due to incompatible Wi-Fi settings or overly strict security measures.

Firewalls or strict parental controls may block your Nest thermostat. Temporarily disable these settings and try again.

In some cases, you can re-enable these settings after the initial Wi-Fi setup with your Nest thermostat. If you don’t know how to disable these, you can check your router’s settings.

Beyond that, you can also make sure the Wi-Fi network follows these protocols and configurations:

Final Step: Get Help from a Professional

However, if any of the above steps won’t get your thermostat reconnected with the network, you will have to get help from a professional and control it manually in the meantime.

A professional will be able to diagnose the issue more accurately and even figure out if the thermostat or Wi-Fi router is defective and in dire need of repairs or replacement.

Conclusion

Cited Sources

• https://support.google.com/googlenest/answer/9243422?
• https://support.google.com/googlenest/answer/9241211?hl=en#zippy=%2Cnetwork