As technology advances and becomes more affordable, we increasingly gain access to high-tech gadgets. A prime example of this is the modern-day smartphone. A high-powered supercomputer on your hand, the smartphone has undoubtedly made our lives much easier and our work more efficient.
Moreover, with the introduction of smartwatches and smart speakers, we can make our lives even more convenient and efficient. One way to do this is by transforming your home into a smart home with Google Nest. Don’t know how to get started? Fear not. Here’s everything you need to know about how to set up Google Nest products for your smart home.
What Is Google Nest?
Google used to be just a software company when it launched the Google search engine. However, as the years went by, it started to break into the hardware industry. They’ve started making smartphones, smart speakers, and many other smart products.
Google Nest is a family of products that range from security cameras, doorbells, speakers, thermostats, and more. Through Google’s array of Nest products, you can connect every device to one account. Thus, you get a unified home that makes every task easy and convenient.
Google Nest Devices and What They Do
Are you looking to create a Google Nest home? Then the first step to doing so is looking for the best products for your needs. Google has a wide range of devices under this brand. You can protect your home with its security cameras or security alarm system. Alternatively, you can funnel Google Assistant through a smart speaker. You can also add thermostats to control the temperature of your home during different seasons.
Whatever the task, Google Nest products will improve your quality of life in some way. With that said, here are all the different Google Nest devices and what they can do for you.
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Smart Speakers & Displays
Smart speakers are commonplace in the tech world today, and Google makes these with its flagship Google Assistant. These smart speakers help you do tasks and find information hands-free. Google Nest has a whole range of smart speakers and displays with different shapes, sizes, and prices. With any of these devices, you can multitask and be more efficient around the house or the office.
Google Nest Speakers
Let’s start with the speakers. Google offers four different devices: the Google Nest Audio, the Google Nest Mini, the Google Home, and the Home mini. They all essentially do the same thing: provide you with smart speaker capabilities. Its speakers can play music, give you hands-free help, find information, and run tasks through the assistant. They can even sync with each other to fill the room with sounds from different areas.
All you need is to speak and tell it what to do. The four speakers only differ in size, price, and a few features and specifications. For example, the Google Nest Audio is bigger and taller, providing better sound than its mini alternatives. However, the minis are much more compact, low-key, and affordable compared to the Google Nest Audio. These smart speakers are priced from $49 to $99.99.
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Google Nest Displays
Google Nest also has the Nest Hub and the Nest Hub Max. These are smart displays that are essentially smart speakers with a built-in display. You can thus station these around the house and use them to stream videos, view photos, and more. However, these displays are much more expensive than the Google Nest speakers. The Nest Hub costs $89.99, while the Nest Hub Max costs $229.
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Nest Hello Video Doorbell
The doorbell not only acts as a regular doorbell but also shows you who’s at the door. You can view the person through the 160-degree bright, HD video feed. You can even communicate with the person at the door or add pre-recorded replies when you’re away. It even works well at night when the area is dark. Moreover, it has 24/7 streaming so you can check who’s at the door anytime you want. There’s also a video history to view activity from previous hours. If you want it installed, it’ll cost you $229 a piece.
Nest Protect Smoke & CO Alarm
Google Nest also provides security and safety from inside the home with its smoke alarm. This device is smart and can detect the problem before sending you an alert on your phone. You can also silence it from your smartphone if you’re just barbecuing something especially smoky. It goes for $119 on Google’s store.
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Nest x Yale Lock
Google Nest has collaborated with Yale to bring you one of the best smart locks. It’s essentially a key-less passcode lock connected to your Nest app. The lock is tamper-proof and you can use the app to unlock it from wherever you are. It does everything you could want or need to keep your home locked and safe. If you’re interested, Google is selling it for $249.
Thermostats
The weather can affect our quality of life immensely. Both hot and cold climates can be uncomfortable when things get too much. That’s why the Thermostat family of products are handy smart devices that can complete your household. There are two products available: the Nest Thermostat and Nest Learning Thermostat. Apart from these, there’s also the Nest Temperature Sensor, which is a companion device to the Nest Learning Thermostat. These devices range from cost $129.99 and $249, respectively, with the sensor at $39.
These thermostats can save energy, lowering your heating and cooling bills. They can also regulate the temperature of your home when you’re away, find savings, monitor your HVAC system, and more. You can also easily control them using compatible apps on your phone.
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Streaming
Lastly, we have Chromecast devices that act as streaming sticks. With the Chromecast with Google TV or the regular Chromecast, you can stream videos, listen to music, and more. The regular Chromecast allows you to stream from your device, while the Google TV version has a stand-alone source.
With the Google TV version, you can browse different apps such as Disney+, Netflix, YouTube, and more. It also comes in 4K HDR, can control other smart devices, and works with the Google Assistant. Moreover, Google is launching support for Google Stadia sometime in 2021, so it’s more versatile than ever. The Google TV version costs $49.99.
With a regular Chromecast, you can still stream videos but they’re sourced from your Android or iOS device. There is also no support for the Google Assistant or control for other home devices. While it only supports 1080p HD streaming, it’s cheaper at $29.99.
Safety & Security Products
The Google Nest family also includes products for safety and security. After all, keeping your home safe is a top priority so you can sleep well at night. Google Nest provides four types of security products: a doorbell, a smoke detector, an alarm system, and a lock. Each product does what its name suggests and can pair with different Google Nest devices for maximum efficiency.
Nest Secure Alarm System
Keep your home safe and sound with the Nest Secure alarm system. In this system, you have the Nest Guard, Nest Detect, and Nest Tag.
When you’re leaving the house, you can arm the Nest Guard using the Nest Tag or Google Assistant. The moment you arrive home, you can disarm it using the same tag or input the passcode. For the Nest Detect, you stick it onto doors and windows to alert you when they open. These also detect motion within the area for added security. The Nest app acts as a control unit on your smartphone to monitor and control everything.
Cameras
Lastly, we have the cameras. Under this category, there’s the Nest Cam IQ Indoor, Nest Cam Indoor, Nest Cam IQ Outdoor, and Nest Cam Outdoor. These cameras do everything you’d want a security camera to do: detect people, scare intruders, let you talk/listen, and even converse with family members. The pricier IQ versions come with “Supersight” (better sensors) and familiar face recognition.
Connectivity
Reliable and comprehensive Wi-Fi coverage is essential nowadays, especially when working at home. That’s why the Google Nest Wifi and Google Wifi are key additions to completing your smart home. After all, every previous smart device works with Wi-Fi, so Wi-Fi coverage is important.
With Google Wifi or Nest Wifi, you can blanket your entire household with a strong Wi-Fi connection. The Google Wifi bundle can cover up to 4,500 sq ft for a three-pack. A Nest Wifi router covers a smaller range of 3,800 sq ft with just one of each. All of them offer dual-band connectivity. The Google Wifi and Nest Router both have two Ethernet ports, while the Nest Point doubles as a smart speaker.
How to Set Up Your Home Around Google Nest
After purchasing your desired Google Nest devices, it’s time to start setting up. In this section, we’ll show you how to set up each product.
Setting Up Your Google Nest Speakers
Google Nest speakers are the most common smart device that people choose. They’re versatile, powerful, and relatively affordable. To set one up, you have to first plug in your new Google Nest speaker. Afterward, here’s what to do on your smartphone:
- Download the Google Home app to get started. Log into your Google account or create a new one.
- On the upper-left edge of the app, tap the + icon and select “set up device.”
- Choose your Google Nest speaker and hit next.
- Click on yes on the app if you hear your Google Nest play a tone.
- Select the room your Google Nest is stationed.
- Connect the Google Nest to your Wi-Fi network in the Google Home app.
- (Optional) Turn on Voice Match to help Google Assistant recognize your voice. If you don’t want this feature, then tap No Thanks on the lower-left.
- (Optional) Lastly, the app will ask you to connect to different services for music, video, streaming, etc. You can also set up voice calling in this last step.
Setting Up Your Google Nest Displays
If you have a Google Nest Hub or Nest Hub Max, the setup process is fairly easy. All you need to do is unbox the device and plug it in. Then, it’s time to bring out your smartphone. Here’s what you need to do:
- Open your smartphone and then connect it to your home Wi-Fi.
- Download the Google Home app on your smartphone.
- Once installed, launch the app and log in with your Google account.
- Afterward, wait for it to show the notification to Set up 1 device. Tap it and enter the code that pops up on your Nest Hub.
- Hit Next and then choose the room your Nest Hub is stationed.
Setting Up Your Google Nest Thermostat, Security, & Connectivity Devices
When you have a Google Nest thermostat, security device, or Wi-Fi connector, then the process gets a little complicated. These devices require good knowledge of electrical wiring, so it’s best to hire a professional. Thankfully, Google provides a service where you can ask for professional help. These experts are professionals with flexible schedules so you can install your devices smoothly when you want. Google’s professional installation service starts at $99, depending on what you need to install. You can book an appointment on Google’s website.
Setting Up Your Chromecast
To set up a Chromecast, follow these steps:
- Plug your Chromecast into your TV through the cable.
- Power up the device using the USB cable and the power adapter that came with it. Plug the power adapter into an outlet to give it some juice.
- Connect your smartphone to your streaming Wi-Fi network of choice (you’ll use this for streaming).
- Download the Google Home app on your smartphone and log into your Google account.
- On the top-left corner, tap the + icon. Then Tap Set up device > New device. Afterward, just follow the on-screen steps.
Connecting Your Devices to Google Nest Speakers & Displays
You can control your Google Nest devices with the Google Home app. This allows you to command speakers to perform tasks for other Google Nest devices through the Google Assistant. To do this, follow these steps:
- Set up your Google Nest speaker and other Google Nest devices first.
- Open the Google Home app and click the + icon on the upper-left.
- Tap Set up device > Works with Google
- Select the device you want to connect to from the list. Then, follow the on-screen steps to finish setting up.
After this, you can now use your voice to command your different Google Nest devices. Note that only Google Nest devices that support Google Assistant have this feature.
Congratulations!
Now that you know how to set up Google Nest to build your smart home, you can finally have your home help you as you go about your day.
