Why Google Nest Wifi Pro Keeps Assigning New IP Addresses
If your Google Nest Wifi Pro keeps assigning new IP addresses, the cause is usually the router’s DHCP behavior, device-side network settings, or mesh handoffs between nodes.
The pattern can be confusing because the same phone, laptop, or smart home device may appear to “change identity” every time it reconnects.
This issue matters because changing IP addresses can break local network rules, printer access, port forwarding, home automation routines, and device reservations.
Understanding where the change starts is the fastest way to fix it.
How Google Nest Wifi Pro assigns IP addresses
Google Nest Wifi Pro uses DHCP, the standard Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol that automatically gives each client a local IP address on your LAN.
In most home networks, this is normal: the router leases an address, the device uses it for a period, and the lease can be renewed later.
Problems begin when the assigned address changes too often, or when a device gets a different address after every restart, sleep cycle, or mesh handoff.
In a mesh Wi-Fi system like Nest Wifi Pro, that can happen for a few reasons:
- The DHCP lease expires and is renewed with a different address.
- The device reconnects as a “new” client because of privacy settings.
- A mesh node hands the device to another access point and the router reissues a lease.
- The reserved address conflicts with another client or an outdated entry.
Common reasons the IP address keeps changing
1. DHCP leases are expiring and being reassigned
DHCP is designed to reuse addresses.
If your network has a small pool or many devices reconnecting frequently, the router may assign a different address when the old lease ends.
This is especially noticeable if the device is off for a while, then reconnects after the router has already given the old address to something else.
2. The device is using a private or randomized MAC address
Modern phones, tablets, and laptops often use MAC address randomization for privacy.
When a device presents a different MAC address, the router treats it as a different client and may assign a different IP address.
This is one of the most common reasons users think Nest Wifi Pro is changing addresses “by itself.”
Check for settings such as:
- iPhone: Private Wi-Fi Address
- Android: Randomized MAC or MAC address type
- Windows: Random hardware addresses
- macOS: Limit IP address tracking and related privacy features
3. Mesh roaming is making the device appear as a new client
Google Nest Wifi Pro uses multiple access points to move devices between nodes as signal conditions change.
In most cases, roaming should not change the IP address, but network instability, weak signal, or repeated reconnects can make a client look like a fresh connection.
That can trigger a new lease from DHCP.
4. Multiple devices are competing for the same reservation
If you created a DHCP reservation and the IP is still changing, the reservation may be attached to the wrong MAC address, duplicated, or conflicting with another network rule.
Old reservations imported from another router can also cause confusion.
5. The router is rebooting, resetting, or updating often
Frequent restarts can disrupt lease continuity.
Firmware updates on Nest Wifi Pro are generally automatic, but if the system is power-cycled often, clients may rejoin in a different order and receive different addresses from the DHCP pool.
What to check first
Before changing advanced settings, verify whether the IP change is actually coming from the router or from the device.
This helps you avoid fixing the wrong layer.
- Compare the client’s MAC address in the Google Home app before and after the change.
- Check whether the device reconnects with a new MAC address.
- See whether the IP changes only after sleep, roaming, or reboot.
- Confirm that the device is not switching between guest and main Wi-Fi networks.
If the MAC address changes, the router is usually responding correctly to a different client identity.
If the MAC stays the same but the IP changes, the issue is more likely DHCP pool behavior, reservation conflict, or router instability.
How to stop Google Nest Wifi Pro from assigning new IP addresses
Use a DHCP reservation for important devices
For printers, NAS units, cameras, smart hubs, and game consoles, a DHCP reservation is usually the best fix.
It tells the router to always give the same IP address to the same MAC address.
When creating a reservation, make sure:
- The MAC address is correct and current.
- The reserved IP is outside any conflicting range if your network allows manual planning.
- You do not assign the same IP to two devices.
Reservations are especially useful on Google Nest Wifi Pro because they reduce surprises for devices that need stable local addresses.
Disable private Wi-Fi or randomized MAC on trusted devices
If a phone or laptop is changing IP addresses because of MAC randomization, turn that feature off for your home network.
This makes the router recognize the device consistently and lease the same address more reliably.
This is often the most effective fix for mobile devices that reconnect frequently.
Improve Wi-Fi stability between mesh nodes
Weak signal and constant roaming can trigger reconnect loops.
Place Nest Wifi Pro nodes where they have strong backhaul and avoid forcing devices to cling to distant access points.
- Keep nodes within a reasonable range of each other.
- Avoid placing nodes behind metal objects or dense walls.
- Reduce interference from microwaves, cordless phones, and crowded channels where possible.
- Restart nodes only when needed, not repeatedly.
Review DHCP pool behavior
Google Nest Wifi Pro manages DHCP automatically, so you may not have the same granular controls as on an enterprise router.
Still, you can reduce IP churn by limiting unnecessary reconnects and keeping the network simple.
If many devices are joining and leaving, address reuse may become more visible.
This is normal behavior, but it can look like instability when devices depend on fixed addresses.
Update firmware and reboot cleanly
Outdated firmware or a disrupted update can contribute to odd DHCP behavior.
Make sure the mesh system is running current software, then perform a clean reboot if needed.
Avoid unplugging nodes mid-update or power-cycling them repeatedly.
Best practices for a stable local network
Most homes do not need every device to keep the same IP address.
The goal is stability for the devices that matter most, while allowing ordinary clients to stay dynamic.
- Reserve IPs only for devices that need them.
- Keep smart home hubs, printers, and storage devices on reservations.
- Leave phones and laptops on dynamic addressing unless you have a specific reason to lock them down.
- Use consistent Wi-Fi names and avoid frequent network renaming.
- Document which MAC address belongs to each critical device.
For mixed environments with Apple, Android, Windows, and IoT devices, the combination of DHCP reservations and disabled randomized MAC addresses on trusted hardware usually produces the most reliable setup.
When the issue is not the IP address itself
Sometimes the network is assigning the same IP behavior you expect, but an app or home automation system is caching an old address.
In that case, the fix may be to refresh the client list, restart the affected app, or update device records in your smart home platform.
Common examples include:
- Home Assistant integrations using stale local IP entries
- Printer software holding an outdated address
- Port forwarding rules pointing to a device that changed IP before the reservation was applied
- NAS or camera apps using cached LAN endpoints
When to reset or replace configuration
If Google Nest Wifi Pro keeps assigning new IP addresses even after reservations, MAC settings, and reboot checks, the network may need a clean reconfiguration.
That could mean removing old reservations, rebuilding the mesh, or resetting the router settings to clear stale client data.
Resetting should be a last step, but it is worth considering when:
- Many old devices were migrated from a previous router.
- Reservations are duplicated or mismatched.
- The network has undergone multiple topology changes.
- Devices still change IPs after stable reconnection and MAC verification.
In persistent cases, it helps to test one device at a time, confirm its MAC address, assign a reservation, and monitor whether the lease remains stable across restarts and roaming events.
