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Forum Discussion
RBR 750 intermittently crashes with high load on ethernet
I've tried repeatedly searching and see this problem mentioned, but I've yet to see a solution.
I've got an RBR750 (latest firmware, +2 wired satellites) connected to a CM1100 cable modem with gigabit internet via Spectrum. Everything mostly works well, but I've noticed intermittent crashes when using my desktop computer connected via ethernet.
This seems to happen with high-bandwidth activities such as running Speedtest.net or downloading via Creative Cloud. It's doesn't happen all the time, but when it does happen its been during one of these activities.
I've tried 4 different NICs.
1. No name brand Realtek 2.5g - same problem
2. Technet Realtek 2.5g - same problem
3. USB Realtek 2.5g - does not have this problem
4. Motherboard (ASUS x570 Prime Pro) Intel i221 - I don't think it had this problem, but I ditched this NIC because it was dropping the internet connection repeatedly for a split second (which is the reason why I changed NICs). Though thinking back I wonder if connection losses I've had in the past were the same issue.
So using a USB Realtek NIC seems fine? I can't for the life of me figure out what's going on. I guess I can keep using the USB NIC, but I'd like to get to the bottom of this.
This is totally a first-world problem but I'm on the verge of ditching the Orbi or buying a separate router and just using the Orbi as an AP.
12 Replies
I think this is the same intermittent issue that is currently seen with wired satellites. Please try the workaround mentioned in the following posts:
- https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi-WiFi-6-AX-and-WiFi-6E-AXE/Orbi-RBR350-in-AP-mode-not-always-getting-DHCP-IP-when-roaming/m-p/2257440/highlight/true#M38241
- https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi-WiFi-6-AX-and-WiFi-6E-AXE/RBS850-wired-backhaul-poor-connectivity/m-p/2256603#M38109
Thanks for the suggestion. I don't think this is my issue though because my computer is connected by direct wire connection to the router?
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?
Be sure your using a good quality LAN cable between the modem and router. CAT6 is recommended.Are the RBS ethernet connected to the back of the RBR or is there a LAN switch in between?
Having 2.5Gb ethernet adapter may not be recommended as the 7 series system doesn't support 2.5Gb connections. Try setting these adapters to 1Gb max connection rate if you can on these adapters.
Try using 1Gb ethernet supporting adapters.
wheatt wrote:
I've tried repeatedly searching and see this problem mentioned, but I've yet to see a solution.
I've got an RBR750 (latest firmware, +2 wired satellites) connected to a CM1100 cable modem with gigabit internet via Spectrum. Everything mostly works well, but I've noticed intermittent crashes when using my desktop computer connected via ethernet.
This seems to happen with high-bandwidth activities such as running Speedtest.net or downloading via Creative Cloud. It's doesn't happen all the time, but when it does happen its been during one of these activities.
I've tried 4 different NICs.
1. No name brand Realtek 2.5g - same problem
2. Technet Realtek 2.5g - same problem
3. USB Realtek 2.5g - does not have this problem
4. Motherboard (ASUS x570 Prime Pro) Intel i221 - I don't think it had this problem, but I ditched this NIC because it was dropping the internet connection repeatedly for a split second (which is the reason why I changed NICs). Though thinking back I wonder if connection losses I've had in the past were the same issue.
So using a USB Realtek NIC seems fine? I can't for the life of me figure out what's going on. I guess I can keep using the USB NIC, but I'd like to get to the bottom of this.
This is totally a first-world problem but I'm on the verge of ditching the Orbi or buying a separate router and just using the Orbi as an AP.
I'm on the latest 4.6.9.11 firmware. I'm using a Netgear CM1100 cable modem. I have a switch between the router and the satellites - but my computer is connected directly to the router.
Thanks for the advice, I will try Cat6 cable and setting the adapter speed to 1gig rather than auto. Will report back!
Meanwhile I am shopping for a dedicated router like the Mikrotik RB5009, but unfortunately (or maybe fortunate for my wallet) they're impossible to find right now.
What is the brand and model# of this swtich between the RBR and the RBS?
Does the RBR still stop working under high load if you turn OFF the switch and the RBS with your wired PC connected to the RBR?
Please configure the 2.5Gb adapter do that it forces a 1Gb connection on the adapter, not auto detect speed.
What are you doing go cause this high load? Streaming or downloading games?
wheatt wrote:
Everything mostly works well, but I've noticed intermittent crashes when using my desktop computer connected via ethernet.
What is it that "crashes"? (The desktop computer or the Orbi router?) More detail would be helpful.
It seems a bit "overkill" to deploy a 2.5G Ethernet adapter when the router WAN and LAN ports are all gigabit. If the adapters are engineered correctly, they should negotiate the only possible connection speed, which is gigabit. This can be verified on the router side by looking at the Advanced Tab home page and clicking on the blue box "Show Statistics".
Users with gigabit ISP connections do Speed Tests all the time. It is not likely that Ookla Speedtest generates enough traffic to crash a 750 router. Nor will typical internet games.
It's the Orbi router. My computer stays connected and is fine aside from no longer having internet. Maybe crash isn't the right word. Clients stay connected to the network (wired and wireless), but none have internet connectivity. Purple light on the router.
I guess it's probably not saturating the network, but I'm able to most consistently replicate it by running speedtest.net. It's intermittent, but running speedtest.net will sometimes cause the router to lose connection with the internet entirely. I can get things back online by unplugging/replugging the router.
I don't think it has anything to do with the satellites because my computer is connected directly to the router via ethernet cable.
There are threads of other users complaining of similar internet connection loss when using Creative Cloud without a solution.
I'm using a 2.5g ethernet adapter since it was inexpensive and to future-proof.
Thanks for reading!
Thanks everyone for the suggestions.
In the end I reverted back to my motherboard's onboard intel 1gig NIC (Intel) and the instability problems went away.
I guess it may have been a compatibility issue with the 2.5gig NIC (Realtek)?
Interestingly, the USB 2.5 gig NIC (Realtek) I tried had no problems.
A little disappointed, but the issues i was having with the 1gig Intel NIC that led me to try a different NIC have seemingly resolved somewhere among all the tinkering.
I guess mark this as (sort of) resolved.
Thanks!
- Just a question please:
Just in case! In the Internet settings, what settings do you have for “WAN Preference”:
(1) Internet Port (2.5 Gbps)
(2) WAN aggregation (2.5 Gbps + 1 Gbps, LACP-IEEE802.3ad)
If you don’t use aggregation then you should use option 1.The RBR750 only has 1gbps, but I tried both (link aggregation and without - my cable modem supports it). I don't think it had an effect. Thanks for the suggestion though.
I actually turned off link aggregation because I think there's a bug when connected to a CM1100, where the speed of the connection slows down after a few days (at least that's what i could gather from my google search).
