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Trek PR2000 DHCP-problems, keeps dropping connections, maybe workaround
Hi!
Some days ago I bought the new Netgear Trek PR2000 mobile wireless router. Purpose was to have an AP for all my devices while traveling and being able to connect them to a hotspot or hotel wifi.
Configuration was fine and I was able to connect to my home network in wireless client mode. My home router is a TP-Link TL-WR1043ND running OpenWrt 12.09 Attitude Adjustment, wifi with WPA2-AES, serving DHCP.
The Trek was able to connect and the whole system was running. Unfortunately I realized, that the Trek kept dropping connections every 3-5mins with the annoying Netgear genie popping up and trying to reestablish a connection. Sometimes it worked, later on the Trek failed to connect at all.
Since I read that OpenWrt Attitude Adjustment might be having problems with certain wifi connections, I upgraded my WR1043ND to Barrier Breaker. The connection drops continued, especially under OSX nearly every minute. The WR1043ND showed various DHCP- and wifi-failed-to-acknowledge-errors in its log.
After trying all possible setting changes in the Trek-config (and shortly before returning the Trek), I found something like a workaround. In the Trek-config I disabled the DHCP-Server for the LAN-zone and assigned static IPs to the connecting clients. Well at least until now this seems to be working fine. No more dropped connections, no more annoying genie popping up and trying to reconnect, the whole system seems to be working.
But at the moment I'm kinda confused about the reason. In my understanding, the Trek connects to a hotspot and gets an IP-address assigned by the hotspot-DHCP. Then the Trek uses NAT to connect the attached clients to the internet. Actually the DHCP-IP-addresses assigned by the Trek to the clients connected to the LAN-zone shouldn't affect the DHCP-settings of the hotspot-network at all. Normally the private IP and DNS-settings are just for the private client LAN, aren't they? If I'm not completely wrong with my assumption, there might be a bug in the DHCP-server of the Trek or the way how dynamic IPs of the client LAN are handled. Starting from the point where I changed to static IPs in the client LAN, there were no more error messages in the log of the WR1043ND.
Strange thing... Maybe someone could correct me if my assumptions are wrong? Btw, I'm using the Trek PR2000 stock firmware (which is something like 1.0.0.9) since there's no other available.
Thanks.
Some days ago I bought the new Netgear Trek PR2000 mobile wireless router. Purpose was to have an AP for all my devices while traveling and being able to connect them to a hotspot or hotel wifi.
Configuration was fine and I was able to connect to my home network in wireless client mode. My home router is a TP-Link TL-WR1043ND running OpenWrt 12.09 Attitude Adjustment, wifi with WPA2-AES, serving DHCP.
The Trek was able to connect and the whole system was running. Unfortunately I realized, that the Trek kept dropping connections every 3-5mins with the annoying Netgear genie popping up and trying to reestablish a connection. Sometimes it worked, later on the Trek failed to connect at all.
Since I read that OpenWrt Attitude Adjustment might be having problems with certain wifi connections, I upgraded my WR1043ND to Barrier Breaker. The connection drops continued, especially under OSX nearly every minute. The WR1043ND showed various DHCP- and wifi-failed-to-acknowledge-errors in its log.
After trying all possible setting changes in the Trek-config (and shortly before returning the Trek), I found something like a workaround. In the Trek-config I disabled the DHCP-Server for the LAN-zone and assigned static IPs to the connecting clients. Well at least until now this seems to be working fine. No more dropped connections, no more annoying genie popping up and trying to reconnect, the whole system seems to be working.
But at the moment I'm kinda confused about the reason. In my understanding, the Trek connects to a hotspot and gets an IP-address assigned by the hotspot-DHCP. Then the Trek uses NAT to connect the attached clients to the internet. Actually the DHCP-IP-addresses assigned by the Trek to the clients connected to the LAN-zone shouldn't affect the DHCP-settings of the hotspot-network at all. Normally the private IP and DNS-settings are just for the private client LAN, aren't they? If I'm not completely wrong with my assumption, there might be a bug in the DHCP-server of the Trek or the way how dynamic IPs of the client LAN are handled. Starting from the point where I changed to static IPs in the client LAN, there were no more error messages in the log of the WR1043ND.
Strange thing... Maybe someone could correct me if my assumptions are wrong? Btw, I'm using the Trek PR2000 stock firmware (which is something like 1.0.0.9) since there's no other available.
Thanks.
hksteve I would like to inform you that the fix is now available in our download page.
Feel free to update your firmware and provide feedback.
Thanks!
185 Replies
- v1.0.0.14_1.0.1 this version
Thank you for sharing itsnotfunny - pleased for you that you have a working setup. Possibly this provides another data point for NetGear's support, but not much in the way of additional information.
Unfortunately as others have alluded to, with this firmware there is an issue that is being triggered (at least under certain conditions), however without clarification on whether this has been reproduced by NetGear support or that a root cause has been identified, the device is not really fit for purpose as it stands (and has resulted in the frustration of others on this forum). Without this, the only option is to request a refund unless something changes in the very near future.
Received the following response from the NetGear support team (will remove the personal identifiable information out of this - am sure you can look at the case yourself). I hope you agree, but I don't think that this reflects a satisfactory response that should be expected to a query about an issue in AP mode. It also is not conducive to having customers spend time to assist with this issue.
Hopefully this makes you aware of the customer satisfaction issue that exists, however again, I don't believe that this is a one-off example based on other comments in this thread.
----
Case ID: 26274829
Dear Andrew,
Thank you for choosing Netgear. My name is ********* (Expert ID:****), and I am your support Expert today.
I understand that you are experiencing a problem with NETGEAR wireless router. I apologize for this inconvenience. Because we are doing this online, it might require a few email exchanges to resolve the issue. Rest assured that i will do my best to resolve your case quickly.
Here are the troubleshooting steps i recommend you to resolve your concern:
Try to setup in extender mode and check if it works or not.
I hope this resolves the problem. Please contact us again if you require further assistance.
Please do visit http://support.netgear.com for any technical queries regarding NETGEAR products.
- Hi Elaine I have been using the beta firmware v1.0.0.14_1.0.1 for a few months and have not once experienced the rebooting issue that wireless AP mode has. I have been testing/using as normal for a while without issue. I have several different types of android and ios tablets phones chromecast tv etc all connected fine and no longer disconnect. No more reboot on disconnect of a client, the router finally works as customers would expect with this beta firmware. I suggest that this firmware be made available for download so that anyone with this issue can use it whilst the programmers sort out getting a final version
- Sorry the firmware version above should sayV1.0.0.14_1.0.2_TD182_t
I have the same problems and very disappointed that this device doesn't handle such basic and essential functionality. How can a router be sold if it can't handle the simple of act of connecting and disconnecting devices?
My PR2000 is connected to wireless internet that I have to purchase from the apartment I'm renting. I have 2 laptops connected via wire and 2 Android devices.
It is frustrating to see all my devices disconnect from the internet if I turn off/reboot a laptop or connect my phone to the wifi when I get home. The router logs simply say that internet was disconnected at that point in time.
Found this thread and see that this issue has been around for over a year and nothing has been done about it. Should I keep holding my breath Netgear?
I'm running Windows 10 and the router is set to wireless mode as I have both laptops connected by wire.
Also in the past I was running one laptop on wire and the other wireless and the problem still occurred.
Dear Elaine,
would you please be so kind and send me a copy of the new beta firmware? I'm having the same issue (Trek reboots when one of three or more WiFi devices disconnects just after a few minutes). It's really frustrating not being able to use the basic features of the PR2000.
Thanks!
Hi all,
I´ve been lurking this thread for a while in hope of seeing the beta firmware be made available, at least to the readers of the thread.
I have the exact same problems as described before with the router rebooting, dropping connections etc.
I´ve tried all the old firmwares versions and the problem persists. As of now the router is totally unusable.
Please release a public beta!
Thanks
- Contact Elaine she can help, the beta is not available to general public as yet but you may be allowed to beta test once you sign the NDA forms
- I've just received one of these routers from amazon for review and can tell straight away it's has the issue with dissconeting. Ps3, android, windows 7 and everytime a device joins or leaves the network in ap mode it reboots. I want to know if it's worth my time registering to get hold of the beta firmware or if I just return it now and leave feedback with amazon?
Yes, it's definetely worth it! I have just finished a 4 days test run with the BETA firmware V1.0.0.14_1.0.2 and I can say that it just works. There was no single reboot or unexpected disconnection of a WiFi device. The PR2000 was connected to the power socket and to my main WiFi router for more than 80 hrs.
IMHO it's time to release this firmware to the public!
- Hi Elaine I've registered the product through the website. How do I go about getting the beta firmware?
Thank you for your help.bru2basics I have already forwarded this to the support group and they shall contact you separately to give all the details.
You're welcome!
- Hi ElaineM
I've not had any contact from the support group regarding the beta firmware yet. As the product is its completely unfit for purpose. Do you know how long it will take them to get this sorted?
Many thanksbru2basics Your case has been assigned to one of our support team already.
Let me make a follow-up.
I have also expereinced this issue. After reading this entire thread, I can confirm it is, by device disconnection, that the router resets.
My iPhone was going into sleep mode and disconnecting, in turn resetting the router.
Elaine, I would also be interested in the beta firmware.
Also, would it be possible to get a US plug? I never got one in the box.
Thank you.
