2.4GHz seems to have failed

[dacker]

Before I give-up and assume my gateway is half-dead, I thought I should see if anyone has any ideas.

Yesterday, some of my 2.4GHz-only devices lost their connection to the C6300. When I tried to connect a couple of them, the SSID was not seen. I hard reset one device and it still could not see my SSID.

Today, all of my 2.4GHz devices are offline while my 5GHz and wired devices are fine. I checked and saw SSID broacast was enabled for both 2.4 and 5 GHz. 

I backed-up my router's settings, reset to factory, and reloaded the settings -- no change.

Since this is a cable modem+router and firmware updates must come from, in my case, Comcast, I wonder if they may have pushed a bad firmware update.  The gateway reports it has firmware v1.03.04. I have no idea when it was installed as Comcast never tells you if/when they push firmware.

It's still young and should not have failed. Before I give-up on a merely 1.5 year-old gateway, are there any ideas?

Thanks,

Rick

[FURRYe38]

If you did a factory reset and with out loading any saved config files, the 2.4Ghz still fails to appear for any device, sounds like this radio has gone down. Couple of options, find a 2.4Ghz supporting wifi acdess point or router and convert it in to a LAN to LAN access point for 2.4Ghz support. Disabling the 2.4ghz radio in the C modems UI. 

Or Turn off both radios on the C modem and install a dual or tri band Access point for wifi needs. 

Or bridge the C modem and configure it as a modem only and install a full on wifi router behind the C modem. Bridging the modem will disable all wifi and router features on the modem leaving the modem only for your ISP access and internet services. 

[dacker]

I ended up replacing the C6300v2 with a C7000 I had laying around. This, of course, solved my problem.

I disassembled the old one in case an antenna cable might have fallen off but no such like. It's been dutifully recycled into plastic, metal, and electronics bins at work. If I had bought it instead of getting it by beta testing it for Netgear, I'd be pretty ticked to have it die after just 18 months.

[FURRYe38]

I might suggest that getting into a modem only unit and then getting a stand alone external router maybe better for you in the long run. External routers tend to last a bit longer and if the modem goes down, then you'd only need to replace the modem, not the entire modem and router combo unit. 

Good Luck. 

[dacker]

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@FURRYe38 wrote:

I might suggest that getting into a modem only unit and then getting a stand alone external router maybe better for you in the long run. External routers tend to last a bit longer and if the modem goes down, then you'd only need to replace the modem, not the entire modem and router combo unit.

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You are right, of course. I have a couple cable modems and several routers not being used, including a tri-band mesh router, however, the C7000 was quick to swap out and got my family off my back fast. There are 21 Wi-Fi devices in and around my house.

[FURRYe38]

You could put the C7000 in modem mode and use one of the other wifi routers as your router too...