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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...
To date the only things that provide a workaround are:
1 - Use IPv6 for clients that support it (doesn't work for IPv4 clients, which include many TV's, media players, thermostats, BBQ grills, home automation, internet filters and other IoT devices)
2 - Bypass/disable DNS functionality of the Orbi system entirely. (Basically using another system for DNS such as your internet router/modem, or manually assigning DNS servers on each client which has it's own downsides)
(FYI, My much older Orbi RBR50 system has none of these DNS issues, it's just slower.)
RUSHING WIFI6 SYSTEMS TO MARKET is the root cause of these problems.
Other companies have also rushed their code development in the goldrush to sell consumers WiFi6 gear. I tried Asus's incredible mesh wifi system and the interface and controls were unreal... light years beyond the Orbi interface and far better security. But the entire system reset several times per day, dropping every client off of the network due to it's own bugs (NTP/time issues causing router to reset date and blow it's own mind).
Apparently also the Alien mesh system from Ubiquity has it's share of stability problems as well.
This is what happens when you rush products to market, thinking you'll just fix the issues in later code. That is easier said than done.
Netgear, it's time to fix this. Everyone still in the free 90 day support window should open a support case with Netgear on this.
Well the first time this was reported was last summer, 7/2020. Orbi AX released fall/winter of 2019. This particular problems hadn't been seen back then. So this would not be a rush to market relation.
Also most of these issues seem mostly with users having gateway modems vs stand alone modems. Since I first go Orbi AX, it has never experienced any problems with NGs stand alone modems or the CAX80 that i have and tested with in both router and modem only modes.
Ya, NG needs to get this fix for those having this problem with either gateway modems or not.
I reported this problem as early as April 2020: https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi-AX/Very-Brief-Internet-Connection-Issues/m-p/1898077#M3063. This was right after I got my Orbi AX system. Since not everyone sees this particular bug, including yourself (who keeps telling us that you don't have the problem), there is insufficient data to know when it really started or if it truly did not exist when the Orbi AX system was initially launched.
There really is no need to further defend or debate this bug. Merely admit it exists.
Not denying it, just seems that for some and for some one certain ISPs or with certain ISP hardware, seems to be a problem. Others don't seem to have this problem, never the less, Again, something NG will need to address and resolve.
I bought an open box RBR853 (3 piece system) from Amazon and it had the issues, regardless of firmware version. Changes to AX settings did nothing to help it either. I returned that system and bought a new, never opened RBR853 system and it also has the same DNS issues with the 3.2.16 firmware it auto updated to, as well as the V3.2.17.12_1.4.14 firmware that netgear support asked me to update.
My internet modem is a Netgear CM1000 and has no issues with other wifi systems, including an older Orbi RBR50.
Only enabling IPv6 resolves DNS issues, which is not a fix, because it only helps IPv6 capable devices.
Even with IPv6 enabled, I have had frequent app and internet timeouts with mobile devices on guest wifi, even if they support IPv6.
Netgear - fix your stuff.
