Using a LAN port on a cable modem/wifi router combo as a WAN port

I have similar problems with my C7000 and it's now getting to the point where I may have to dump this device.  All I want is reliable internet.  I've got Time Warner and I don't think the problem is with them.  I'm a Network Engineer by trade and by no means does that make me "a "Netgear" expert, it does however mean I possess the ability to troubleshoot further and provide additional information.  I've had my fair share of crappy wireless devices along with excellent Enterprise class in Cisco, AeroHive, Juniper, Aruba etc.  I'm about to say "to heck with it" and spend $500-1k on an Enterprise device as I've wasted close to that on Linksys and Netgear devices over the years. 

The C7000 will randomly drop my internet connection for 60 seconds to 5 minutes.  Sometimes, it requires a complete reboot.  Sometimes it wakes up from being half dead and I need to do nothing.  However, the issues are sporatic but obvious and I would guess Netgear would be fully aware of this bug.  One second it will drop ICMP traffic to the internet but the C7000's interface tells me my "Cable Connection" is good and I can ping my LAN interface.  Then, it will stop responding to ICMP on it's LAN (internal RFC1918 address) interface but Internet traffic still passes fine.  For example, as I'm typing this, I can't ping my LAN interface but I can ping 8.8.8.8 without issue.  I just looked again and now my LAN interface responds to ICMP but internet is dead.  A few minutes later without doing anything, both start responding.  Either way, it's virtually impossible to blame Time Warner for this issue when the local LAN interface won't even respond to ICMP (randomly) and internet traffic responds fine.  It's also obviously not a weak wireless signal when I can pass sub 20ms packets to most destinations on the internet but not ping my LAN interface.  Bottom line, the C7000 displays such erradic behaviour it doesn't seem stable or this firmware release needs work.  Time Warners crappy rented "Technicolor", while having weak wireless signal, is at LEAST reliable.

Netgear needs to get on with a stable firmware release or lose customers.  Most people don't know how to properly troubleshoot an issue and for costing $200 plus, they shouldn't need to constantly "troubleshoot" what's becoming pretty evident as a firmware issue.  Word of mouth spreads and it reflects in reviews.