Bridge mode

Note: Bridge mode will only work if you’re using a single Wifi device. If you want to create a mesh network with multiple devices, your router or primary Wifi point cannot be in bridge mode.

While all additional devices are always in bridge mode by default, we don’t recommend you turn your router or primary Wifi point into a bridge. This is because the router or primary Wifi point needs to control settings and communication within your Wi-Fi network. If it’s in bridge mode, you’ll lose some functionality:

• Priority device will be unavailable
• DNS can’t be edited
• WAN settings can’t be edited
• Guest Wi-Fi will be unavailable
• Wi-Fi speed results in Network check will be unavailable (But download and upload results will still work.)
• Philips Hue pairing and controls in the Google Home app

Additionally, bridge mode disables many of Google Nest Wifi and Google Wifi’s security protections. This is because your upstream router (the modem/router combo in the above scenario) is the one performing DNS steering, packet inspection, executable patching, and other security functions.

Google Nest Wifi and Google Wifi’s automatic security updates maximize your privacy and security. Their protective features are most effective, and in some cases, only effective when all traffic passes through your router or primary Wifi point (instead of another router).

If you have a third party router, you can wire a Google Nest router or primary Wifi point to it, then “mesh” additional Wifi devices downstream. Learn how to connect your Google Nest Wifi to a third party router.

Still want to turn your Nest Wifi router or primary Wifi point into a bridge? Here’s how:

Note: You cannot transition your router or primary Wifi point into bridge mode if your WAN IP is a public IP address. To enable bridge mode, there needs to be another router between your modem and your router or primary Wifi point. If your router or primary Wifi point’s WAN port has a public IP, that means it’s directly connected to your modem. In this scenario, the bridge mode option in the app will be unavailable in the app.