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Re: Nighthawk X4S C7800 randomly dropping WiFi (will not connect)

ngeorge
Tutor

Nighthawk X4S C7800 randomly dropping WiFi (will not connect)

Hello;

 

I purchased a Netgear C7800 cable modem/router about 6 months ago -- the two months, it randomly drops either the 2.4 Ghz. or 5 Ghz. wifi channels. This started as an occasional burp, but it's up to daily now -- well past the point of being annoying. I find that usually the signal drops, and then either goes away, or comes back -- but then says that the password is invalid. I have to reset the entire modem to bring it back. When it "goes away", it also seems to be broadcasting -- but about 99% reduced power -- if I take a phone in next to it, it shows a very low signal a few feet from it, however it is unable to connect. 

 

The devices on the network include 2 Nest cams and a Nest Hello doorbell, couple Android phones and some iPhones, various MacBooks, two HomePods, Apple TV and an R8000 repeater in the garage. 

 

Signal levels look fine in the -3 DB range with an SNR around 42 -- can't find any errors in the logs. Nothing appears about WiFi issues, and the router shows everything is connected. Comcast has resent reauthorizations to the modem, played with the config files etc to no avail.

 

It seems like I can't find much information about this modem online -- I have found someone else who seemed to have this issue and didn't resolve it, even with replacements. Netgear units used to be pretty reliable, but I replaced a C6300 that had the Puma chipset bug which popped up majorly when I installed the Nest cams -- with this one, which has a Broadcom chip -- and it was fine -- until now.

 

 

Message 1 of 10

Re: Nighthawk X4S C7800 randomly dropping WiFi (will not connect)

Any chance that there is wifi interference nearby? "Noisy" neighbours? Tried different wifi channels?

 



It seems like I can't find much information about this modem online ....

 


 There is a manual for the C7800 somewhere at the end of this link:

 

>>>> C7800 | Product | Support | NETGEAR <<<<

 

Message 2 of 10
ngeorge
Tutor

Re: Nighthawk X4S C7800 randomly dropping WiFi (will not connect)

Yeah I've made sure of that -- there are no neighbors on the channels I am using. Funny that when I have it set to "auto" to select it's own channels, it parked on the busier ones.

Message 3 of 10
ngeorge
Tutor

Re: Nighthawk X4S C7800 randomly dropping WiFi (will not connect)

I am so DONE with this thing!!! Back in January when I started this thread, I called up and got an advance replacement unit, which I had to pay shipping for... I replaced my previous modem that had the dropping wifi -- and sure enough -- problem solved!

 

...Until last night... now the new one is doing it. The WiFi dropped out on 5 Ghz. for about 5 minutes... now my Nest cams are telling me they are randomly disconnecting.

 

I really want to avoid replacing this unit again... anyone have any solutions for these things randomly killing their WiFi? 

 

I bought an Asus router for work... it's hammered on all day long in an office environment... 5 years and counting and it still works like the day it was new... This thing can't even stay up 4 months.

 

N

Model: C7800|Nighthawk X4S-AC3200 WiFi Cable Modem Router
Message 4 of 10
chernabog915
Initiate

Re: Nighthawk X4S C7800 randomly dropping WiFi (will not connect)

I'm also having this same problem, and I've only had the unit about 8 weeks. Worked fine until the last firmware upgrade, and almost every night, after 8pm local time, both 2.4 and 5 channels won't connect, any device, yet all the devices see everything in the neighborhood. As long as you've had your's, it's obviously not just firmware. Who's your provider? I'm using Spectrum 500 speeds. 

Message 5 of 10
ngeorge
Tutor

Re: Nighthawk X4S C7800 randomly dropping WiFi (will not connect)

I’m on Comcast Xfinity — just 70/5 service... I had 150/10 at my old address, but when I moved they told me that to get 10 up I had to pay for the 250 tier which I wasn’t going to shell out for... so I dropped to the base package and it’s fine for now. Signal is fine, around -1 downstream power, SNR around 40 and upstream power around 45.

When the modem works, it’s great... but it’s just randomly dropping. Netgear blames Comcast, Comcast blames Netgear. I’m tending to believe that this is a Netgear issue — if it is caused by anything Comcast is doing, it’s an issue that affects this modem but not others.

I spent so much damn money on this thing — ironically to fix another Netgear issue — when I got the Nest cams, my old C6300 started to lock up and freak out regularly — reading up on this, it was due to the Intel Puma 6 chipset having major issues with saturated uploads... I bought the C7800 specifically because it had a Broadcom chipset, and because it has the most memory and processor speed for WiFi if a modem in the consumer class... when it works, it works... but now it just randomly drops the WiFi. I’m SO close to getting a nice separate Asus router and cable modem... but I just can’t justify spending this much money on junk — and don’t want to pawn it off on someone on EBay... I don’t care how much Netgear claims it’s a Comcast problem — it just doesn’t feel like one — that also doesn’t explain why the problem magically fixed itself for a couple months when they sent a new unit. I’m sure Comcast didn’t fix whatever their issue was magically at the same second I plugged in a replacement router...
Message 6 of 10

Re: Nighthawk X4S C7800 randomly dropping WiFi (will not connect)


@chernabog915 wrote:

Worked fine until the last firmware upgrade, and almost every night, after 8pm local time, both 2.4 and 5 channels won't connect, any device, yet all the devices see everything in the neighborhood.


If we are talking about the C7800 here, then firmware updates come from your ISP. They do not allow Netgear to put out updates.

 

So to get to the bottom of this issue you would do better to chase the ISP. Maybe they can then hassle Netgear.

 

If the ISP  knows that it is pushing out broken firmware, then maybe it can roll people back to a previous version.

 

I assume that you have been through the factory reset process to check that this doesn't fix the issue.

 

By the way, it may not matter, but you have posted your message in the section of this community given over to Nighthawk WiFi Routers. (This is easily done, given Netgear's impenetrable community structure.) Your device is a Cable Modem/Router.

You might get better replies, and find other answers, over in the appropriate section:

Cable Modems & Routers

Message 7 of 10
Scorpi023
Aspirant

Re: Nighthawk X4S C7800 randomly dropping WiFi (will not connect)

I’m having the same problem as well. The first one is, I can’t even connect devices to the WiFi network. I had to try st least 5 times on each one.
None of the devices auto connect. I tried resetting and also changed the WiFi name/password.
I’m 100% confident it’s not my ISP as I’ve never had any issues before I got this device.
I’m definitely returning it as I’ve already wasted a day trying to fix.
And no, I don’t have a lot of interference. I usually select a channel that is free and never had interferences with my old N700.
Model: C7800|Nighthawk X4S-AC3200 WiFi Cable Modem Router
Message 8 of 10

Re: Nighthawk X4S C7800 randomly dropping WiFi (will not connect)


@Scorpi023 wrote:
I’m having the same problem as well.


Unfortunately, this conversation is now four months old and it has not achieved the SOLVED status. So there is a good chance that most p[eople, including the Netgear moderators, will miss it. That you have also posted ion the wrong section for the C7800 doesn't help.

 

If you need more help, you might get better and quicker replies, and find other answers, over in the appropriate section:

Cable Modems & Routers

Start a new conversation with more details about what goes wrong and what you have tried to fix it, and you might get better feedback.

 

Remember, if this is a recent purchase you get 90 days of free support from Netgear.

 

 

Message 9 of 10
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Nighthawk X4S C7800 randomly dropping WiFi (will not connect)

What channels are you using? Auto? Try setting manual channel 1, 6 or 11 on 2.4Ghz and any unused channel on 5Ghz.
Any Wifi Neighbors near by? If so, how many?

 

Try enabling Beamforming and MIMO(MIMO may or maynot be needed) and WMM. Under Advanced Tab/Advanced Settings/Wireless Settings.


@Scorpi023 wrote:
I’m having the same problem as well. The first one is, I can’t even connect devices to the WiFi network. I had to try st least 5 times on each one.
None of the devices auto connect. I tried resetting and also changed the WiFi name/password.
I’m 100% confident it’s not my ISP as I’ve never had any issues before I got this device.
I’m definitely returning it as I’ve already wasted a day trying to fix.
And no, I don’t have a lot of interference. I usually select a channel that is free and never had interferences with my old N700.

 

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