Wi-Fi answers
Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) — smart-home gadget keeps going offline
Why does my Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) smart device keeps going offline?
The short answer
Camera feeds and video calls stutter while music from the same speaker is fine. On the WiFiXpert Compatibility Index the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) scores 79/100, and its weakest check is "Works on a guest network" — which is exactly where this problem comes from. Casting and camera feeds fail from a guest network.
We publish what breaks with each router and mesh system, and the setting that fixes it.
| Check | Verdict | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Works on 2.4 GHz | Excellent | 14/14 |
| Works on 5 GHz | Supported | 12/14 |
| Modern Wi-Fi security | Good | 11/12 |
| Happy on mesh Wi-Fi | Good | 13/16 |
| Works on a guest network | Poor | 4/8 |
| Survives a plug-in extender | Issues possible | 6/8 |
| Doesn't depend on chatty discovery | Some dependency | 11/16 |
| Easy to fix when it goes wrong | Easy | 8/12 |
The short answer
- Camera feeds and video calls stutter while music from the same speaker is fine.
What our compatibility data shows
- Works on 2.4 GHz: Excellent
- Works on 5 GHz: Supported
- Modern Wi-Fi security: Good
- Happy on mesh Wi-Fi: Good
- Works on a guest network: Poor
- Survives a plug-in extender: Issues possible
- Doesn't depend on chatty discovery: Some dependency
- Easy to fix when it goes wrong: Easy
Free fixes, in order
- Put it in range of a 5 GHz signal — video needs more than a voice answer does.
- Keep the phone and the hub on the same Wi-Fi name.
- Turn off client isolation on the router so it can see your cameras.
Before you spend anything
- A mesh box in the same room, if the screen is the thing you actually use.
People also ask
- Does the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) work on mesh Wi-Fi?
- Can I put the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) on a guest network?
- Does the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) need 2.4 GHz?
- Which router works best with the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen)?
If you do end up spending money
Only after the free fixes. Nobody pays to appear here, and no shop link changes anything we say.
- Router or mesh known to suit this device
- A single wired connection to the device
Where this comes from
Related pages
- Google Nest Hub (2nd gen)
- Ring Spotlight Cam Plus (battery) — smart-home gadget keeps going offline
- Ring Video Doorbell — smart-home gadget keeps going offline
- Google Nest Cam — smart-home gadget keeps going offline
- Google Nest Doorbell — smart-home gadget keeps going offline
- Ring Stick Up Cam Pro — smart-home gadget keeps going offline
- Ring Indoor Cam (2nd gen) — smart-home gadget keeps going offline
- Philips Hue Secure camera — smart-home gadget keeps going offline
- GigabitIQ — smart-home gadget keeps going offline