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Forum Discussion
Intermittent DNS Errors and WiFi Issues
I have had the Orbi AX6000 for a few months now. While there are many things I love about it (great wifi coverage, great speed, looks nice, software, ease of setup, etc.), there are two very frustra...
I would be a good trouble shooting step. Try the .100 to .200 pool size. I would power OFF alll devices accept for one wired PC to make the configuration change. I would set DNS back to automatic on the RBR as well. Once you make the change, and apply the setting. The RBR should reboot. After the RBR is back to ready, I would connect those devices seeing the DNS issue one at a time and see if the problem continues.
By Static assigned NAS, do you mean an IP address reservation ON the router for the NAS or a static IP address configured ON the NAS?
I have the same issues - and they are NOT related to DHCP. If I change the DNS manually on the devices to ignore the Orbi DNS resolver, and use either my provider modem or just straight to Google or CloudFlare DNS, everything works SWIMMINGLY. I LOVE my signal coverage, and the flexibility of the mesh. I LOVE the speeds I get...but DNS...just SUCKS.
And what's worse is that there are NO DHCP OPTIONS on the Orbi to set DNS for clients to use something else. I turned off Armor because I thought maybe it was burping on DNS lookups while it checked to see if the site was 'ok' or not.
And it fails on sites like YOUTUBE, for crying out loud. A wait of 5 seconds and a reload, and DNS lookups start working again, but depending on the device, app and local DNS caching of the bad response, it's a right pain in the rear end.
I'm thinking of setting up a pi-hole and enabling DHCP from that device JUST to get DNS resolvers to be anything BUT this device.
Problem was CONSTANT with 3.2.15.5 - just upgraded to .16.6 - crossing my fingers that this is fixed....but GOD this bug is irritating as hell.
Thanks for the reply rgautier . Here is a quick update of where I sit with my two issues-
-I figured out that the WiFi signal drop was my fault based on not having the satellites spread out far enough. I tested this by first having just the router running wiht no satellites, and had no issues with my wifi devices looking like they have a wifi connection but with no internet access. I then turned on the furthest satellite, and still had no issues for a few days. When I turned on the third satellite, I started having the same issues again. I repositioned the satellites and router so they had a wider distance, and the issues haven't come back. I guess when they are too close together, the wireless device bounces between them somehow I guess which causes some sort of interference? Regardless, moving them around a bit further than what they recommend fixed it for me.
-The DNS issue continues despite a shift in ISP and a rebuild of the router settings from scratch. I still have my old nighthawk and tried that one again, and no DNS issues at all (just crappier range and speed). I go back to the Orbi, and have DNS issues immediately across different devices on either wired or wireless (including work stations, laptops, raspberry pi, even my Nintendo switch!!). I went back in on some of my devices and manually set the DNS to Google and the issues diseappar. Now it's been a complete pain to try and manually shift the DNS settings across my devices, where I can, but that is completely painful. I've never run Armor or Circle, so it's not that. I see these issues pop up from other people and they seem to be run through the same steps with no success either (unless I'm missing something, but please tell me!). This is very obviously a router issue, and it's super frustrating given the veyr high price point of the router. I've never had a router that can't handle a simple DNS process, and it's ridculous that it can't be addressed. I love the coverage and the speed, but DNS errors are irritating at best, and a complete pain when it causes you to have to start over on web pages where you have to fill something out. Is there anyway to at least get this posted as a known issue to Netgear??? If anyone has a fix here I've missed on the board, I would be very appreciative!
You can send a forum moderator a PM:
Can you connect your NH router up as main host router then connect the RBR being the NH router. Yes you'll be double NAT however configure the NH routers DMZ for the IP address the RBR gets from the NH router. Then see if DNS issues still appear.
msinex wrote:Here is a quick update of where I sit with my two issues-
-I figured out that the WiFi signal drop was my fault based on not having the satellites spread out far enough. I tested this by first having just the router running wiht no satellites, and had no issues with my wifi devices looking like they have a wifi connection but with no internet access. I then turned on the furthest satellite, and still had no issues for a few days. When I turned on the third satellite, I started having the same issues again. I repositioned the satellites and router so they had a wider distance, and the issues haven't come back. I guess when they are too close together, the wireless device bounces between them somehow I guess which causes some sort of interference? Regardless, moving them around a bit further than what they recommend fixed it for me.
-The DNS issue continues despite a shift in ISP and a rebuild of the router settings from scratch. I still have my old nighthawk and tried that one again, and no DNS issues at all (just crappier range and speed). I go back to the Orbi, and have DNS issues immediately across different devices on either wired or wireless (including work stations, laptops, raspberry pi, even my Nintendo switch!!). I went back in on some of my devices and manually set the DNS to Google and the issues diseappar. Now it's been a complete pain to try and manually shift the DNS settings across my devices, where I can, but that is completely painful. I've never run Armor or Circle, so it's not that. I see these issues pop up from other people and they seem to be run through the same steps with no success either (unless I'm missing something, but please tell me!). This is very obviously a router issue, and it's super frustrating given the veyr high price point of the router. I've never had a router that can't handle a simple DNS process, and it's ridculous that it can't be addressed. I love the coverage and the speed, but DNS errors are irritating at best, and a complete pain when it causes you to have to start over on web pages where you have to fill something out. Is there anyway to at least get this posted as a known issue to Netgear??? If anyone has a fix here I've missed on the board, I would be very appreciative!
RBR750 here - This Furry guy also commented on my post about this, also without anything useful. I've tried everything that I can do fix DNS on the Orbi. The stupid thing just resets the DNS proxy (indeed it's a no-caching passthrough with a single purpose - to serve up a made up domain name for you to login easily). It's only other purpose is to crash.
For Windows machines, you can fix this by bypassing the DNS proxy, but for IOT devices, you're SOL.
I went to set up a pi-hole to server DHCP and DNS yesterday, and realized that I wouldn't be able to provide the IP separation for my guest and internal networks with a single solution (I'll need one pi-hole per SSID).
It sucks that I have to set up a complex network to solve the ever-crashing dnsmasq on a router I spent hundreds of dollars on, and that Netgear won't fix it....all we get are posts of 'did you try this, did you try that'. There are plenty of posts on these boards that talk about how DNS constantly fails on these machines, and everyone working around it in different ways... including just turning off the router and using the Orbi as an AP, which is stupid - if I wanted AP's, I'd have bought them.
Of course, I'm now past my 90 day mark - so I'm not going to shell out MORE MONEY to Netgear to get support so they can just ship me another non-working (broken firmware) device. And now that they've turned off telnet, I can either invalidate my warranty with alternate firmware, or solve the problem with alternate DHCP/DNS servers...
As much as FURRYe38 wants to believe it's some configuration error, anyone with any TCP/IP, DNS or server knowledge can tell you that the dnsmasq service on the device is crap and is broken in its current configuration....
Just would like to add - I've NEVER enabled Circle on my Orbi, even from the original set up I never added parental controls. (I have no younger children). So it's not some Disney/parental control gone mad.
I HAVE disabled Armor on the device since starting it up. If turning on Armor during setup even if disabling it later breaks the device this badly, it sounds like Netgear could figure out the ONE CONFIGURATION ENTRY IN A CONF FILE that's mucking it up and fix it in a firmware update.
Maybe however seems to be a configuration issue for those of you who have posted about this. Others long with me have NOT seen any kind of DNS issue whatsoever. Though we don't run any form of additional DNS services. So there maybe additional problems seen if these are used in conjuction with Orbi that could cause problems.
Anyways, IF users are seeing this, Please contact NG support and have them review this. If this is a FW issue, then theres nothing the forum can do here to correct FW issues. NG engineering need to do that. So your first contact needs to be NG support.
Good luck.
BAH! -- Contact Netgear support? But it's been 90 days...I'm not paying them to get support for their firmware flaws.
I'm posting in the forums to try to get some assistance and visibility into the issue. If you're not having DNS issues, you may not have 20+ devices of various flavors, be using guest networks, or just don't realize it because you're used to having your devices disconnect for 3 seconds every 20 minutes. With the Nighthawk, it never had these issues...and I'd go back to it if it did Wifi6 and mesh.
I'd love to prove my point, but the logging available to me doesn't tell me anything and someone turned off the ability to telnet into the device to get the proof.
Try contacting a forum moderator to see what options you have.
Try loading v11.2 FW, it still has telnet featured there. Or download the telnet enabler from the web.
IF you feel your NH router works for you, why not use it has your main host router and configure the Orbi AX for AP mode.
Actually I have 30+ devices on my system.
Good Luck.
I'm still having the same intermittent issues with DNS errors despite starting from scratch and trying the workarounds. It seems to help to load DNS servers directly to those machines I can. I do have a very large network running (60+ devices running, combination of wired and wireless), but didn't have any issue with my old Nighthawk either. Maybe the DNS issues only come up with large networks?
Is there any way to get this highlighted to Netgear without having to purchase a service contract?
Contact a forum moderator about this directly...
What Firmware version is currently loaded?
What is the Mfr and model# of the Internet Service Providers modem/ONT the NG router is connected too?
msinex wrote:I'm still having the same intermittent issues with DNS errors despite starting from scratch and trying the workarounds. It seems to help to load DNS servers directly to those machines I can. I do have a very large network running (60+ devices running, combination of wired and wireless), but didn't have any issue with my old Nighthawk either. Maybe the DNS issues only come up with large networks?
Is there any way to get this highlighted to Netgear without having to purchase a service contract?
I'm still having the same intermittent issues with DNS errors despite starting from scratch and trying the workarounds. It seems to help to load DNS servers directly to those machines I can. I do have a very large network running (60+ devices running, combination of wired and wireless), but didn't have any issue with my old Nighthawk either. Maybe the DNS issues only come up with large networks?
I am having EXACTLY the same problem! I assumed for a while it was something else and over time have eliminated every other possible problem in my system. I have configured my RBR850 (with 2 satellites) in multiple configurations, reset things, tried different DNS servers, and so forth--and I still have these intermittent issues with DNS.
This is not just annoying because sometimes there is an app or website that needs to make a call to another website as part of purchasing something, or signing up for an account, or another important website like that. One example is Ebay. I can be in the middle of trying to list something to sell, and one random part of the selling flow fails to load due to this intermittent DNS issue. If I reload the page it will work, but this can mess up an account creation or purchase if the Javascript on the page is trying to load something else in a frame/etc.
What have folks tried as far as contactin Netgear? Should I call customer support (if it will help)? Thanks for any advice!
What Firmware version is currently loaded?
What is the Mfr and model# of the Internet Service Providers modem/ONT the NG router is connected too?What Firmware version is currently loaded?
What is the Mfr and model# of the Internet Service Providers modem/ONT the NG router is connected too?
filmnikon wrote:
I am having EXACTLY the same problem! I assumed for a while it was something else and over time have eliminated every other possible problem in my system. I have configured my RBR850 (with 2 satellites) in multiple configurations, reset things, tried different DNS servers, and so forth--and I still have these intermittent issues with DNS.This is not just annoying because sometimes there is an app or website that needs to make a call to another website as part of purchasing something, or signing up for an account, or another important website like that. One example is Ebay. I can be in the middle of trying to list something to sell, and one random part of the selling flow fails to load due to this intermittent DNS issue. If I reload the page it will work, but this can mess up an account creation or purchase if the Javascript on the page is trying to load something else in a frame/etc.
What have folks tried as far as contactin Netgear? Should I call customer support (if it will help)? Thanks for any advice!
FURRYe38 wrote:What Firmware version is currently loaded?
What is the Mfr and model# of the Internet Service Providers modem/ONT the NG router is connected too?Hello there, I am on the latest firmware: Firmware Version V3.2.16.6_1.4.4. I have Comcast for cable internet, and I use the ARRIS - SURFboard 32 x 8 DOCSIS 3.1 Cable Modem (Model SB8200).
Has a factory reset and setup from scratch been performed since last FW update?
What is the size of your home? Sq Ft?
What is the distance between the router and satellite(s)? 30 feet or more is recommended in between RBR and RBS to begin with depending upon building materials when wirelessly connected.What channels are you using? Auto? Try setting manual channel 1, 6 or 11 on 2.4Ghz and any unused channel on 5Ghz.
Any Wifi Neighbors near by? If so, how many?
FURRYe38 wrote:Has a factory reset and setup from scratch been performed since last FW update?
What is the size of your home? Sq Ft?
What is the distance between the router and satellite(s)? 30 feet or more is recommended in between RBR and RBS to begin with depending upon building materials when wirelessly connected.What channels are you using? Auto? Try setting manual channel 1, 6 or 11 on 2.4Ghz and any unused channel on 5Ghz.
Any Wifi Neighbors near by? If so, how many?Hi Furry, if you have evidence to believe that a factory reset will help, I can do that--I have seen here in the forums that it hasn't worked for others. Let me know if it's a shot in the dark, or something that has worked in the past.
Size of home: ~4,000 sq feet. Router and satellite 1 are probably about 50 feet apart. Router and satellite 2 are about 75 feet apart. 2.4GHz channel is set to Auto, and 5GHz channel is set to 48. Yes I have neighbors, maybe 50 feet between our houses.
Has one ever been done on your system? Same with the modem, power OFF for 30 seconds then back ON.
Does this DNS error appear if you turn OFF all RBS and just work with the RBR alone?Do you happen to see these errors if you connect 1 wired PC to the ISP modem? Do you still have this SB8200 modem?
filmnikon wrote:Hi Furry, if you have evidence to believe that a factory reset will help, I can do that--I have seen here in the forums that it hasn't worked for others. Let me know if it's a shot in the dark, or something that has worked in the past.
Size of home: ~4,000 sq feet. Router and satellite 1 are probably about 50 feet apart. Router and satellite 2 are about 75 feet apart. 2.4GHz channel is set to Auto, and 5GHz channel is set to 48. Yes I have neighbors, maybe 50 feet between our houses.
FURRYe38 wrote:Has one ever been done on your system? Same with the modem, power OFF for 30 seconds then back ON.
Does this DNS error appear if you turn OFF all RBS and just work with the RBR alone?Do you happen to see these errors if you connect 1 wired PC to the ISP modem? Do you still have this SB8200 modem?
My system is brand new, and this has been occuring since I installed it a few weeks ago. I thought it was temporary but since it kept happening now for a few weeks, I decided to do some research and found that it has been reported my other people as well.
I do not still have the SB8200 modem, no. Also connecting directly to the ISP modem does not exhibit this problem, although it is intermittent and so a little hard to determine I will admit, but didn't see it in that configuration.
Thanks!
What is the Mfr and model# of the Internet Service Providers modem/ONT the NG router is connected too?
filmnikon wrote:My system is brand new, and this has been occuring since I installed it a few weeks ago. I thought it was temporary but since it kept happening now for a few weeks, I decided to do some research and found that it has been reported my other people as well.
I do not still have the SB8200 modem, no. Also connecting directly to the ISP modem does not exhibit this problem, although it is intermittent and so a little hard to determine I will admit, but didn't see it in that configuration.
Thanks!
This is a know issue with Orbi AX4200. Lot of people are haviong these issues. I have tried vatious soutions and nothing worked. I even replaced with a new device from Costco and that did not help either. There are sime people who did not have this issue but others continue to have this issue. Basically it requires a firmware fix which hasn't come from Netgear yet. Netgear is for some reason not acknleding this issue. I have provide logs etc to NG with no resolution. My ticket is waiting in Netgear queue for several days. Community moderator tried helping to expedite my ticket with no luck. Only solution for now is to set static DNS in each PC.
Also, one of the user proved firmware issue by telneting and fixing this. If you want, you can try that solution by Retired_Member in the following thread.
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi-AX/DNS-errors-RBK753/m-p/1962412
I'm so glad it looks like a ton of other people are having this issue. Guess I need to dig through these 22 pages and hopefully find a solution.
Edit: Sounds like this issue will never get resolved and I am better off returning the ORBI and getting a different brand of Mesh network.
RockGuitarist1 wrote:I'm so glad it looks like a ton of other people are having this issue. Guess I need to dig through these 22 pages and hopefully find a solution.
Edit: Sounds like this issue will never get resolved and I am better off returning the ORBI and getting a different brand of Mesh network.The only resolution right now (and likely forever) is to use another router with Orbi as AP. If you're in the return window, return it and get something else.
Any recommendations? I am still within the return window. I need something a little stronger than a single Nighthawk router.
Indeed, as access points the Orbi AX, at least for me, performs very good (best wifi I experienced up to date). However you need another router - not Netgear - as router - in front of the Orbi AX.
- Orbi AX as router = no go / return it / use it as paper weight - the DNS issue is simply annoying.
- Orbi AX as access point w/ another router = good.
Any suggestions on mesh networks that aren't plagued with issues? I'm returning the RBR750 as we speak.