Important: To fix the problem, you need to be able to reach your camera or doorbell.
If your Google Nest camera or doorbell is offline (not connected to the Internet), it can't stream live video or save video to the cloud. Other connection problems can make the video stop or skip.
Here's how to know if you have a connection problem:
- You get a message or email saying that your camera is offline or lost its connection.
- The app says that your camera is offline, has a bad connection or your Internet is too slow for video.
- Your camera's status light is off.
- Your camera's video history has gaps when the camera was offline or turned off. Tip: If your camera has event video history, it's normal to have gaps if it didn't detect activity.
After you try each step, wait a few minutes and then check if your camera or doorbell is still having trouble connecting.
Check the Wi-Fi connection in your home
Check whether other devices in your home can connect to Wi-Fi. For example, try to visit a website. If you're using a phone, turn off its mobile data and turn on Wi-Fi before you check the connection.
If none of your devices can connect, call your Internet service provider. Ask them if the Internet is working in your area and request help with your Internet.
Check your Internet bandwidth and speed
Your camera or doorbell needs enough Internet speed to send video to the cloud and stay connected to Wi-Fi.
- To find out how much Internet speed your device needs, go to Internet bandwidth and speed requirements for Nest cameras.
- Check if your Internet plan is fast enough for all your devices. You might need to get a faster Internet plan.
- Use a phone or tablet to do a speed test near your device. If the speed is not fast enough, your device might be too far from your Wi-Fi router, or something might be blocking the Wi-Fi signal. If this is the case, try the next steps to fix it.
Move your camera, router or other objects
Your camera or doorbell might lose its connection if it's too far from your Wi-Fi router. It can also lose its connection because of other objects that block Wi-Fi, like other electronics, large furniture, appliances, walls and floors.
- If you can, move your device a little bit from its spot.
- Move your Wi-Fi router and camera or doorbell closer.
- If you can, move devices that might block the Wi-Fi signal. Move them away from your camera, doorbell or Wi-Fi router. Tip: For more help, check out Troubleshoot wireless interference.
If one of these steps fixes the problem but you want to move the device back, you might need to make your Wi-Fi signal stronger.
Restart your camera or doorbell
To make it connect again, restart your camera or doorbell.
After your device restarts, wait a few minutes and then check its video. If the live video appears, your device has reconnected.
Turn off other devices connected to Wi-Fi
Your camera or doorbell might have problems connecting because other devices in your home are using a lot of Internet speed. Your Internet might not be fast enough for all your devices, especially when they're running multiple devices that use a lot of Internet speed, such as:
- Video calls and meetings
- Audio and video streaming
- Online games
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To make more Internet speed available:
- Turn off the Wi-Fi on another device in their settings. You can also just unplug it.
- If you have another Nest camera, you can turn off its video.
- Wait a few minutes, and then check if your camera has a good Wi-Fi connection.
- If your camera still has problems, keep turning off other devices in your home. Check your camera each time that you turn off a device.
To help your camera stay connected when other devices are online, try these steps:
- To help it stay online and record video, lower your camera's video quality settings so that it needs less Internet speed.
- To have fewer devices online at the same time, change your camera's schedule.
- If you want, call your Internet service provider to get faster Internet bandwidth and speed.
Check the power
Nest cameras
- If your camera uses a battery, check if the battery is low. Charge it if you need to. Cold weather can make your battery not last as long. You might need to charge it more often.
- If your camera is plugged into a socket, make sure that the power is turned on at the breaker box. If your home's power is switched on but the camera doesn't have power, there might be a power cut. If so, call your electricity company.
- Plug your camera into a different power socket. Check if it turns on. If your camera works with the new socket, you might have to move your camera or call an electrician to fix the socket.
- If your home has power, but your camera doesn't work in any socket, the power cable might be broken. Get a new cable and check if your camera works.
- If you've connected your Nest Cam (battery) to the solar panel, it can't charge your camera when it's colder than 0°C (32°F). You may need to bring your camera inside and charge it with the charger that came with it.
Cold-weather battery charging behaviour in Nest cameras and doorbells
Nest doorbells
- If you have a Nest Doorbell (battery), check if the battery is low. Charge it if you need to. Cold weather can make the battery not last as long. You might need to charge it more often.
- The battery can't charge when it's colder than 0°C (32°F). In cold weather, you may need to bring the battery indoors and charge it with the charger that came with it.
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If your Nest Doorbell (battery) is connected to another power source, it still uses battery. You may need to manually charge the battery in cold weather.
- If your doorbell is wired to your home's doorbell system or plugged in with a power adaptor, check if your home has power and if your doorbell is wired correctly.
- If your doorbell uses the doorbell wiring to stay powered and is properly connected, check the wire voltage. If it doesn't meet the right voltage and power, get a better power transformer.
Cold-weather battery charging behaviour in Nest cameras and doorbells
Check the app version
Get the latest version of the Google Home app or Nest app. This will give you the latest features and bug fixes.
Restart the modem and router
Restart your router, modem and any Wi-Fi range extenders or repeaters that you have. To learn how, check the user manual or the company's website for each device.
Tip: Many modems and routers restart if you unplug them. Wait 30 seconds and then plug them back in.
After you restart your modem or router, wait until the power and connection lights are steady. The data light might start blinking. Check if the connection problems are gone.
Check if your camera or doorbell feels too warm or cold
Your camera or doorbell needs to be in a place that's within its operating temperatures. If it gets too warm or cold, it might disconnect from Wi-Fi to help protect itself. Also, if it has a battery, temperatures below 0°C (32°F) affect its battery life and charging behaviour.
If your device feels too warm, unplug it and let it cool down. Plug it back in and check if it comes back online.
Tip: If your indoor camera is too warm, make sure that it's not in direct sunlight, above a fireplace or near a vent or another hot place. If it is, you might need to move it to a new spot to fix the problem.
For more help, go to Nest camera or doorbell gets hot.
Move or disable any network extenders
Your main Wi-Fi router sometimes has a better connection than your network extenders. If your camera or doorbell tries to connect to an extender that doesn't work well with it, it can have connection problems.
- If you can, move your network extender closer to your camera or doorbell.
- If your camera or doorbell still has connection problems, unplug or turn off any network extenders.
Check your Wi-Fi network or router settings
Wrong settings on your home Wi-Fi router can make your camera or doorbell disconnect. It might also show as offline in the app.
Factory reset your camera or doorbell
Important: A factory reset will permanently delete your camera's video history. Before you start the reset, make sure that you save any videos that you want to keep.
If none of the other troubleshooting steps worked, factory reset your camera or doorbell.