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Forum Discussion
RAX80 New Firmware Released 1.0.1.70
I just manually checked for new firmware version and 1.0.1.70 was available. I just updated from 1.0.1.56 which seemed the most stable for me with no lan / wan disconnections. The prior version 1.0.1...
Josh,
I'm very familiar with problem #3. After seeing it several times after a restart, I have dismissed it as just (another) artifact of the firmware's tenuous grasp of the underlying hardware.
As for your problem #1 about slower throughput than your service should be, this suggests a few questions to answer before any conclusion it made. First: Where are you measuring the speed. To determine this correctly, you must run the Speedtest that is located on the RAX80's QOS page. Running this on your computer or phone will only tell you how fast your computer or phone is running. Secondly: If the speed test on the QOS page only shows 200 Mbps, the problem is between the RAX's web interface and the street. It is quite likely that that may need some examination. (You may need to call your internet provider to help you configure their modem to work correctly with your RAX.) They should also be able to determine whether you are actually getting your rated bandwidth from the internet or not. - Suggestion: See if your internet modem also has a speedtest built in. Many of them do...
Problem #2: This may also apply to the interface with the modem. If you have is 'auto' connected with the modem, it may have simply allowed itself to become just another device on the modem's LAN. Most modern internet modems also contain firewall and router capabilities, and they may be throttling the throughput to your RAX in order to save some for other users, whether they exist or not. - The best way to bypass these problems is to have your modem device set to pass-through mode or not. Direct pass-through is by far the best. Ask the service provider how to correctly set their modem for pass-through or at least router behind router service. However, there are problems with pass-through which can affect uninterrupted bandwidth. These settings can be incorrectly configured, such as lease renewal. - If you cannot get a pass-through type internet connection, you may need to put your RAX into pass-through mode. (PLEASE look at the RAX's Internet IP to make certain it is running on a private IP address; Pass-through on a direct-to-internet connection can be a real disaster.
On the side of this issue. Netgear does manufacture excellent networking equipment, however, they really released a mega-lemon with their RAX80 Nighthawk. I noticed that by reading the reviews on various websites, most of the good ones come from people who know very little about the technology. Maybe ignorance is bliss.
Personally, I think the RAX80 should be renamed the NightTurkey. I manged to return mine, and I replaced it with another AX-capable router by another manufacturer who managed to do everything right. Since then, I've had flawless wifi coverage, full speed from my 1 Gigabit internet service, and no connection hiccups.
I hopt this bit of advice is helpful. I give it free; you make take it for what it's worth... 🙄
PDWhite wrote:Josh,
I'm very familiar with problem #3. After seeing it several times after a restart, I have dismissed it as just (another) artifact of the firmware's tenuous grasp of the underlying hardware.
As for your problem #1 about slower throughput than your service should be, this suggests a few questions to answer before any conclusion it made. First: Where are you measuring the speed. To determine this correctly, you must run the Speedtest that is located on the RAX80's QOS page. Running this on your computer or phone will only tell you how fast your computer or phone is running. Secondly: If the speed test on the QOS page only shows 200 Mbps, the problem is between the RAX's web interface and the street. It is quite likely that that may need some examination. (You may need to call your internet provider to help you configure their modem to work correctly with your RAX.) They should also be able to determine whether you are actually getting your rated bandwidth from the internet or not. - Suggestion: See if your internet modem also has a speedtest built in. Many of them do...
Problem #2: This may also apply to the interface with the modem. If you have is 'auto' connected with the modem, it may have simply allowed itself to become just another device on the modem's LAN. Most modern internet modems also contain firewall and router capabilities, and they may be throttling the throughput to your RAX in order to save some for other users, whether they exist or not. - The best way to bypass these problems is to have your modem device set to pass-through mode or not. Direct pass-through is by far the best. Ask the service provider how to correctly set their modem for pass-through or at least router behind router service. However, there are problems with pass-through which can affect uninterrupted bandwidth. These settings can be incorrectly configured, such as lease renewal. - If you cannot get a pass-through type internet connection, you may need to put your RAX into pass-through mode. (PLEASE look at the RAX's Internet IP to make certain it is running on a private IP address; Pass-through on a direct-to-internet connection can be a real disaster.
On the side of this issue. Netgear does manufacture excellent networking equipment, however, they really released a mega-lemon with their RAX80 Nighthawk. I noticed that by reading the reviews on various websites, most of the good ones come from people who know very little about the technology. Maybe ignorance is bliss.
Personally, I think the RAX80 should be renamed the NightTurkey. I manged to return mine, and I replaced it with another AX-capable router by another manufacturer who managed to do everything right. Since then, I've had flawless wifi coverage, full speed from my 1 Gigabit internet service, and no connection hiccups.
I hopt this bit of advice is helpful. I give it free; you make take it for what it's worth... 🙄
The built in router speed test is almost useless because it doesn't let the user pick which server. Whenerever I use it, it picks a really close server from a local ISP that is slow. I get a more accurate and much higher speed test over Ethernet or on phone since I can pick a decent server.
XJN,
The speed test that is built into the router doesn't need to be connected to any special server. It is only there to test the speed of data to and from the internet. The important thing is that it actually runs on the router; having a source nearer or farther away should be about the same, but the number of milliseconds of initial response time will likely be greater. This features allows you to see how fast the interface is.
If you want to know how fast your in-house network is running, you can run a speed test on a wired desktop machine and then from a Wi-Fi connected laptop or tablet. - Remember that those devices, especially wi-fi, may have maximum speed capabilities lower than the actual throughput of the network. Example: I have a one gigabit internet service. The speedtest on my router will report the speed is very nearly one gig. I have a laptop with a older wi-fi chip in it that maxes out at about 500 mbits. My (wired) desktop with a gig network card shows a speed very nearly as high as my router. (I have a full CAT-6 network.)
PDWhite wrote:XJN,
The speed test that is built into the router doesn't need to be connected to any special server. It is only there to test the speed of data to and from the internet. The important thing is that it actually runs on the router; having a source nearer or farther away should be about the same, but the number of milliseconds of initial response time will likely be greater. This features allows you to see how fast the interface is.
If you want to know how fast your in-house network is running, you can run a speed test on a wired desktop machine and then from a Wi-Fi connected laptop or tablet. - Remember that those devices, especially wi-fi, may have maximum speed capabilities lower than the actual throughput of the network. Example: I have a one gigabit internet service. The speedtest on my router will report the speed is very nearly one gig. I have a laptop with a older wi-fi chip in it that maxes out at about 500 mbits. My (wired) desktop with a gig network card shows a speed very nearly as high as my router. (I have a full CAT-6 network.)
I have gigabit also but I can only get high speed using speed test result of 940Mbps outside of router... the server picked does matter because not all servers can handle gigabit speed test. The router picks a rural speed test server closest to me and never gets gigabit speed, about 400Mbps... I can tell which server it picks even though it does not show name cause can manually pick it on another device and see same numbers. If I switch to a server in a major metro area or big city I see 940Mbps faster speed test results over Ethernet from another device... I never see speed test result that high on router built in test. Netgear should make it so can manually choose server..There is a new firware available.