Network Requirements - Google NEXUS Q Manual Book

Network requirements

Your Android phone or tablet controls Nexus Qs in
your home via a local Wi-Fi network. You need
Wi-Fi with a strong signal in each room where you
want to set up a Nexus Q.
You also need a reliable connection to the
Internet. Nexus Q can use either Wi-Fi or Ethernet
to stream music and videos directly from Google
Play. It uses Wi-Fi by default. To use Ethernet for
this purpose, connect an Ethernet cable the
Ethernet port.
Ethernet
Ethernet can't entirely replace Wi-Fi. When your
Nexus Q is connected to an Ethernet network, it
uses that network to stream music from your
Google Music library, but your Android phone or
tablet must use Wi-Fi to communicate with the
Nexus Q.
For Ethernet to work with Nexus Q, it must be on
the same subnet as the Wi-FI network. For
practical purposes with most home networks, this
means it should be plugged into the same router
that's providing the Wi-Fi.
Bluetooth
During setup only, Nexus Q uses Bluetooth to help
you set up its Wi-Fi access. If your device has
Bluetooth turned off, you'll have a chance to turn it
on during setup.
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If your device still can't find a Nexus Q to pair with:
• Make sure you're in the same room with
your Nexus Q. Bluetooth works best over
short distances.
• Confirm that Bluetooth is turned on. For
example, on a phone running Android 4.0 or
higher, open Settings and make sure the
Bluetooth switch is turned On.
Wi-Fi
Nexus Q uses Wi-Fi to communicate with your
Android device and, via your router and ISP, with
the Internet. The Wi-Fi network must support
802.11 a/b/g/n at 2.4GHz or 5GHz.
If your phone or tablet has Wi-Fi turned off, you'll
have a chance to turn it on during setup.
If your device still can't find a W-Fi network:
• Confirm that Wi-Fi is turned on. For
example, on a phone running Android 4.0 or
higher, open Settings and make sure the
Wi-Fi switch is turned On.
• Make sure your Wi-Fi is functioning
correctly and has a strong signal at the
Nexus Q's location.
• If your router is locked to specific MAC
addresses, you'll see a message during
setup that Nexus Q can't connect with
Wi-Fi. The message includes that Nexus
Q's MAC address, which you can then add
to your router's list.
• If your router is locked to specific IP
addresses, you may need to reconfigure it.
• Restart your router.
• If the signal remains weak at the Nexus Q's
location, set it up somewhere else with a
better signal.