Article Summary:
On occasion, you may find that the Nest app says the camera is off, not connected, or continually loading. Here are some helpful tips if you run into issues watching your video from a Mac or Windows PC.
You can watch your Nest Cam video on your phone, tablet, and computer (Internet connection required).
If you're having issues watching video from your phone or tablet, take a look at this article:
What should I do if I can't view Nest Cam video on my phone or tablet? >
You may see certain messages while trying to watch video on your computer. Each has a suggested set of solutions.
"The camera is off"
This message means that your Nest Cam is online but turned off.
In the upper right hand corner of your screen, just above the video and below your settings button you will see an On/Off switch. Click on this switch to turn the camera back on.
"The camera is not connected"
This message means that the camera may be unplugged or there may have been a power outage. It may also have lost its Wi-Fi connection. First, check the power cable to make sure that it's securely connected to the camera and to the power adapter, and that the power adapter is fully inserted into the wall outlet.
Do I need to keep my Nest Cam plugged in to a power outlet? >
If the camera is plugged into a wall outlet but you see that the status light is yellow, it may have lost its Wi-Fi connection.
To reconnect it to your Wi-Fi network, please try the following:
1. Unplug your camera's USB cable. Wait a few moments and plug it back in.
2. Your camera will restart and automatically try to reconnect to the same Wi-Fi network it was connected to before.
3. If your camera still can't connect, try unplugging your Wi-Fi router for 30 seconds, then plugging it back in. Give the router two minutes to reboot.
If you still can't connect your camera, review our Wi-Fi troubleshooting tips here:
Why does Nest Cam disconnect from my Wi-Fi Network? >
The video shows a spinning circle
This circle means the video is "buffering" or "loading," and your computer isn't receiving enough of the video to begin playback. This is usually a symptom of one or more of the following:
- Limited bandwidth: Your camera requires sufficient upload bandwidth to maintain a steady streaming connection. If you are running into problems with bandwidth, you may want to lower your camera's streaming resolution.
What can I do if my Nest Cam video isn't playing smoothly? >
If you have limited bandwidth, you can change the quality of your video to save bandwidth.
You may want to run a speed test to check on how much available bandwidth your Internet connection currently has before making any adjustments.
How much of my Internet connection's bandwidth does Nest Cam video streaming use? >
- Wireless interference: Different materials or devices in your home could weaken your Wi-Fi signal. Making some minor adjustments to your Wi-Fi settings or minimizing the number of walls and ceilings between your router and the camera can help.
What is wireless interference and how do I troubleshoot it? >
- Blocked ports: Although this can happen at home, it's more likely to happen in a work environment or somewhere with public or shared computers. In order to watch your video, you'll want to make sure that secure ports 443 and 1935 are both open.
- If you're trying to watch your stream from the office, contact your network admin or IT department.
- If you're at home, check your Wi-Fi router's settings (see the router's manual for specific instructions) or contact the person who set up your network and Internet connection.
Recommended Wi-Fi router and access point settings for use with Nest products >
You may need to update your Adobe Flash Player
Nest app for the Web uses Adobe Flash Player to show you Nest Cam's video. If you see a message about this, it means your Adobe Flash Player is out of date or you don't have Flash Player installed. Visit get.adobe.com/flashplayer to download and install the latest version of Flash Player.