Nighthawk D7000 2.4Ghz WiFi issues

[Graphicomp]

Hello all.

I've exactly the same problem. Downgrading the firmware doens't help. At the moment I have V42 and wifi 2.4 dropoff still continue even more frequently than 10 days ago.

I guess a chip degradation, so hw problem, that is happening at the same time overall the world... bad thing...

Mine's bought in July 2016... 

[DuteMan]

Don't bother with V54.  Its worse.  Installed it Friday Night and I'm rebooting 4-5 times a day.  Nice to See Netgear has some advisory for R7000 owners but not D7000.  Sad, Sad, Sad.  

C'mon NETGEAR STEP UP!

[michaelkenward]

Worth trying this?

Re: R7000 keeps losing 2.4GHz wireless connectivi... - Page 9 - NETGEAR Communities

[Al94]

In my case neither of the guest networks are enebled.

[Retired_Member]

UPDATE and SUCCESS!!

Ok -- So I've now received THREE D7000 routers. The first two were D7000v2 made in VIETNAM, and the most recent is the replacement sent by NetGear and is a D7000 made in CHINA. 

The first two failed constantly on all Firmware. They were made in VIETNAM. 

The most recent is working perfectly with no wifi drops or fails. It has been working continuously for 3 days. This unit is a D7000 and made in CHINA. Running firmware: V1.0.0.38_1.0.1.

I have not updated the firmware because if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

I still believe that Netgear has a bad chipset in some of their Nighthawk routers. I'd be interested to know if all of us with failing routers were made in VIETNAM?

Good luck!

[Jon81]

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@Greg_k wrote:

UPDATE and SUCCESS!!

Ok -- So I've now received THREE D7000 routers. The first two were D7000v2 made in VIETNAM, and the most recent is the replacement sent by NetGear and is a D7000 made in CHINA. 

The first two failed constantly on all Firmware. They were made in VIETNAM. 

The most recent is working perfectly with no wifi drops or fails. It has been working continuously for 3 days. This unit is a D7000 and made in CHINA. Running firmware: V1.0.0.38_1.0.1.

I have not updated the firmware because if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

I still believe that Netgear has a bad chipset in some of their Nighthawk routers. I'd be interested to know if all of us with failing routers were made in VIETNAM?

Good luck!

---

My made in China D7000 Is showing the 2.4ghz bug. FWIW my one made it more than 3 days before going back to bugging out so you're not in the clear as of yet.

[massig]

Netgear agreed to send a replacement. However it sounds like it might not solve anything. Looking to change router brand. My heating thermostat Nest, alarm, fire alarm are all on the 2.4 Ghz and are all kicked out. Can't change temperature, check the alarm etc... Really poor they can't fix it.

[Al94]

Mine is a China made model and has this issue.

[GlennD]

f I'm not mistaken the firmware greg k's modem (V1.0.0.38_1.0.1) is the release just prior to them issuing the first security update (1.0.1.48) which is  the first one I first upgraded to. The way Netgear did that update was almost like if you don't do this firmware your modem would be compromised. I think Netgear needs to stepup and make all these modems that they have screwed up right whether or not they are in warranty or not. Mine went out of warranty in June 2017 so I can't make a warranty claim. Pretty sad when a company as prominent as Netgear is not moving quicker to rectify the problem. 

They don't understand that the bad press and word of mouth on this issue will cost them dearly in sales and reputation if they don't stepup and get this issue fixed.

I think they need to stepup and replace all of the modems they screwed up by their security update in warranty or not. 

[BigJ1992]

I have the same issue with 2.4ghz constant drop outs and authentication issues. I am on firmware V1.0.1.54_1.0.1

I have 2 days left on a 1 year warranty. I will try to get a refund. I have had it with Netgear. Any reccomendations?

Thanks

[GlennD]

I would be calling netgear support today and ask for a replacement like message message 109 (Jon81)  in this conversation.

[Retired_Member]

btw-- If you're calling Netgear note that I had to fight like crazy to be able to speak with a manager. They strongly resisted. Only after arguing with two representatives, did they finally give me to a manager who was able to do something about it.

[Graphicomp]

...tried to apply any possible workaround described so far... nothing at all. Problem still persist.

This morning I've called the Netgear Service Desk. They confirmed it's a very strange situation and they are collecting infos here in Europe to understand the root cause of this issue. I'm waiting for an official answer by them. I'm still under warranty... Wish they replace my D7000.

Cheers,

[nscolli]

G'day All,

Just thought I'd throw in my cents worth.

I am in the same boat as you all. New D7000 in June 2016, working perfectly until early December 2017, then constant, random 2.4 dropouts.

With much thanks I tried all the suggestions made by you all but with no success.

Then in Whirlpool forum (http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/2618840) someone suggested that it was heat related. My vague understanding of what he said was with no fan in the unit that marginally designed hardware was being over worked by new firmware over working marginally capable chipsets.

He suggested various solutions, i.e. moving modem/router to a cooler location, USB fan in one of the USB sockets directed into the side, or a USB laptop cooler underneath.

I tried the latter and it worked perfectly for a day and the D7000 showed virtually no heat compared to normal. I then I turned off the cooler (old with three noisey fans) for the night. The result in the morning: the case was hot again and nothing 2.4 would connect.

Turned off the WiFi, turned it back on, turned the cooler back on and it is still connecting okay.

I'll suffer the noise and leave the cooler on overnight and see if the 2.4 connections are still there in the morning and let you know the result.

Cheers.

[BigJ1992]

3 days left on warranty so took it back and got a replacement: Asus DSL-AC68U. Rock solid 2.4ghz with no issues. Those that can, vote with your feet and get a refund. I will never buy Netgear ever again.

[fboy]

V52 and subsequent V54 have resolved the issue for me. Prior to that, I have had exactly the same issue. Great router until December firmware update then intermittent 2.4 ghz bandwidth availability. Good luck in getting all yours resolved!

[nscolli]

I posted earlier about heating maybe being the cause of 2.4 failure.

Well, cooling an overheating D7000 with a laptop cooler was not the solution! It did th 2.4 dropout thing 16:30 today after being cooled all day from 08:00 this morning. It wouldn't even respond to turning off/on WiFi so had to reboot.

It's back to the retailer for me for a refund. Might try a D-Link Taipan AC3200 Ultra WiFi Modem Router. Anyone know about the latter?

[loftyendgame]

it is absolutely not overheating. my D7000 is in an unheated hallway in the UK. it's less than 10 degrees centigrade in there. i have the same problems.

fwiw, i tried upgrading to .54. that made the problem much worse. did a downgrade to .50 and it has been working for 24 hours.... oh, and i have also enabled the 2.4GHz guest network (that was me trying to find a workaround)

from  this thread it looks as though it's only a matter of time before it fails again.

[johnmcl7]

My unit seems warm but I wouldn't say hot and it's the coldest time of year for it as well.

I started having issues when I was on the 50 firmware and upgraded to 52 which didn't make any difference and for some reason over the last few days the problem has got worse, initially it was lasting two to three days before the 2.4Ghz failed but now it's arond three hours.  I've upgraded to 54 as it can't be any worse and waiting to see what happens.

[Lukebe]

I can confirm this same issue applied to D7000v2

[johnmcl7]

The 54 firmware appears worse so far as the 2.4Ghz connection died shortly after the router was restarted for the firmware upgrade.  I forgot I had a TP-link wireless extender I hadn't returned so I've set that up and disabled 2.4Ghz on the D7000 in the hope Netgear sort this, it at least gives me time to consider options as I don't want to make a rush judgement.

I've been doing reading this evening on the R7000 as well which also suffers this identical issue, it's the same device as the D7000 but lacks the integrated ADSL modem and crucially that means it can run open source firmware.  R7000 owners who are having this wireless issue have tried installing the open source firmware and the wireless problems disappear which gives much more credibility to it being a software rather than hardware issue. 

[nscolli]

 I was at V54 and still with all the 2.4 issues.

I looked back in my downloads folders and found I had V48 firmware image (dated 27 Mar 2017) so have reverted to it as an experiment to see if it has any impact on the problem.

V50 img is dated 23 Jun 2017 and V52 is 6 Dec 2017 the latter probably being the cause of all our problems.

Has anyone gone back before V50 with any success?

[Jon81]

I was on V50 when the issues started. V52 appeared in this thread and we thought it might fix it but no such luck.

[michaelkenward]

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@nscolli wrote:

I looked back in my downloads folders and found I had V48 firmware image (dated 27 Mar 2017) so have reverted to it as an experiment to see if it has any impact on the problem.

Anyone else who wants older firmware and who doesn't have it stashed away will find more than a dozen versions, going back to the initial release, on the support pages for this device:

D7000 | Product | Support | NETGEAR

[nscolli]

Going back to V48 didn't work, lost 2.4 again.

Have done a work around delivering 2.4.

I had an old spare netgear WNDR3800 router. I didn't have any spare Ethernet sockets on the D7000 so ran an ethernet cable from a gigabit switch attached to the D7000. Now I have faultless 2.4, well until the firmware on the WNDR3800 fails!

This will tide me over until netgear do something positive and fix the D7000s throughout the world or until I can stand it no longer and go to another manufacturer who does seem to care!

So if you have a spare wireless router you can wire it up to your D7000 and it can provide you with stable 2.4 and use the D7000 for 5G and wired connections (minus one for the second WiFi router).

Cheers