Google Home Wi-Fi: How to connect, change and troubleshoot your network

Google Home Wi-Fi: How to connect, change and troubleshoot your network.

The Google Home platform is one of the two main smart home devices on the market today, along with Amazon Alexa. The Google Assistant powered Google Home platform can do everything from calendar management to smart home device control.

Of course, it can only do this if there is a strong Wi-Fi connection. Without Wi-Fi, Google Assistant can’t sync with your smart home devices, your Google Nest products, or any of the other features that make it so useful. Here’s how to connect your Google Home to Wi-Fi.

How to Connect Google Home to Wi-Fi

There are two ways to connect your Google Home device to a Wi-Fi network. The first is during the device setup process. The second is through the Google Home app.

How to connect Google Home to Wi-Fi during setup

If you have a brand new Google Home or Google Nest device, you can connect it to Wi-Fi during the setup step. In fact, you will be required to. If you have already connected your previous device to Wi-Fi, it will automatically detect your Wi-Fi network and try to connect without any further action on your part.

Select the device you want to set up.

It will start connecting to your new device.

Listen to the beep of the device. This confirms that it is connected to the correct Google Nest device.

Continue following the on-screen setup instructions until you reach the Wi-Fi screen. Select your Wi-Fi network.

Once you’ve connected your device to Wi-Fi, you’ll have a few more options to choose from. Google Assistant will walk you through every step of the setup process, but you can also skip most of it and do it later.

How to connect Google Home to Wi-Fi from the Google Home app

If you’ve set up a new router and need to connect your device to a new Wi-Fi network (or you’re troubleshooting other issues), you can connect your Google devices to Wi-Fi through the Google Home app.

Select your device in the Google Home app.

In the upper right corner, select “Settings > Device Information”.

Select Wi-Fi.

Select “Forget this network”.

Confirm your choice by selecting Forget Wi-Fi network again.You will return to the main screen of the Google Home app. From here, follow the steps above to reconfigure your device and connect it to the desired Wi-Fi network.

Troubleshooting Google Home

There are times when your Google Home app or your Google Nest device may experience connection issues. In this case, there are several ways you can fix this problem.

Update the Google Home app.

If your Google Home app is out of date, it may not connect to your Wi-Fi network. Update the app on your iPhone or Android device. Make sure you have granted the appropriate permissions for your application.

Move the device closer to the router

In theory, your new device should work as long as it can connect to your wireless network. However, sometimes it is easier to connect to the Internet if it is closer to the router. Once connected, disconnect it and move it to where you want to keep it.

Turn the device off and on again

Unplug your Google Nest from the power outlet for about one minute before plugging it back in. This will perform a soft reset on the device, which can solve many common problems.

Reboot your router

Sometimes the problem lies in the router itself. You can reset your router the same way you would a Google device. Unplug it from the wall for at least sixty seconds before reconnecting. Keep in mind that your router will take time to reconnect, so wait a few minutes before testing your device again.

Perform a factory reset

If all else fails and you can’t connect your Google Nest to your wireless network, you may need to start from scratch. You can factory reset devices by following the correct steps. We have a complete guide on how to reset these devices.

Can Google Home Devices Work on Hotel Wi-Fi?

Some people try to take smart assistants with them when they travel. Although devices can be quite useful in your daily life, using them on a hotel Wi-Fi network is difficult for several reasons.

While this can be done, hotels tend to isolate individual connections for security reasons. This prevents your mobile device from seeing your Google Nest even if you have an internet connection.

The “easiest way” (which still requires additional accessories) is to invest in a travel router that can be connected to the hotel’s Wi-Fi network via Ethernet or Wi-Fi. Once this router is up and running, you can connect your Google Nest device to it. You will need to follow the installation process just like you would at home. Think of a travel router as a kind of adapter to keep your Google Home device working properly.

There are many benefits to connecting your Google Home to Wi-Fi, beyond just asking it questions or having your voice assistant read your morning news. Your Google Home device can control your Smart TV through Roku, alert you to notifications in your Google account, and can even launch game consoles for you.

Follow the steps above to make sure your Google Home device is connected to the internet. You’ll quickly start using your Chromecast like a pro.