Couldn't Connect to B&N
Nook E-Reader
Severity: MinorWhat Does This Error Mean?
The Nook shows 'We are unable to connect to B&N at this time' (sometimes 'Couldn't connect to B&N' or 'Sign-in error') when the device can't reach Barnes & Noble's servers.
Cause is almost always WiFi — captive portal, weak signal, or wrong password.
Less commonly, B&N's servers are temporarily unavailable.
Walking through WiFi steps fixes most cases in five minutes.
Affected Models
- Nook GlowLight 4 and 4e
- Nook GlowLight Plus
- Nook GlowLight 3
- Nook Tablet 7-inch and 10-inch
- Older Simple Touch and HD models
Common Causes
- WiFi signal too weak at reading location
- Captive portal at hotel or coffee shop blocking access
- Wrong WiFi password saved on the Nook
- Router rebooted or password changed since the Nook last connected
- Account session expired and needs re-authentication
- B&N servers in an outage (rare)
How to Fix It
-
Check basic WiFi.
Pull down the status bar on the Nook (or open Settings → WiFi).
Confirm you see your network with full signal bars.
If signal is weak, move closer to the router and retry — the error often clears within seconds of a good connection. -
Forget and rejoin your WiFi.
Settings → WiFi → tap your network → Forget.
Then tap the network again, enter the password.
Saved passwords go stale when routers update or change settings — a fresh join clears most lingering 'Couldn't connect' issues. -
Test on a different network.
Try a friend's WiFi or a phone hotspot.
If the Nook connects there and reaches B&N fine, the issue is your home network.
If it fails everywhere, the issue is on the Nook or with B&N's servers — go to the next step. -
Restart the Nook.
Hold the power button for 10 seconds until the device fully shuts down.
Wait 30 seconds.
Power back on.
This clears any stuck network state — many transient B&N connection issues clear with a full restart. -
Sign in again.
If the Nook starts but B&N still says couldn't connect, the account session may have expired.
Settings → Account → Sign Out.
Sign back in with your B&N email and password.
If you forgot the password, reset at bn.com first. -
Check B&N's status.
Visit bn.com from another device.
If the website itself is down or showing errors, B&N is having a server issue and you can't fix it from your end — wait an hour and try again.
This is rare but does happen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my purchased books still open while I'm offline?
Yes — books already downloaded to the Nook open and read fine without any internet connection.
What you can't do without B&N is buy new books, re-download a book you removed, or sync reading progress across devices.
If you mostly read books you already have on the device, the connection error doesn't block you from reading.