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Netgear Nighthawk X6 R8000 Randomly Restarting
When using my TV, I am consistently experiencing the router restarting sporadically when streaming. When the TV is not in use streaming wirelessly, there appear to be no technical issues. LG has repl...
Lundfu wrote:Well.. I made it about 90 minutes with streaming on Amazon Prime Video before another restart occurred. Should I go back another version to 1.0.4.18 and give that a shot?
Also, is there any way to start to track or log where the restart command is coming from?
Well, the cause could be a few things?
First, did you RESET the router and manually re-entered all settings after the downleveling of the firmware? There are 2 ways to do this. One is the using the RESET recessed button as described in the User Manual, the other the ERASE NVRAM on the GUI page where you updated the router on. That is an important step in backleveling the firmware if you have a problem. Even then, I'd not do many settings at least as a test, only the Wireless settings and see if that works, no others need be done to do streaming.
Secondly, the possibility of some other reasons, such as heat, noisy/varying power, and the router crashing due to many factors including internal failures.
I do NOT have my R8000 in service at this time so my suggestions might not be totally accurate to help debug the situation. Going back to an even older f/w I don't think will help.
There is a 'hidden' DEBUG page on the R8000. To access it, once you are in the GUI, the last part of the URL I recall is 'start.htm'. If you replace it with 'debug.htm' (. html, I forgot which) you should press enter and see it. The RAM/Memory data is one to look at. It is quite possible that once that fills up, the router might reboot as it can't write data to the NVRAM. I recall my R8000 usually had about 1/2 free or less all the time.
There are 2 other possible pages too, hidden_cpu.htm and Thermal_FAN.htm. I found on the web, and if you do have them (could even be in some f/w for the R8000 but not all?) they could help determine if there is an overheating problem.
On that debbug page is also another logging function, but I am not sure if that was to internal memory or you could send it to a USB drive or PC? You'd have to check that. If it does post to an external device it would survive a reboot.
Alternatively you could look at the logging function too. I recall some settings to send the log via e-mail? One was when the log fills and another on time intervals? Checking the 'fill' and also say every 5 minutes might provide you some data. I'm thinking of something going on repeatedly seconds or less apart filling the log and NVRAM causing the reboot?
If I'm wrong, I'm sure someone will jump in here and state so, and possibly give you the correct steps for the above.
For the power situation, if the router is connected to a Surge Protector, try going straight to the wall socket as a test.
Can't think of much else here? If still under the warranty RMA period maybe you could get NG to replace the router? I'm pretty sure this is an isolated problem to your router? If it were not there would be many reports like this here?
Hi IrvSp ,
It is a recent (~1-2 month old) problem. I can certainly try and rollback to the previous version. Is 1.0.4.28 the version that you'd recommend trying?
For streaming, I'm using the Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and YouTube TV apps that are installed on the TV directly.
Thanks for the help!
Lundfu wrote:Hi IrvSp ,
It is a recent (~1-2 month old) problem. I can certainly try and rollback to the previous version. Is 1.0.4.28 the version that you'd recommend trying?
For streaming, I'm using the Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and YouTube TV apps that are installed on the TV directly.
Thanks for the help!
Yes, that is the version, it is the one before v1.0.4.46 that was released. Go to Support, enter R8000, then Downloads and at the bottom is PREVIOUS VERSIONS. Open it (press the '+'} and then you'll see it. Press the 'down arrow' on the right of it and READ the RELEASE NOTES. I has all the info on how to install it (and the link to it too). During install it will tell you you are installing an older version, just ignore that and continue. Then try the streaming. If it works and everything else works, fine. If not, you'll have to RESET the router and manually re-enter settings. Before doing that I suggest you look at all tabs to see what you changed and make notes or do screen captures so you have a reference on what to re-do. DO NOT used a CONFIGURATION file to restore the settings.
After doing all this, there is an AUTO-INSTALL setting for the firmware for new versions. If it works, TURN THAT OFF!!! Later when NG publishes a new version, you can manually try it. Doesn't work, back to V1.0.4.28 again, but before doing that you can save a working Configuration file for use later just in case to make the job easier.
I have used NetFlix and Amazon Prime streaming on my R8000 (never used V1.0.4.46 though) and it worked fine.
Thanks IrvSp ! I've successfully downgraded to V1.0.4.28_10.1.54.
I'm going to let it run this weekend and will report back on if there are any unexpected restarts.
I always thought that keeping firmware up to date was essential to prevent things from breaking, but it seems like that may not be the case here. Is this common for Netgear's updates to cause problems?
Lundfu wrote:Thanks IrvSp
I always thought that keeping firmware up to date was essential to prevent things from breaking, but it seems like that may not be the case here. Is this common for Netgear's updates to cause problems?
Generally speaking, absolutely. In most case you'll pick up fixes and new features. In almost all cases, you get Security 'patches' and some unreported fixes as well.
Up until at least a year or so ago, this was true for NG as well, maybe even back 2 years ago. Then things started to go 'south'. New f/w release was not well tested. Some created more problems than they fixed! Common problems crept in across many router models, like the Access list. Lately, a new 'wrinkle' has happened. NG has removed FEATURES that were included in the Router when purchased, and replaced that with Armour. A $79/yr. revenue stream for NG if you wanted to keep using it after 90 days I think, might be shorter. Didn't want to use it, too bad, don't, but you can't get back the features like Time Machine, Tivo, or DLNA Server. Only way to do that, back-level the firmware. However you could never update again without losing them. So you'll be locked in, no new fixes, no new enhancements, no Security fixes, stuck in mid-2019 forever. At some point you might actually have a security breach, or decided, way before you would have wanted to replace the router, to do it to get new enhancement and the latest security protection.
Well.. I made it about 90 minutes with streaming on Amazon Prime Video before another restart occurred. Should I go back another version to 1.0.4.18 and give that a shot?
Also, is there any way to start to track or log where the restart command is coming from?