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Forum Discussion
Rax80 smart connect issue wifi dropping
Ive been having issues with my RAX80 since purchasing it , if i leave the router with the seperate bands (2.4ghz &5ghz) it runs fine but once i activate smartconnect all i get is intermittent connecti...
Add me to the list having this issue. I've been chasing my tail the last couple weeks trying to figure out my problem, only to discover it's my brand new router. My Amazon Echo devices and smart plugs can't maintain a consistent connection. Also using smart connect. If this doesn't get patched in the next few days I'm returning and moving on.
I had exact same issue with alexa and smart plugs. They'd randomly give me red ring or just said plugs weren't connected. I sent back to amazon for full refund. Gone with a different brand as it seems a lot of netgear routers are affected and the fix is taking way too long
- I had a message from the support guy today who's been dealing with my case.
They asked me to disable my extender (Netgear ex8000) and tell them of the issues are still present.
The extender was in my basement running a completely separate ssid with a hardwired Ethernet connection to the modem so not linked at all to the RAX80.
Ironically it's the same extender which is providing the main Wi-Fi connection for the house now I've disconnected the RAX80 and has worked for a full week without even a hiccup.
I'd guess we are no closer to a solution for the RAX80 even if the RAX120 issues seem improved.
If I remember right the 80 & 200 share the same chipset. The 120 uses a different manufacturer which might explain why one is corrected but we are still waiting for news for our routers?
Anyway I'm not holding out much hope for a fast solution.
Gabbo
GabboCH wrote:
I had a message from the support guy today who's been dealing with my case.
They asked me to disable my extender (Netgear ex8000) and tell them of the issues are still present.
The extender was in my basement running a completely separate ssid with a hardwired Ethernet connection to the modem so not linked at all to the RAX80.
Ironically it's the same extender which is providing the main Wi-Fi connection for the house now I've disconnected the RAX80 and has worked for a full week without even a hiccup.
I'd guess we are no closer to a solution for the RAX80 even if the RAX120 issues seem improved.
If I remember right the 80 & 200 share the same chipset. The 120 uses a different manufacturer which might explain why one is corrected but we are still waiting for news for our routers?
Anyway I'm not holding out much hope for a fast solution.
GabboYou almost described my situation. I have a Netgear extender in the basement directly connected to my RAX120 upstairs, not the modem. (My modem is in "pass-thru.") This direct connection to the RAX120 is where we differ.
That extender has always provided the best/most consistent connections, even upstairs!!! But, according to your experience (and Netgear), it could screw up the router altogether, even more so in my case since I'm directly connected to the router.
I wish I'd known about this particular connection (potential issue) between the router and extenders earlier. I could have tried disabling mine as a test. But, for now at least, things are fine on the latest version (v1.0.1.108) of the RAX120 firmware. Let's see if that holds over the coming days/weeks.
- I'm pretty sure my extender doesn't cause the problems (otherwise this is another major bug).
I have no nearby networks except for my two so they should operate in separate channels at the end of the spectrum.
I had the same problems before I added the extender in the basement, basically because the tv on the far wall is just a bit too far from the living room router for a reliable connection.
However, there is on guy on the forum complaining about the RAX80 paired with the EX80 (8-stream Wi-Fi 6) extender, which should be perfectly matched in terms of technology.
I'm still convinced the route cause is the RAX router. The router works better if disable Smart Connect and give the networks two separate names. Connect your smarthome devices to the 2.4GHz and connect your phones, tablets, and computers to the 5GHz... I briefly tried smart connect back in March and it only gave me problems. Have had no issues with it off except for QoS issue and the random brief LAN disconnects.
I believe that defeats the purpose of this entire thread, though. The Smart Connect feature is something we all paid for and expect to work well. Disabling smart connect on my tri-band router and having to add and configure and maintain two additional SSIDs is unacceptable to me and a large portion of the reason I decided to splurge the $600 and get Netgear's "Top of the line" router.
It seems none of the new routers are working well... I've tried to be patient but I've had mine almost a year now and same issues still haven't been fixed. Parents had another one that gave issues and Netgear wanted to charge $100 for support out of warranty... told them to just goto Walmart and get $50 Linksys and that solved the issue.
I'm also having pretty great success without the Smart Connect feature. That being said, SC did work - but it wasn't as quick or snappy in practice. It wasn't dissimilar to how some very high-end commercial grade APs behave, such as Aerohive, which we used to install at my old job.
On testing more, I've found that my biggest problem is 2.4Ghz. I'm just at saturation. All the smarts in the router aren't able to counter the 60 apartments i have between my building and the two either side. 5Ghz AC has been rock solid for two weeks and counting. My settings have been most ideal with MU-MIMO off, and AX on.
I hope ya'll find some resolutions. I'm happy with how everything is working, finally.
I fear that your worry about being in a congested area may be a lost cause. I live in a detached house with a good 5 metres clear gap to neighbours and I experienced lots of issues still. While turning off smart connect and AX may sort your issue, your effectively reducing your router to the equivalent specs of a £60 router. It's a joke that this hasn't been resolved by Netgear. I have since switched to a competitor and it has had no issues whatsoever and it's a tri-band wifi 6 router.