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gdavey's avatar
gdavey
Aspirant
May 20, 2020

WAN ethernet port not detected

I just bought this router off  Amazon to replace my older TP-Link router.  I have Verizon FIOS and do not use a Verizon supplied cable modem.  I have ethernet coming straight to my basement from the outdoor ONT.   The NetGear refuses to detect the ethernet RJ-45 connection.  I'm using the exact same cable that was plugged into my TP-Link.  

 

So, I connected a cheap unmanaged D-Link 10/100/100 switch to the RJ-45 coming into the house and it connected no problem.  I then plugged the WAN connection from the RAX80 into the switch, and it connected!  Low and behold I am connected to the internet and everything appears to work.  But, I should not need a switch between the RAX80 and the ONT.  TP-Link didn't need a switch to connect.  Why would TP-Link get a connection and the dumb unmanaged switch get a connection, but the RAX80 fails to detect an ethernet connection?  I am using the unmanaged switch to connect other things to the network, so if I want to continue using the RAX80 I will have to buy another switch.  That is just one more thing in the chain, and I'd rather not do it.  

 

I did enable QOS by the way (recommendation from another post) and it didn't make a difference.  It's funny, the GUI wouldn't let me enable QOS until it had an internet connection... Kind of ironic.  So, I enabled it after I was connected through the switch, and then went back and tried to connect directly and it did not work.  I also used a crossover cable and an RJ-45 connector to see if that was the issue, and it also did not work.  I also updated the firmware while I was connected to through the switch, but that also did not make a difference.  

 

Any ideas?  Faulty unit?

 

Thanks!

 

Dave

4 Replies

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    • gdavey's avatar
      gdavey
      Aspirant
      May 20, 2020

      Yes.  Did you read my post?  I do not have a FIOS router.  I connect directly to the ONT.  I am not replacing the FIOS router with the NetGear RAX80.  Rather, I am replacing my TP-LINK router (which also connected directly to the ONT).  As I mentioned, I get link light from the ONT using ANY other device.  But the RAX80 will not even get a link light.  It says the ethernet is unplugged, when in fact it is not.  

      • gdavey's avatar
        gdavey
        Aspirant
        May 20, 2020

        I'm wondering if this issue is link speed and duplex.  I noticed that my TP-LINK negotiated only a 100Mbps Full Duplex connection.  The ONT may not support GigE maybe.  When I look on the GUI for the RAX80, under Internet Setup, it has only two options for WAN preference.  Internet Port (1Gbps) or Mulit-Gig Internet (1Gbps + 1Gbps).   Can the WAN port on the RAX80 not support slower speeds?   I'm onlly paying for 100Mbps up and down from Verizon FIOS.  The goal of the beefy router is to have better WIFI in the house since I have almost 6000 sq ft.