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Can't connect Google Home devices to Hub 3

Esinem
On our wavelength

I have been having nightmares trying to connect Google Home devices to my wi-fi. At first, I assumed it was related to my Deco mesh network but I have tried creating a test Google home using the wi-fi from the Hub 3. I get the same turn off AP Isolation error. AFAIK, there is no such option on a Hub 3.

Weirdly, my first device, a Google Audio speaker, connected seamlessly. The next device, a Google Mini, needed a few resets/reboots before it connected and then adding a Home Hub display seemed to fail every time.  However, I left it and came back later to discover it had magically connected. After having to try to reinstall it, I haven't been able to connect it again. Same issue with a second Google Audio received today. At the final 'connecting to wifi' stage, I get the AP Isolation error below.

Is there some setting I need to change or is the Hub 3 simply incompatible? As an aside, the light on the hub is orange, Google says: "The LED is actually a good indicator of how many hours a Hub3 has been powered on. If it's brilliant white, you know it's not been used much. If it's yellow/orange you know it's a well used, old customer return." Not sure if that's relevant?

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9 REPLIES 9

Adduxi
Very Insightful Person
Very Insightful Person

Sound like your wifi has a single SSID for both wifi bands.  If the Google kit is joining the 2.4 Ghz band and your phone is on the 5Ghz band that may be why it's not working.  Also you should make sure your Deco SSID matches the SSID and passwords set on the Hub.  Otherwise you end up with two competing wifi signals.

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Client62
Alessandro Volta

Hub 3 does not have AP Isolation enabled.

There is a key icon on the top line of the phone. Does that mean the phone is using a VPN or Apple Relay or an Android DNS changer ? Any one of these would mean your phone behaves as if it is not on the local Wi-Fi of the VM Hub, that could easily be mistaken for Wi-Fi AP Isolation because the app would not find the Google device.

Adduxi
Very Insightful Person
Very Insightful Person

Good spot @Client62

 From t'internet "  What is the little key symbol on my Android phone?

The key or lock icon is the Android symbol for VPN service. It will remain within the notification bar when Safe Browsing is enabled"

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Esinem
On our wavelength

I did try with and without NordVPN. 

I have no idea what solved this but after trying various things including removing all my Google devices, I was able to re-add them without the error and set personalisation on with the Home Hub.

Hi @Esinem 👋.

Thanks for reaching out to us, apologies for the issues that you are having with connecting your Google Home to your Wi-Fi. From what we can see you are connected to the Wi-Fi but your devices that you are trying to connect are not, are you using your Deco Mesh and have you ensured that you have it connected correctly as an extension of the VM network name rather than having our hub in modem mode and using the Hubs network name. In order to communicate they all need to be linked to the same network name, you cannot split the network and have the phone on one and the devices on the other, it has to be under one unified name.

Let us know.

Sabrina

Esinem
On our wavelength

Thanks. The Deco mesh creates a separate network. The main Deco unit is hard wired to the router. I have no clue what mode the modem is in. Everything runs off SSID Esinem and I ignore VM5506638. If there's a better way to do it, I'm all ears so long as I don't have to reset everything using the Esinem network.

The problem of Google Home devices not connecting disappeared after various reboots and resets. Still no idea what caused it.


Client62
Alessandro Volta

If the SSID VM5506638 is visible the Hub 3 is in Router mode,
to avoid double NAT issues, that means the Deco should be in Access Point mode.

The mobile VPN must be disabled to access devices on the LAN  / Wi-Fi network.

Adduxi
Very Insightful Person
Very Insightful Person

So basically you now have two Wifi services competing for airtime.  Not the best really, but if it’s working and you are no worried about it, just leave it. 

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Client62
Alessandro Volta

There is no reason why the VM Hub can not offer SSID "Esinem" making it an additional Wi-Fi access point.