Nitehawk Internet drops and Qos downstream setting

Question

Arris SURFBoard SB6141, is connected to Netgear Nitehawk AC1750, model R6700v2.

Five devices are connected to the router via WiFi. Two Rokus, one computer, an IPhone, and a printer.

I am having intermittent internet drop outs on the Netgear, on the daily. Modem shows that internet is available. Dropouts are causing my streaming apps (YoutubeTV, Pandora) to stop working, making my computer complain, and driving my cell phone to data overages. It’s just me so there are no more than two devices using the internet at the same time. I consulted the Netgear user’s manual and thought that I would at least try to Optimize Video Streaming with Downstream QoS for my main Roku. Manual says to log in to the router and Select ADVANCED > Setup > QoS Setup > Downstream QoS. I logged into the router, via WiFi, and cannot find anywhere to tweak the Downstream QoS. I did, however, find that I can assign priorities to the devices that are connected to the WiFi. I tried several times to assign said priorities but they keep reverting back to “normal”. Meaning, I set the priority of one device to “high”, set the priority of the second device to “low”, and the first device reverts back to “normal”. Per the manual instructions I did click the Refresh button in the web browser just in case the changes were made, but the old settings were still in the web browser’s cache. For the record, I cannot find any “Apply” button that can be used when making changes.

I did update my firmware to the latest version and it has not helped.

Therefore, I have a two problems. One, how do I stop the Netgear from losing internet connection? Two, how do I increase the Downstream QoS for my streaming devices?

michaelkenward · Answer

What firmware version do you have on the&nbsp;R6700v2? A number is more useful than "the latest". (It may not be by the time people read this.) There can also be newer versions, or "hot fixes", that do not show up if you check for new firmware in the browser interface.
ACStoudt&nbsp;wrote:
Two, how do I increase the Downstream QoS for my streaming devices?

How fast is your Internet service? Anything much higher than 200 Mbps and QoS just slows things down. What makes you think that you need it?
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ACStoudt · Answer

Router Firmware Version V1.2.0.76_1.0.1&nbsp;Xfinity/Comcast Blast. Up to 200Mbps download. Up to 10 Mbps upload.&nbsp;I just thought that increasing the Download Qos for my streaming device (Roku) would stop the death spiral of buffering (when the internet is working)

michaelkenward · Answer

You have the latest firmware.
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ACStoudt&nbsp;wrote:
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Xfinity/Comcast Blast. Up to 200Mbps download. Up to 10 Mbps upload.
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That is way faster than you need for streaming and for most normal activities.
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What happens when the only thing happening is the streaming?
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How is all this stuff connected? Wifi? Wired is always faster.
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Manual says to log in to the router and Select ADVANCED &gt; Setup &gt; QoS Setup &gt; Downstream QoS. I logged into the router, via WiFi, and cannot find anywhere to tweak the Downstream QoS.
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From that bit it seems that you are trying to configure your device using a&nbsp;mobile app. Not a good idea. As you have discovered, something are not possible on the app, including QoS tweaks. The apps are for simple stuff. Anyone with a bit of knowledge soon abandons that way in.
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The fact that you lose the Internet from time to time suggests that you might like to do a bit of troubleshooting before worrying about QoS.
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ACStoudt · Answer

What happens when the only thing happening is the streaming?Same. Even when just watching YouTubeTV, internet drops out and the app tells me that it's lost internet or the app just closes. &nbsp;How is all this stuff connected? Wifi? Wired is always faster.Ethernet cable connects modem to router. All 5 devices connect via WiFi. Wired would be great but I only have one output from the modem.&nbsp;Manual says to log in to the router and Select ADVANCED &gt; Setup &gt; QoS Setup &gt; Downstream QoS. I logged into the router, via WiFi, and cannot find anywhere to tweak the Downstream QoS.&nbsp;From that bit it seems that you are trying to configure your device using a&nbsp;mobile app. Not a good idea. As you have discovered, something are not possible on the app, including QoS tweaks. The apps are for simple stuff. Anyone with a bit of knowledge soon abandons that way in.I'm logging in to the router from my computer, via WiFi. Do you think that it would be different if I log in via hardwired from my computer?&nbsp;The fact that you lose the Internet from time to time suggests that you might like to do a bitof troubleshooting before worrying about QoSAgreed. I'm thinking that I might have to buy another router from BestBuy and take it back if the problem doesn't go away.&nbsp; Any shopping suggestions?

michaelkenward · Answer

ACStoudt&nbsp;wrote:
What happens when the only thing happening is the streaming?
Same. Even when just watching YouTubeTV, internet drops out and the app tells me that it's lost internet or the app just closes. 
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This suggests to me that QoS has&nbsp; nothing to do with it. If streaming cannot work with your Internet connection, something else is wrong.
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ACStoudt&nbsp;wrote:
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How is all this stuff connected? Wifi? Wired is always faster.
Ethernet cable connects modem to router. All 5 devices connect via WiFi. Wired would be great but I only have one output from the modem.

The modem is not the place for connections. The only thing that you should connect to the modem is the router.&nbsp;You&nbsp;then plug wired devices into the router.
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That is the whole point of a router. That is what the LAN ports on the back of the R6700v2 are for. If there aren't enough for all your devices, an inexpensive switch would be better than trying to get everything on the wifi.
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Wifi is for things that move around, not for devices that always sit in the same place and that you can wire to the router.
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All those wifi connections will be&nbsp;slower than&nbsp;anything wired to the router.
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A modem with more than one LAN port is actually a modem/router,&nbsp;which causes its own problems.
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ACStoudt&nbsp;wrote:
I'm logging in to the router from my computer, via WiFi. Do you think that it would be different if I log in via hardwired from my computer?
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If you are using a&nbsp;browser to get at the GUI, and not an app, then there will be no difference between the controls you see. But wired would be better. It is more reliable and quicker. Your wifi connection cannot hope to match the 1000 Mbps speed that you should get with a direct wired link from PC to router.
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ACStoudt&nbsp;wrote:
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The fact that you lose the Internet from time to time suggests that you might like to do a bit
of troubleshooting before worrying about QoS
Agreed. I'm thinking that I might have to buy another router from BestBuy and take it back if the problem doesn't go away.&nbsp; Any shopping suggestions?

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I am not convinced that another router would get around your issues. There is room for more investigation at your end. But the R6700v2 is not the world's most capable router. Somewhere near the bottom of the Netgear range. But it should not cause the problems you see.
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Nitehawk Internet drops and Qos downstream setting

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