Orbi WiFi 7 RBE973
Reply

Re: Nighthawk App

Copejack
Guide

Nighthawk App

Can anyone tell me if there is any part of the Nighthawk app that works without issues? It seems like anytime I switch between various features within the app is very unstable. Just get the app to connect to router stinks most of the time. Trying to switch between router and extenders stinks, trying to turn on smart connect stinks, trying to switch from WPA2 to WPA3 stinks. I have not found anything using the Nighthawk app that really works without some kind of connection issue.
Message 1 of 21
plemans
Guru

Re: Nighthawk App

I'm not a fan of the nighthawk or the orbi app. Seems like half the time it works, then it gets updated and breaks. 

I prefer to just log in through the browser to manage the router/devices. 

Message 2 of 21
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Nighthawk App

Has A reset been performed? 

Message 3 of 21
Copejack
Guide

Re: Nighthawk App

Yes, I have reset the router and extender several times.
I believe that who ever built the Nighthawk app for Iphones, did not do a very good job.
I think it is not a hardware issue with their products, but a software issue with the app.
It is by far the worst app I have ever used.
It seems like regardless of what you are doing inside the app, it struggles with page switching. It struggles to stay connected to router or extender. Most times, it loses connection all together and I can’t even login. I end up closing out the app and restart it again at least 3-4 times before It finally connects to router or extender again.
Message 4 of 21
Copejack
Guide

Re: Nighthawk App

Yes, I use a bowser as well and perform some tasks that way as well.
However, from a end user perspective, I expect the Nighthawk app to function properly with minimal issues. Any feature you use inside app works, at best, 50% of the time. It struggles with page switching when using the app.
Message 5 of 21
AmyAlexander
Tutor

Re: Nighthawk App

I'm actually impressed you can open the app.  I installed it and it just crashes. Over and over and over.  Uninstalled and reinstalled. Same thing.  Dozens of reviews of the app on GooglePlay calling it complete junk.  I'm seriously considering returning the router.

 

Model: A7000|Nighthawk AC1900 WiFi USB Adapter - USB 3.0
Message 6 of 21

Re: Nighthawk App


@AmyAlexander wrote:

I'm actually impressed you can open the app.  I installed it and it just crashes. 

 


The latest version of the Android app seems to work on some devices but falls over on others. My Samsung crashes but a Huawei soldiers on.

 

Is the Model: A7000|Nighthawk AC1900 WiFi USB Adapter - USB 3.0 listed in your footer involved in this in anyway? Or did you just click the first thing that popped up when you wrote your message?

 

Message 7 of 21
AmyAlexander
Tutor

Re: Nighthawk App

Yes, but I'm not sure why you find that relevent when the discussion is about the app that is garbage. 

Model: A7000|Nighthawk AC1900 WiFi USB Adapter - USB 3.0
Message 8 of 21
Copejack
Guide

Re: Nighthawk App

Yes, I agree with Amy, this is all about the application for whatever phone it is compatible with does not seem to function very well.
The app does not function well as you switch between various screens. Just one example, but there are many more. When switching between router view to extender view only works half the time. Even within these views, the Speed Test works some times, other times it just times out and says, “It couldn’t connect”. There are many other features like this that just don’t work most of the time.
It is a bit frustrating when you have to close and open the app several times before it finally connects to the router.
Message 9 of 21

Re: Nighthawk App


@Copejack wrote:
Yes, I agree with Amy, this is all about the application for whatever phone it is compatible with does not seem to function very well.
The app does not function well as you switch between various screens.

It works fine here, when I use it on a device that does not fall over.

 

No problem switching between screens.

 


@Copejack wrote:
When switching between router view to extender view only works half the time.

 


I have no idea what that means. Where do I find "extender view"?

 


@Copejack wrote:
Even within these views, the Speed Test works some times, other times it just times out and says, “It couldn't connect”.

Never had a problem with speed test. Maybe that message means that it couldn't connect.

 

Don't assume that what you see affects everyone else.

 

As I said, there are certainly serious problems with this version. (By the way the Orbi app is equally afflicted.) I have provided details of what goes wrong here. With luck it will help the people who write this thing to correct the next version. Sadly "it don't work" doesn't give them much to go on.

 

 

Message 10 of 21
Copejack
Guide

Re: Nighthawk App

Yes, understood.
You can find the Extender view when your app connects to the router. If you have an Extender and have added that device to your Nighthawk app, then it will show up under the Network Map ICON.
When you click on this, it will show you both the Router and Extender. Just click on the Extender, then you will get a pop-up to switch views to connect to your Extender instead of router and vise-versa.
When it tries to change view is when it struggles to connect and mostly times out that is wasn’t able to connect.
Message 11 of 21
Homeuser66
Guide

Re: Nighthawk App

You're not alone! I have also had these same issues from day 1. When I talked to Netgear, they admitted they have issues with the app. They wanted to upload a firmware for my router that might fix the issues. I declined as it was brand new and I just finished hours or adding all my wifi devices and naming them on my network. Didn't want to start all over again. They told me I could do it later (in the future) but they declined to tell me it was only in the next 20 days! As far as loging in on the web, that also works once in a while for me. Website keeps telling me I need the Nighthawk app installed (yes, even in a Windows Environment) If I knew there was so many KNOWN issues with this app, I would never have bought it! Otherwise, this modem (CAX80) is great! 

Message 12 of 21
Copejack
Guide

Re: Nighthawk App

There are so many issues with the Nighthawk app, but there is one issue I would like to better understand.
Why are there times when I open up the app that it shows the Network Map and other times it does not show up?
I have a Router and Extender and sometimes when I open up app, I see this Network Map so that I can switch views, but other times when I open up app, I don’t see this Network Map? Any thoughts?
It is like the developers coded the app to dynamically change the app screen based on how it is connected at that instance.
If I closed and open app several times, eventually the Network Map shows back up, it is very inconsistent. Just curious.
Message 13 of 21
Copejack
Guide

Re: Nighthawk App

Yet another issue I have noticed with the Nighthawk app is the Device Manager.
The device manager is supposed to manage all the devices on your network. Users can append a specific ICON from a selection of ICONs for each of the devices along with a personal description for the same.
What I have noticed is as I open and closed the app several times, the relationships between ICONs and description seems to get off for each of the devices.
For example, let’s say I have selected a computer ICON from the list of ICONs and a description as, “My Computer” for my computer device. After a few times opening and closing the app, I will check my device manager and now the ICON might be a Mesh ICON for “My Computer” description.
So, Device Manager needs a lot of work, very inconsistent with managing your devices.
I would rate the Nighthawk app as a D grade due to all the issues I have found.
Message 14 of 21
Copejack
Guide

Re: Nighthawk App

Update to my previous inquiry.
I now understand why I sometimes see the Network Map and other times when I don’t when I open up the Nighthawk app.
It turns out that depending on how your phone is either connected to the router or connected to extender, will change what is being displayed on the app.
The Extender is EAX80 which is a mesh system, so if my phone is connected to the router, I don’t see this Network Map. However, if my phone is connected to the Extender, then the Network Map will show up on the app.
Mystery solved!
Message 15 of 21

Re: Nighthawk App

Netgear has released updates of the Android apps since this discussion started. Here at least, they seem to fix the previous problems that prevented my Samsung phone from using the apps at all.

 

 

Message 16 of 21
Homeuser66
Guide

Re: Nighthawk App

Update didn't work for my Samsung Note 10 Plus!
Message 17 of 21
tamanaco
Apprentice

Re: Nighthawk App

I own a Samsung S21+ and the Nighthawk App is the only app that gets worse after each subsequent release. It only connects to my CAX80 once it a while and when it does its functionality is limited. The Speedtest fails misserably to connect and when it does, it does not display results. While the S21+ is connected to the 5Ghz radio, the app reports that it's connected to the 2.4GZ radio. The device list is never accurate or at least it always differs from the device list shown in the Web interface. Lately, I only use the Web interface to make changes or check the status of the router. I'm using the latest firmware release in my CAX80 and the latest version of the App. I avoid rebooting the CAX80 to try to fix issues as it sometimes looses its configuration when rebooted.

Message 18 of 21
Homeuser66
Guide

Re: Nighthawk App

@tamanaco I agree with you 100%!
Message 19 of 21
AmyAlexander
Tutor

Re: Nighthawk App

At least you can get it to open sometimes. It crashed every single time on my Samsung phone. Every. Single. Time. I even wiped my phone and put it back to factory settings. Nope still wont work. Ridiculous. Router is going back in the box and getting returned. If they can't produce an app and support it, I'm sure the router is trash too.
Message 20 of 21

Re: Nighthawk App


@AmyAlexander wrote:
At least you can get it to open sometimes. It crashed every single time on my Samsung phone. Every. Single. Time. 

 


That was my experience on a cheap Samsung.

 

The new version does open, but it demanded that I set it up from scratch, with all of those passwords to get into Anywhere Access and the router itself. 

 

Sadly, while it opens, it remains broken.

 

I have two routers on Anywhere Access. Try to switch between them and the app crashes at the "Connecting to" stage. Try switching between Anywhere and local access and it  also crashes.

 

No problems on a cheap Huawei tablet.

 

Has Netgear got something against Samsung?

 

 

 

 

 

Message 21 of 21
Top Contributors
Discussion stats
  • 20 replies
  • 3593 views
  • 8 kudos
  • 7 in conversation
Announcements

Orbi WiFi 7