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R6900 can't find internet connection
My Nighthawk router (R6900), which has been working flawlessly for the 8 months I've had it, suddenly stopped detecting an internet signal this week. Literally nothing I do (restarting, resetting, serial resetting, etc.) will get the router noticing the internet connection coming in from the cable modem (Arris SB6183, which is currently providing me with the internet to leave this post).
We've tried this on a work PC and a home Mac, so it's not the computer settings.
Several interesting details:
1. When the problem started four nights ago, the wireless also went down. Just stopped transmitting.
2. When I originally logged in to the router admin, it told me there was a firmware update waiting (but I couldn't download it because ... no internet connection).
3. Despite the setup wizard not being able to find internet, there were some iMessages that came through, so it seems some protocols must have been working.
The firmware had not been upgraded because we had been out of town off and on for several weeks.
Of course, after resetting the modem, I now have no way to even get to the admin panel, because the wizard gets stuck trying to find internet.
So ... is my router toast?
Hi hartmatthews,
What is the exact message when you run the setup wizard?
Is the Internet LED lit?
Please describe the LED status of the router (color, blinking, solid).
You mentioned that you are unable to update the firmware since Internet is not working. Please connect a computer to the modem and download the latest firmware. Here's the link to download firmware 1.0.1.48:
https://kb.netgear.com/000059129/R6900-Firmware-Version-1-0-1-48
Please click this link for your reference of how to manually upgrade the firmware.
Regards,
Blanca
Community Team
10 Replies
Oh! The other very strange thing ... when I originally logged into the admin panel, it told me there was another user logged in and that continuing would log that user out.
But there should only be one user in the admin panel on my router, the admin user.
Have you connected a PC/MAC directly to the modem and can you then get to the Internet and browse. Sounds like you are saying you can. What I would do next is to reset the router. Then power off the modem and the router. Then power up the modem and wait until it has a connection with your ISP. Then power up the router. It should now connect to modem and Internet as power cycling the modem clears the stored MACs in the modem which can cause a problem. Make sure the cable from the router to the modem is good, maybe swap with another? Also after the router reset you should be able to connect to the router via a Ethernet cable to one of the LAN ports. Put router address, typically 192.168.1.1 into browser and you should be able to access the router.
Yes, I did all possible resets and basic equipment checks before I posted here. I reset both devices, then I reset them in order, then I reset them again, then I did a factory reset ... and reset each one several more times.
The modem is fine. The ethernet cables have been tested in other configurations, the router communicates with the computer, but the router does not seem to be able to recognize an internet signal from the modem.
Further thoughts?
Hi hartmatthews,
What is the exact message when you run the setup wizard?
Is the Internet LED lit?
Please describe the LED status of the router (color, blinking, solid).
You mentioned that you are unable to update the firmware since Internet is not working. Please connect a computer to the modem and download the latest firmware. Here's the link to download firmware 1.0.1.48:
https://kb.netgear.com/000059129/R6900-Firmware-Version-1-0-1-48
Please click this link for your reference of how to manually upgrade the firmware.
Regards,
Blanca
Community Team
I do not understand everytime someone has a basic issue Netgear support always says install latest firmware. So after running for months the firmware suddenly broke? I think not.
Come on Netgear support give some thought to what the problem is and when fixed suggest updating would be fine.
Your support is what drove me to Asus by the way.
Thanks Blanca_O,
When I run the setup wizard, it just never finishes setting up. It works and works and then tells it can’t find an internet connection. (I’m out of town at the moment, so I don’t have the exact error message.)
The power LED is white. If an ethernet cable is connected to a computer, that LED is white. The wireless (5ghz) LED is white. But the internet LED is orange.
As soon as I return home, I’ll manually install the new firmware.
Thanks again,
Hart
hartmatthews wrote:
Thanks Blanca_O,
When I run the setup wizard, it just never finishes setting up. It works and works and then tells it can’t find an internet connection. (I’m out of town at the moment, so I don’t have the exact error message.)
The message from Blanca_O should tell you how to upload the firmware without an internet connection.
Go to the link provided:
R6900 Firmware Version 1.0.1.48 | Answer | NETGEAR Support
Download the firmware and then follow those instructions on how to load it manually. No internet link needed.
The reason for suggesting that you update the hardware is that it may fix whatever caused your problems.For example, someone else may have written some rotten code that breaks routers. (Google did this just before Christmas, causing wifi chaos in router world.)
Every router maker updates the firmware and they usually suggest using the latest version when people have problems. Some of these updates come from the people who make the network chips in the routers. All router makers rely a handful of chip makers, so they all have to put out these updates from time to time.
