Nighthawk c7800 frequent disconnect

[cups]

I've had this unit for a little over a month at this point, and while the internet speeds I get with it are usually great there is one glaring issue I've not been able to find a solution for no matter how much Googling I do or how many topics in these forums I look at, despite the fact many others seem to have the same issue.

My fiance and I work from home, and do a decent amount of gaming. Prior to owning this unit, we didn't really have any connection issues, though our speeds were fairly slow. We upgraded speed with our ISP (RCN) and purchased this unit, and that very same day, issues started.

The issue manifests in two primary ways:

1. Online games frequently drop. I use a PS4, and in addition to games being dropped super frequently (3 matches of online MK11 dropped in the same 15 minutes at its worst, which didn't happen a single time using my older, worse hardware), any time I use an application such as Hulu or a game I purchased digitally, I periodically get a message telling me the application will close soon as it cannot verify my license, a message that is only served when the PS4 can't connect to PSN- in other words, when the network drops. Interestingly, the application never closes, since the network ends up coming back, but this doesn't prevent things from being interrupted.

2. This happens less frequently but still enough to be worrying- the 2.4 and 5Ghz networks disappear from the available networks list on our computers.

I have reached out to support several times and they've been extraordinarily unhelpful. Forums tell me all kinds of things could be going wrong but I have yet to find a solution. I have already tried using less congested channels, but if the solution is to change the channels each time this happens, I will be spending more time on routerlogin.net than I will actually using the internet.

Is there something I'm missing here? I'm pulling my hair out of my head at this point and I'm a second away from returning the unit and never buying Netgear again

[plemans]

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@cups wrote

Is there something I'm missing here? I'm pulling my hair out of my head at this point and I'm a second away from returning the unit and never buying Netgear again

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A couple things. 

1. RCN is horrible at updating firmware. The C7800 has gotten a few updates to fix problems. But modem/router combo devices have their firmware controlled/updated by the ISP. And RCN doesn't do much (any) on that front. Its one of the reasons I usually push people to buy a modem seperate from the router. So you can control the routers firmware.

2. do you have a screen snip of the cable connections page and the event logs? that helps us check line connections. It wouldn't be the first time during swapping a modem that a cable went bad. Check all the cables/connectors for kinks, damage, old/bad/corroded/loose connections. 

3. If you do return it, again, I'd push for buying a modem seperate from the router with RCN. 

[cups]

Thanks for the reply

I do have a couple screenshots of those screens; unfortunately I'm not savvy enough to glean very much information from them myself. Screenshots will be at the bottom of this reply.

Regarding the firmware issue, is that something I can reach out to RCN to resolve? Will they update firmware if I ask them too? For reference, my firmware version is V3.01.40 which I thought was the most up-to-date but I'm sure a quick Google will tell me if that's true.

[plemans]

photos have to be approved by a moderator and it can take a while. you can click on "choose file" and add them each individually

[cups]

ah woops, got it thanks for the heads up

[cups]

screenshot 2/2

[plemans]

power levels are a touch high and you're not getting all your channels locked. 

Your logs are also indicating a line issues. 

I'd usually recommend removing splitters or attenuators but in your case, I'd probably put a dual/triple splitter into the line to drop the signal strength a bit. 

[cups]

Thanks for all the advice. I'm afraid I'm not following 100%- just my own lack of knowledge in this area.

As for the line issues, is this the line actually providing service? As in, is that something an RCN tech needs to fix? As for the splitter, are you talking about a coax or ethernet splitter? Again apologies for the lack of knowledge here, I appreciate your help; I really wanna get this thing working 

[plemans]

A coax splitter. 

If your signal coming into the home is to high, it can cause issues. Same with to low. You're a big high. 

Sometimes it can be fixed by the user with a splitter or signal attenuator, sometimes the ISP has to check the line. 

Try adding a double or triple splitter and see if it helps. 

[cups]

Alright great, I'll pick up a splitter and see what happens, will report the results. Thanks again for the help, I'll update soon

[asg1252]

I am having the same problem! Mine is more sporatic and have been dealing with it for about a month now. 

Connection will go out at random moments throughout the day for small spurts of time. My provider is Cox and they sent a technician out and increased the signal strength and removed a splitter, it worked great for about a week, then went back to the same issue. 

Netgear has been extremely unhelpful. This modem router was $400+ when i bought it. Because of their limited 90 day warranty, I had to purchase their tech support for $90! They finally realized today that it must be a hardware issue but my 1 year of hardware warranty expired 2 months ago and these issues began 1 month ago! It's so frustrating because I love using Netgear products and this product has been PHENOMENAL, but clearly only for 12 months until the warranty is up. 

Unsure what to do next. I'd love to have the exact same model but with no issues obviously. Wish Netgear was better than this, this makes me want to turn away from them completely. 

[FURRYe38]

Please post a copy and paste of the modems connection status page.
Have the ISP check the signal and line quality UP to the modem. Be sure the ISP provisions the modem correctly.
Be sure there are no coax cable line splitters in the between the modem and ISP service box. 
Be sure your using good quality RG6 coax cable up to the modem. 
Be sure to power OFF the modem for 1 minute then back ON.
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Cable-Modems-Routers/General-info-and-Troubleshooting-for-Cable-Mod...

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@asg1252 wrote:

I am having the same problem! Mine is more sporatic and have been dealing with it for about a month now. 

Connection will go out at random moments throughout the day for small spurts of time. My provider is Cox and they sent a technician out and increased the signal strength and removed a splitter, it worked great for about a week, then went back to the same issue. 

Netgear has been extremely unhelpful. This modem router was $400+ when i bought it. Because of their limited 90 day warranty, I had to purchase their tech support for $90! They finally realized today that it must be a hardware issue but my 1 year of hardware warranty expired 2 months ago and these issues began 1 month ago! It's so frustrating because I love using Netgear products and this product has been PHENOMENAL, but clearly only for 12 months until the warranty is up. 

Unsure what to do next. I'd love to have the exact same model but with no issues obviously. Wish Netgear was better than this, this makes me want to turn away from them completely. 

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[asg1252]

Is this what you mean for my modem's connection status page? I got this from the advanced tab in genie. 

Have the ISP check the signal and line quality UP to the modem. Done. ISP said they have a signal and line quality was just checked a week ago by their technician, said to be all updated equiptment with no flaws. 

 Be sure the ISP provisions the modem correctly. Done. 
Be sure there are no coax cable line splitters in the between the modem and ISP service box. There is not. Done. 
Be sure your using good quality RG6 coax cable up to the modem. Used a couple different ones, done. 
Be sure to power OFF the modem for 1 minute then back ON. Done. 

IP Address	68.100.27.209
Subnet Mask	255.255.252.0
Default Gateway	68.100.24.1
DHCP Server	172.19.105.111
DNS Server	68.105.28.11, 68.105.29.11, 68.105.28.12
Lease Obtained	1 days, 0 Hours, 0 Minutes
Lease Expires	0 days, 23 Hours, 49 Minutes

[FURRYe38]

NO, there is a cable connection status page at 192.168.100.1. 

Should look similar to this:

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Cable-Modems-Routers/CM-500-Uplink-Downlink-lights-cycling-amber/m-...

Please do not post WAN IP addresses in public forums. 

[asg1252]

Oh Okay, found it. Here it is.

[plemans]

do you also have the cable connections page? It shows the upstream/downstream info

[asg1252]

Not sure I can find that. Would you mind walking me through where it might be located? 

Example: "Advanced Tab --> Administration --> Logs"? 

Thank you for your help!!

[plemans]

when you first log into the C7800, click on the internet/cable connection ICON. 

that'll take you to those details

[asg1252]

Perfect, here you go, does this help?

[plemans]

Photos have to be approved by a moderator. Sometimes its fairly quickly, other times its days. 
Click on "choose file" and add them 1 at a time and we can view them right away

[asg1252]

Sorry about that! Here you go (1/3)

[asg1252]

Confirm you can see the previous photo for me before I send the next two?

[plemans]

don't add them as a photos. after you hit reply, att them with the "choose file" option at the bottom. not as a photo. 

[asg1252]

Oh Gotcha, my bad! 

[asg1252]

(2/3)