RAX40 will not broadcast/validate

Question

I have a RAX40 that I bought back in September so it is still under 1 year warrenty. After the power outage here in Texas it will no longer broadcast wireless or work as a router.

I have confirmed that my NetGear cable modem is working fine by connecting an old linksys router I have. That router works okay so I know the problem isnt the modem.

I have done full power offs for 3 minutes, factory resets (using a paper clip to trigger it back to factory standard), tried switching the cables between 3 different cables with no results. I have also been through all the reset options listed within the FireHawk app but nothing seems to resolve the issue.

I think the unit itself has been damaged by the power surges during the outages here in texas

Here are my questions

1 - Can anyone suggest anything else I should try?

2 - Am I eligible for a replacement/refund under the 1 year warrenty? If so can anyone advise how to begin the process? I have opened acase but it seems like they want me to pay over $80 for extended service contract just to initiate a return which doesnt seem right.

Any assistance would be appreciated.

M

michaelkenward · Answer

mgordonvegas8&nbsp;wrote:

I have a RAX40 that I bought back in September so it is still under 1 year warrenty.&nbsp; After the power outage here in Texas it will no longer broadcast wireless or work as a router.
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Not enough diagnostic&nbsp;detail&nbsp;to go on there. What do the LEDs on&nbsp;the thing look like?
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Power? Internet? Wifi?
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mgordonvegas8&nbsp;wrote:
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I have confirmed that my NetGear cable modem is working fine
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And that modem is?
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I assume that you have done the obvious and started your whole network in the right order.Be sure to restart your network in this sequence:

Turn off and unplug modem.
Turn off router and computers.
Plug in and turn on modem. Wait 2 minutes for it to connect.
Turn on the router and wait 2 minutes for it to connect.
Turn on computers and rest of network.

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You have posted your message in the section of this community given over to Nighthawk WiFi Routers. (This is easily done, given Netgear's complicated community structure.) Many questions apply to different types of device but you might get more help, and find earlier questions and answers specific to your hardware, in the appropriate section for your device. That's probably here: Nighthawk Routers with WiFi 6 (AX) - NETGEAR Communities
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mgordonvegas8 · Answer

regarding the question of did I cycle the modem and router, the answer is yes.

The router is a Netgear CMD317 and has a single ethernet port. The port is connecting directly to the RAX40/Firehawk wireless router. I have used the standard cable that came with the firehawk unit to connect the two units

The RAX/40 has the following lights and status

Power - shows olid green

Internet - shows orange

2,4 Gz - shows solid green

5.0 GX - shows solid green

1 - off

2 - off

3 - off

4 - off

WifFI - shows solid green

USB 3.0 - shows solid green

I have reviewed the pdf guide to the unit and from what I can tell the led's seem to be indicating a fault with the unit itself. Since the unit was purchased less that a year ago I want to do an exchange or refund and would appreciate guidance on how to do that.

michaelkenward · Answer

mgordonvegas8&nbsp;wrote:
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&nbsp;I have reviewed the pdf guide to the unit and from what I can tell the led's seem to be indicating a fault with the unit itself.&nbsp; &nbsp;Since the unit was purchased less that a year ago I want to do an exchange or refund and would appreciate guidance on how to do that.
&nbsp;

Not sure how you decided that, the power LED seems to be OK. Could also be an Internet connection failure. (I assume that nothing is connected to the LAN ports.)
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Start the RMA process by checking MyNetgear.
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How do I request a Return Material Authorization (RMA)? | Answer | NETGEAR Support
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mgordonvegas8&nbsp;wrote:
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The router is a Netgear CMD317 and has a single ethernet port.&nbsp;
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Looks like some ancient box that Netgear supplied to ISPs. Or maybe you have a Netgear CMD31T from 2013. But if that works, so should the router.
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Any way you can check the power adapter for the router? Power cuts are good at killing electrical stuff like that. And no, don't blame the wind turbines in Texas. Your politicians are peddling "fake news".

mgordonvegas8 · Answer

you are correct, the modem is a CMD31T, not 317, guess I need to get my eyesight checked.The modem works fine with direct ethenet connections between the modem and my laptop.It also works fine with a replacement linksys router.&nbsp; &nbsp;The problem is definately the Firehawk router.&nbsp;Whats odd is that it seems to recognize that its connected to the modem.&nbsp; If the ethernet cable is removed LED #2 is off.&nbsp; When the ethernet cable is connected between the modem and router LED#2 is on but isnt green.&nbsp; Its yellow/amber.&nbsp;If an ethernet cable is plugged into one of the 4 ports on the back of the router and direct to my computer there is no internet so its not the wireless aspect of the router that is failing, its the internet connectivity.&nbsp;I have opened a case with Netgear but they had me on hold forever.&nbsp; I will have to try to get a return process started tomorrow.&nbsp;

michaelkenward · Answer

mgordonvegas8&nbsp;wrote:
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Whats odd is that it seems to recognize that its connected to the modem.&nbsp; If the ethernet cable is removed LED #2 is off.&nbsp; When the ethernet cable is connected between the modem and router LED#2 is on but isnt green.&nbsp; Its yellow/amber.
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Again this suggests to me that the router is working, but that it is not&nbsp;negotiating a connection to the Internet. This may be be cause the device has failed or that the settings got scrambled in the&nbsp;power outage.
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When you did the factory resets on the RAX40 that will wipe out ots settings, including settings for the connection to the modem/Internet.
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Do you take the RAX40 through its initial setiup process after all those resets and restarts?
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mgordonvegas8&nbsp;wrote:
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If an ethernet cable is plugged into one of the 4 ports on the back of the router and direct to my computer there is no internet so its not the wireless aspect of the router that is failing, its the internet connectivity.
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That just confirms that the router is not connecting to the Internet. But you knew that already.
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When your PC is wired to the router in that way, can you login to the router's graphical user interface (GUI)?
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RAX40 will not broadcast/validate

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