Bridge mode is only needed when encountering specific cases of Double NAT. For most people, Double NAT does not affect Wi-Fi performance. However, it can be an issue if you play online games or use IP address assignments, port forwarding rules, or Universal Plug and Play (UPnP).
Learn more about Double NAT and when you might need bridge mode.
Do Google Nest Wifi and Google Wifi support bridge mode?
Yes, but 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.
How do I enable bridge mode?
If you are only using a single device and Double NAT is causing problems, you have 2 options:
Enable bridge mode on your ISP-provided modem/router (Recommended)The best solution to double NAT is to enable bridge mode on your modem/router combo.
Log into your router or modem/router combo and find its settings to enable bridge mode. To access your router’s settings, you might have to open an internet browser, and enter your router’s IP address in the address bar. Like this:
Details vary depending on the device. Many Internet Service Providers (ISP) and manufacturers provide instructions on how to do this. To learn how to turn on bridge mode, check your ISP's support website.
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:- Open the Google Home app
.
- Tap Favorites
Wifi
- Tap Network mode
- Tap Save
.
.
Wifi 
.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.
- Open the Google Home app
- Tap Favorites
- Tap Network mode
your Wifi router or point
- Tap Save
your Wifi router or point If you connect two routers, it can extend the Wi-Fi coverage in your home. But when you have two routers, each with their own private Wi-Fi network, your personal devices can have a hard time communicating with each other. This scenario is called Double NAT.
For example, let’s say you want to wirelessly print a picture from your computer. If you have two Wi-Fi networks, it’s possible that your computer is on one network while your printer is on the other. And if both networks are private, your computer won’t be able to tell your printer to print the picture.
Double NAT
This can also result in performance issues if you play online games or use port forwarding rules and UPnP.
To fix this, Bridge mode lets multiple routers share one single Wi-Fi network. Here’s what that could look like:
Bridge mode
For most people, Double NAT does not affect Wi-Fi performance. But it can be an issue if you play online games or use IP address assignments, port forwarding rules, and UPnP. Learn more about Double NAT.