Nest Thermostat Keeps Going Offline [How to Fix]

Looking for tips to troubleshoot offline issues with your Nest thermostat? You’re on the right page.

In this article, we’ll show you how to troubleshoot your Nest thermostat when it keeps going offline. Let’s get started.

First off, here are some common reasons your Nest thermostat keeps going offline:

You are using an outdated version of the Nest app.
The batteries in your Nest thermostat are low.
Your Wi-Fi network band is not compatible with your Nest thermostat.
Other electrical devices are interfering with your Wi-Fi connection
Your Wi-Fi router is faulty.

Keep reading for details on how to go about this issue.

Table of Contents

How to Fix Nest Thermostat Offline Problems

So here are some troubleshooting steps to help you get your Nest thermostat back online:

1. Update Your Nest Thermostat App

If you are using an outdated version of the Nest app, your Nest thermostat may keep losing Wi-Fi connection—as outdated app versions usually cause some malfunctions.

So, if your Nest Thermostat keeps disconnecting from your router and going offline, it could be that you’re not using the current version of the app. Check your app store and update the app on your mobile device.

If you’re not sure how to do this, here’s how to check and update the Nest app on your smartphone/tablet:

Open the Google Play Store and type in ‘Nest app’ in the search bar. iPhone users can find the Nest app on the App Store.
The Nest app should appear at the top of the search results.
Click on the app to continue.
Then tap the Update button to install the latest version of the Nest app.

2. Replace/Charge Your Nest Thermostat Batteries

Your Nest thermostat may keep disconnecting from your Wi-Fi router because the batteries in the device are low.

Usually, the Nest thermostat disconnects from Wi-Fi when its batteries get low. This helps the thermostat save enough power to continue operation.

If your Nest thermostat keeps going offline, it’s probably because it’s losing its Wi-Fi connection because of low battery power. So, you’ll have to replace/charge the batteries in your Nest thermostat to fix the problem.

Here’s how to change your Nest thermostat batteries:

Pull out the top part of your Nest thermostat.
Turn to the back of the removed part to see the batteries.
Remove the old batteries and insert the new ones. Your Nest thermostat needs 2 AAA alkaline batteries to work properly.
Before you replace the batteries, observe the symbols (+/-) above the battery compartment. Ensure that the positive and negative sides of your battery match the symbols above them.

If you have a Nest Thermostat E and Nest Learning thermostat, note that the batteries are not replaceable as they’re built in. You can charge the batteries if they are low.

Usually, the Nest Thermostat E and Nest Learning thermostat battery charge automatically via your HVAC system. However, it may fail to charge if the batteries are completely drained. In this case, you’ll need to charge the battery externally via a USB cable.

If this doesn’t help, continue to the next step.

3. Get a Nest Power Connector

Your Nest thermostat may still stay offline after you’ve changed the batteries. If this happens, chances are the thermostat isn’t getting sufficient power supply.

If your electrical panel is not supplying adequate power to your Nest thermostat, you may need to buy a Nest power connector.

The Nest Power Connector draws power from your furnace and sends the collected power to your Nest thermostat. This ensures that the thermostat receives the adequate power needed to function.

If you’ve never used a Nest Power Connector, it might be a bit tricky to connect the device to your Nest thermostat. So, let’s look at how to install the Nest Power Connector.

First off, you’ll need to update your Nest thermostat’s firmware to the latest version—as Your Nest thermostat will only recognize your Power Connector if it is running on the newest firmware version. Here is how to update your Nest Power Connector firmware:

Tap the Settings icon on your Nest thermostat screen. Then tap Version.
Tap Update to install the newest version of the Nest thermostat.

Now, follow these steps to install your Nest Power connector:

Ensure your HVAC system is compatible with the Nest Power Connector. The Nest Power Connector only supports 24VAC HVAC systems. If your HVAC system isn’t 24VAC, use a C-wire instead of the Nest Power Connector.
Next, turn off your HVAC system’s control switch on the electrical panel.
Open your HVAC equipment cover to find your control board. If you don’t have a control board, find where your Nest thermostat’s wires are installed. You’ll have to set up the Power Connector between your HVAC system and Nest thermostat’s wires.
Take the wire labels inside your Nest Power Connector package and place them on the matching thermostat’s wires connected to your circuit board. The Nest Power Connector’s wire labels contain the letters ‘W’, ‘R’, and ‘Y’.
Now, remove the labeled thermostat’s wires from the circuit board and insert them into the corresponding wire connectors in the Nest Power Connector package and your circuit board.
Use the sticky pad to connect the Nest Power Connector to your HVAC system.
Close the HVAC equipment and turn on the HVAC system’s control switch.

Your Nest thermostat should now connect easily to your Wi-Fi network and stay connected. But if not, keep reading.

4. Switch to a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi Network

Your Nest thermostat only supports the 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network. So, if your Wi-Fi router isn’t running on the 2.4GHz band, your Nest thermostat won’t stay connected to your Wi-Fi.

So, check that your router is operating on the supported Wi-Fi network band (2.4GHz)

Here are the steps to follow steps to change your Wi-Fi network to a 2.4GHz band:

Input your Nest router’s IP address into a web browser. This should take you to the router’s web page.
The system will now ask you to enter your username and password to access your Wi-Fi information. If you’ve never visited the webpage, your username should be admin. You can find the password to the webpage at the back of the router.
Next, tap the Menu tab and select Wireless Network Settings.
Now, move to the Wireless Channel section.
Then look for the tab that contains the various Wi-Fi networks on your router.
Click on 2.4GHz to change your Wi-Fi network to the 2.4GHz Wi-Fi band.
Tap Save to apply the changes.

5. Move other Electronic Devices Away from Your Router

When you place electronic devices that require an internet connection near your router, they may interfere with your Wi-Fi connection. As a result, your Nest thermostat may have low Wi-Fi signal strength.

And if the Wi-Fi signal strength on your Nest thermostat is low, the device won’t stay connected to your Wi-Fi network.

So, if your Nest thermostat keeps going offline, it’s probably because other devices are obstructing the connection. Try to move your router away from electronic devices that are interfering with your Wi-Fi network.

Common electronic devices that can interfere with your Wi-Fi network are:

Baby monitors
Bluetooth Devices
Microwaves
Wireless video equipment
Cordless phones

6. Restart Your Nest Thermostat

If your Nest thermostat still fails to connect to your Wi-Fi network after you’ve tried all the tips above, you may need to restart the thermostat. Restarting your Nest thermostat will refresh your Wi-Fi connection.

To restart your Nest thermostat, tap the Nest thermostat to reveal the Menu view. Then click on the Settings icon and choose Restart. Tap Yes to restart the thermostat.

7. Reboot Your Router

What if your Nest thermostat still keeps going offline after you’ve restarted the device? Then, you might need to reboot your router.

Take the following steps to reboot your router:

Unplug your router’s power cord from its electrical outlet.
Wait for about 30 seconds.
Then plug your Wi-Fi router back into its power outlet.
Your router will now restart.

8. Reset Your Nest Thermostat’s Wi-Fi Connection

Another way to help your Nest thermostat stay online when it keeps disconnecting from your Wi-Fi network is to reset the device’s Wi-Fi connection.

The following steps will show you how to reset your Nest thermostat’s Wi-Fi connection:

Open your Nest app and tap the thermostat icon on the home screen.
Next, tap the Settings icon.
Then tap Remove.
Now tap your Nest thermostat ring.
Select Settings.
Tap Account. Then select Disconnect. This will disconnect your Nest thermostat from your Nest app.
After removing the Nest thermostat from the Nest app, you’ll need to reconnect it to reset the Wi-Fi connection.
Open the Nest app again and click on the ‘+’ sign at the top of the screen.
Then tap Set up a Nest thermostat.
The system will request you to scan the QR code at the back of the thermostat. Scan the code to continue.
Once you’ve successfully scanned the QR code, you’ll be taken to the Get started screen. Choose Already Installed on this screen.
Since you’ve already installed the Nest thermostat, you can skip most of the instructions until you get to the Wi-Fi setup steps. To reconnect your Nest thermostat to your Wi-Fi, input your Wi-Fi network name and password.
You have reset your Nest thermostat’s Wi-Fi connection.

Wrapping Up

So that’s how to troubleshoot offline issues with your Nest thermostat.

For the most part, rebooting your router, updating the Nest app, and switching to a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi band will fix the connection issues in your Nest thermostat.

However, if the problem persists, contact Google Nest support for help.

You may also like to see how to troubleshoot heating/cooling problems in a Nest thermostat.