R7100LG Internet via LTE drops out every hour precisely (interrupts video conf calls, games, str

[dam_ged]

@netgear team: this topic has been open for 4 months.
Still NO solution except for a beta firmware which is a partial fix.
Please provide official feedback. This discussion is running in circles.

[MikkoFI]

Hi,

I have the same problem, 4G disconnects and only way to fix it is to boot the device. I also have cheap 4g modem (with terrible quality WLAN..) that does not have the same problem with the same SIM card. I'm contacting the seller and trying to get refund, sadly I'm not convinced Netgear will fix the issue or is even dedicated fixing the issue. 😞

[MikkoFI]

And I'm running latest firmware. I also tried to disconnect, connect the 4G but no luck, boot is the only way to solve the problem until it disconnects again.

Firmware Version 
V1.0.0.38_1.0.6

[dam_ged]

@ElaineM @JamesGL ???
Help!!! R7100LG users need follow-up !!!

The link to beta FW doesn't work anymore. Was it withdrawn since it does not contain the lastest security patches??? http://files.netgear-support.com/go/?a=d&i=2AD3JlvTm8

[dam_ged]

@gamoul
How did you monitor tcp/udp disconnects...?
The only way I have to show see precisely when it drop is to virtual connect to my office desktop via Citrix which freezes upon internet drop out.
Do you have any command line that would help document frequency of dropouts? Thanks

[gamoul]

I have a permanent IRC connexion that get disconnected every hour.
I also do support with TeamViewer and I get a freeze.
Also if I play online there is a lag for about 10-15s.
But if I leave a ping running, no timeout.

[slaskawi]

@gamoul That's exactly what I was about to suggest. Using IRC (I confirmed this using Konversation and XChat) is the easiest way to reproduce this issue. Just turn it on, sit and wait. 

I also ran `ping` and `curl` in a loop to see if this happens also to the new connections. The answer is negative. Pings and curl queries were all successful. Only the established TCP connections are dropped. 

Come on Netgear! Now, there is no excuse, you can reproduce it in your own lab!

[dam_ged]

@gamoul @slaskawi
I am looking for a Windows tool that would graphically show drops (packet loss) frequency.

Command line
https://www.techwalla.com/articles/how-to-check-for-dropped-packets

Wireshark
https://osqa-ask.wireshark.org/questions/5675/how-to-analyse-througput-packet-loss-rtt-rather-than-g...

Thanks,
Damien

[dam_ged]

Posting the above before trying in case any of you already tried or has a better way...

[slaskawi]

Netgear support - I've just created a support case. ID: 29651272

@dam_ged Diagnosing this might be very tricky. The router might just override the sequence number in a TCP packet and the application behavior might be exactly the same as we can see in our cases. Of course I'm just guessing here...

The only way that comes into my mind is to monitor the network equipment with Wireshark and on the second window monitor active connections using Netstat for example (I have never done this on Windows but there should be something similar there). The hardest part would be to correlate TCP packets from Wireshark with a connection that has just been dropped (and which one you may find out from Netstat; it should be removed from the list of established connections). Once you find this, you'd need to inspect the packets manually and see what's wrong. But honestly - isn't this something to be done by the Netgear folks?

[dam_ged]

@slaskawi
Makes sense. My support ticket got automatically closed while I was on vacation. I can't reopen it since I am beyond the 90-day premium support period.
Great to learn you opened a new one! Looking forward to hearing from their feedback... Curious to learn about the official Netgear standpoint at this point.

[dam_ged]

If that helps my old ticket (*unsolved*, automatically closed) was: 29021056

[TowerStudio]

I wonder if anyone at Netgear is every gonna read this thread and messages again. It's bad. Very bad...

[slaskawi]

@TowerStudio @dam_ged It seems there is no official Netgear response on this thread (sadly!), so maybe let me give you a small update.

My case (#29651272) has been investigated by the engineering team and qualified as a known issue. I have been told they are working on it. In the meantime I tested a new firmware (V1.0.0.41T1_1.0.6) which was suffering exactly the same issue - all connections were dropped every hour. 

So it's been more than 4 months and we do not have any solution. Looking at this thread it seems @dam_ged was testing firmware R7100LG_Q1_1.0.0.33_1.0.6_test. So we've had 8 software builds so far (from 1.0.0.33 to 1.0.0.41) without any noticable change. Let's put this straight - if I had known this, I wouldn't have bought this router. 

[TowerStudio]

I bought this model on Amazon in June last year.

I just sent them an email explaining the situation and asking what they could do to help? Within 5 minutes I got a return form and all I need to do is take it back to the post office, I don't even have to pay for the shipping. If only Netgear treated their customers the same way. I just need to find a better manufacturer (any recommendations welcome). Too bad, the Nighthawk looked nice.

[SteffenHoehne]

Hi guys

I've just changed the this peace of *BAD WORD* with a zyxel lte device. I have no problems so far 🙂

6 months of trouble, mobile hotspot and support terror is over.

Netgear - private and business - never again.

Dear guys - just buy another device! 

kind regards

Steffen

[TowerStudio]

Ok this is really weird. As I started unpacking the modem, I removed the three antennas and, wondering if the reception was any good without them, I ran some speed test. Then I had other things to do and left everything like this. It's been over an hour and a half and I didn't have any disconnection yet. Guys can you try if it does the same for you? Maybe I'm totally wrong and I missed the disconnection but I've been using the computer since and as I have the modem reset around a fixed round hour so I know when it will disconnect, it should have disconnected 10 minutes ago and definitely didn't... I'll keep an eye open, let me know if that does anything to you.

[dam_ged]

Hi all, I was informed by Elaine that James is taking over. @JamesGL welcome to this thread. Looking forward to your advice. We've been discussing between us (customers) for a while and will really appreciate your support here... thx

[TowerStudio]

Ok so regarding my comment about removing the antennas, it doesn't "cut" as bad as it did before: it doesn't interrupt my browsing or downloading of files (maybe because the interruption is shorter), but I tried having an IRC window in the back and indeed I am disconnected from the server every hour precisely.

[Sh4rp93]

Hi,

any news on this topic?

I have the exact same problem and it driving me nuts.

Thanks.

Sh4rp

[slaskawi]

Unfortunately not from my side. I'm trying to return the router back to the shop and get my money back.

In the meantime I bought D-Link DWR-953 and never touched it since then. It just works... 

[SteffenHoehne]

I have a also another device (Zyxel) and no problems.

Netgear: never again

[dam_ged]

Sharing my option B which works very well too:

Netgear Aircard 810s thethered (usb) to Asus ac68u

[gbuisson]

I also do have the same issue over the past year of usage, it disconnects at regular intervals, I didn't mesure it but every hour sounds reasonable, I thought that it was due to my ISP! It ususally drops my TV.

When could we get a fix for that ? what a shame for netgear because this is the most expensive 4G router, I purchased it over a TP-Link so to have no problems but it seems it's the worst!

Can somebody share the beta firmware at least ? 4H sounds better than 1H....

[Blanca_O · Accepted solution]

Hi gbuisson, 

Do you have the updated firmware (1.0.0.46) installed? 

Regards, 
Blanca 
Community Team