9 Fixes for Nest Thermostat WiFi Disconnecting or Offline

Your wireless network makes the magic behind many smart home devices possible. If you own a Google Nest thermostat, once you connect with your Wi-Fi, all your climate controls are at your fingertips. 

Until that is, your Nest thermostat disconnects from your Wi-Fi.

There are several reasons why a Nest thermostat disconnects from Wi-Fi. Thankfully, most of these issues can be resolved easily. The key is diagnosing the problem and taking the right action. 

Here are nine fixes for connection issues between your Nest thermostat and your home Wi-Fi network. 

1. Check Your Home Wi-Fi Router

If your Nest is not connecting to the Wi-Fi, check whether your router works properly. The easiest way to do this is using another smart device, like your smartphone. If it connects, then your router is fine. Here’s a simple process for testing your home Wi-Fi router:

1. Switch your phone to airplane mode. This will prevent your phone from using cellular service.
2. Turn on the Wi-Fi.
3. Try to connect to your home wireless network. 

If you cannot connect to your Wi-Fi network, you’re probably dealing with a router problem. 

2. Update the Google Home and Nest Apps

If your phone connects to your home Wi-Fi network, the problem could be with the Google Home app. 

An outdated app could cause your Nest thermostat to disconnect from Wi-Fi unexpectedly. Follow these steps to update the Google Home app on your phone.

On an Android device:

1. Go to the Google Play Store app on your phone.
2. Select “Menu.”
3. Tap “My apps & games.”
4. Find the Google Home app and select it.
5. Choose “Update.”

On an iOS device:

1. Open the App Store app on your phone.
2. Tap your profile icon.
3. Scroll through the list of apps and select the “Google Home” app.
4. Tap “Update.”

You can update the Nest app by following the same procedures as above.

3. Check Your Thermostat Batteries

A low battery level in your Nest thermostat will cause it to disconnect from your Wi-Fi network. This saves the remaining battery power and prevents a complete shutdown. Depending on what model Nest thermostat you have, the steps for checking battery level will vary slightly.

Follow these steps to check a Nest thermostat’s battery level:

1. Tap Menu from the main screen.
2. Select “Settings.”
3. Choose “Battery.”
4. If the thermostat indicates the battery level is “Very Low,” replace them immediately.

If you have a Nest Thermostat E or a Nest Learning Thermostat, follow these steps:

1. Tap Quick Menu on the thermostat display.
2. Go to “Settings,” > “Technical Info.”
3. Select “Power” > “Battery.”
4. A power level of 3.8V or higher is normal. Something other than the battery level is causing the thermostat to disconnect from Wi-Fi.
5. If it shows lower than 3.6V, the battery could be causing the problem. Let it charge past 3.8V and see if the issue goes away.

Your Nest thermostat will still function as a traditional thermostat without Wi-Fi. Since the thermostat and the apps can no longer communicate, many smart functions will be disabled.

4. Restart Your Router 

Restarting a device is the oldest trick in the book; funny enough, it usually works! This is certainly true if a Nest thermostat keeps disconnecting from Wi-Fi. 

If you have determined that your router is not working, you need to restart the router first. 

While every router is slightly different, here are the basic steps that should work for most router models. 

1. Unplug all router and modem power cords from the wall socket. You can verify they are completely powered down by checking whether their indicator lights go off.
2. If you have a range extender or signal repeater, you must also unplug those devices.
3. Wait at least 30 seconds, then plug all the power cables back in.
4. It will take a few minutes to reset the network. Once your Wi-Fi router has been rebooted, reconnect your Nest to the Wi-Fi. 

Once again, if the Nest isn’t connecting, try your smartphone. You should contact your internet service provider if it doesn’t connect to the Wi-Fi. 

However, if the phone does connect but the Nest still won’t, it’s time to try another troubleshooting option.

5. Restart Your Nest Thermostat

Restarting your Nest thermostat is another possible fix if it keeps disconnecting from your Wi-Fi network. This is easily done from the device itself.

On a Nest Thermostat:

1. Select “Menu.”
2. Tap “Settings.”
3. Choose “Restart.”
4. Tap “Restart” followed by “Yes” to confirm.

If you have a Nest Thermostat E or Nest Learning Thermostat, follow these steps:

1. Press the thermostat ring and select “Quick Menu.”
2. Go to “Settings.”
3. Tap “Reset” > “Restart.”
4. Turn the thermostat ring and select “OK.”

You may need to reconnect the Nest to the wireless network if it does not automatically do so. Google’s support site provides simple instructions to connect a Nest thermostat to Wi-Fi.

If you see a “W5” error code displayed on your Nest, Google recommends resetting your thermostat. If the problem persists, however, separate troubleshooting will be needed to resolve a W5 error.

6. Confirm Your Nest Thermostat’s Wiring

While troubleshooting your Nest thermostat disconnecting from Wi-Fi, it may become apparent that faulty wiring is to blame. If your thermostat could previously connect to Wi-Fi but now disconnects sporadically, you might have a loose connection.

Remove the thermostat cover and carefully inspect each wire connection. Verify that each is firmly connected. If you need additional assistance, Google’s installation guide may be helpful.

7. Check for Interference

If your Nest thermostat sporadically disconnects from your home Wi-Fi network, you could be dealing with interference. Interference is a common issue that many Nest thermostat owners have to deal with. It can come from several different sources.

Interference From Other Devices

With so many new smart home devices in the typical home, routers struggle to keep up and provide fast internet. Your Wi-Fi router could be overworked and cannot connect and stay connected to yet another machine! 

Try disconnecting other devices that share your Wi-Fi signal. These can include a Google Home device, a smart TV, or a tablet. 

If that does the trick, you may want to invest in a mesh system. This will extend the signal throughout your home and expand the number of devices you can connect. 

Interference can also come from devices in your home that operate at a frequency of 2.4 GHz. These can include:

• Baby monitors
• Bluetooth-enabled electronics
• Cordless phones
• Microwave ovens
• Wireless video devices

Interference With Your Wi-Fi Signal

A physical obstruction could interfere with the Wi-Fi signal and cause your Nest thermostat to disconnect. Wi-Fi is amazing, but it can’t travel well through stone, concrete, or brick walls very well, especially thick ones. 

If you have a home with concrete walls, try moving your router closer to the thermostat. 

Another thing to do if moving your router closer isn’t an option is to create a mesh system or get a signal booster.

How to Check Your Wi-Fi Signal Strength

As you troubleshoot a Nest thermostat disconnecting from Wi-Fi, you should know the strength of the signal your thermostat is receiving. This can help you determine whether interference with your Wi-Fi signal is causing the problem.

On a Nest Thermostat, you can check your signal strength by entering the Settings and selecting “Network.” You can view your thermostat’s signal strength here.

On a Nest Thermostat E or Nest Learning Thermostat, follow these steps to view the strength of the Wi-Fi signal:

1. From the Quick View menu, tap “Settings.”
2. Select “Technical Info” > “Network.”
3. You should see two values: Ping Speed (Weave Connection on some models) and Signal Strength.
4. Ping Speed should be less than 1500 ms to be considered acceptable.
5. Signal Strength of 50 or greater (out of 100) is decent.

8. Try Connecting to Another Network – Mobile Hotspot

If your Nest thermostat keeps disconnecting from your home’s Wi-Fi network, try connecting it to another network. Using your phone’s mobile hotspot (which relies on cellular data) is a good way to test whether your current Wi-Fi system cannot support your Nest thermostat.

Depending on your Nest thermostat model, the steps for switching over to your phone’s mobile hotspot may vary. 

Nest Thermostat

If you have a Nest Thermostat, you can follow these steps:

1. From the Google Home App, go to “Favorites.”
2. Select “Wi-Fi.”
3. Tap “Network Settings.”
4. Choose “General.”
5. Enter your phone’s mobile hotspot network name and enter the password. Tap “Save.”

Nest Thermostat E or Nest Learning Thermostat

If you have a Nest Thermostat E or a Nest Learning Thermostat, you may need to reset the Wi-Fi connection first and then add your phone’s mobile hotspot separately. The following steps should work for most software versions.

To reset the Nest device’s Wi-Fi connection:

1. From the Quick View menu, go to “Settings.”
2. Tap “Reset” > “Network.”
3. Choose “Reset” again and confirm your selection.

You can also reset your Nest thermostat remotely through the Nest app on your smartphone. Follow the same steps as above.

Next, connect the Nest device to your mobile hotspot:

1. Go to “Settings”
2. Tap “Network.”
3. Enter your mobile hotspot’s network name and password.

Lastly, go to Settings > Nest App to reconnect your thermostat to the Nest app on your phone.

9. Make Sure Your Router Is Compatible

A Nest thermostat is incompatible with certain network types despite being an advanced smart home device. The list is somewhat limited, but if you are experiencing frequent disconnect issues, you may need to reconsider your home network setup.

What Happens When Your Nest Thermostat Disconnects From Wi-Fi?

If your Nest thermostat disconnects from Wi-Fi, you can no longer control or monitor the thermostat from the Nest or Google Home app on your smartphone. You may also see the following alerts:

• Your smartphone shows “Offline,” Couldn’t connect,” or “Something went wrong.”
• On the thermostat display, you may see “Wi-Fi disconnected,” “Not connected,” “Failed to connect,” or a spinning circle icon.