So Charter wil not give me an update for this model (x4s ac3200 modem/router combo).. They have told me multiple times that it is not their responsablity to update products they don't own/manufacture. My combo is running Firmware Version V3.01.36 and Charter is using V3.01.40. I am having issues with bad ping, packet loss, latency and lag issues. My device will reboot on it's own. I spent over $450 on this combo (not even a year old) and there is no option for me to update from inside my settings. You know, like most routers have. There needs to be some kind of resolutution for the consumer. I agree with them. My update should come from netgear support. Not from an ISP.. After all I didn't buy Charter, I bought Netgear. The same way every company that produces phones and pc's and gaming consols and graphoc cards and anti-virus software etc.etc. etc. allows a consumer to recieve updates though their company. Netgear shuold have a download support option for firmware updates for their devices that co-incide with isp businesses. If I end up with a device I can't use and have to purchase a new one. Rest assured it won't be a Netgear product. I will also make it a part of my live streaming career to steer people away from buying these types of products.You might want to concider giving Netgear updates through Netgear instead of allowing an ISP to force the consumer to use their products. Which is what charter says I should consider doing. You know, "wouldn't have that problem if you used our modem and routers".
There's been many posts on the forums with people having issues like you do.
however, modems and modem/router combo device's firmware is controlled by the isp. This isn't unique to Netgear. You'll find all the consumer networking manufacturers are limited by this.
You can see that Netgear has newer firmware for your device. Netgear does give the ISP's access to that info. But the ISP's are the ones who push that firmware to your combo device when they partition it for service. They (the isp) don't like to update firwmare because they have to certify it first and it costs them $. That's why they don't update the firmware even though there is newer firwmare available.
Again, this is the same for all consumer manufacturer's currently. Maybe it'll change in the future to where the ISP only controls the modem aspect of the firmware but right now the firmware between modem and router is integrated.
What you CAN do in the future is to buy a modem and router seperate. This is usually what I recommend anyway. That way the ISP only controls the firmware on the modem. This leaves you the ability to update firmware to the router whenever you want or to put 3rd party firwmare on your router. Plus then if one device goes bad, it doesn't take out the whole thing.
What WE can do to help is troubleshooting. many times ping/lag/performance issues can be helped to be resolved with both optimizing your settings and checking your connections. charter isn't known for making sure your connections lines are good whenever a aftermarket device is used. They'll quite significanly blame anything but their line unless you switch to their equipment. To the point that I've had them install one of their modems for a month to prove their coax line was at fault.
If you log into the modem connections page, can you take a screen snip of the upstream/downstream connections? This helps with checking some basic signals.
And can you go into a bit more detaisl on your problem?
Like how frequently its happening?
Devices its happening on? Wired/wireless?
Speeds you're paying for? hardwired speeds you getting?
Etc, the more details you can give us the more it helps.
Something else to keep in mind. This is the community forum. Its where members of the public try to help others out. We're not netgear. if your device is within the 90 days of free support, you can contact netgear for assistance with this. You'd click on 'mynetgear' at the top. register an account and then your device. from there you can contact netgear. After 90 days it does cost $ though. Unless the device is broken and still within warranty. Then you can go through the RMA process on the support site.
I had an issue with the brand new Arris modem that Spectrum itself originally gave me, where for some reason my download bandwidth was always cut exactly in half. For the life of me, I couldn't ever figure out why. Luckily, I also found out that that particular Arris modem had the **bleep**ty Intel Puma 6 chipset and so I promptly replaced it with a Netgear CM600 modem, which, by the way, should be totally compatible with Spectrum according to their website https://www.spectrum.net/support/internet/compliant-modems-charter-network/
Your modem/router might also be just a coincidence and your issues might be more related to a bad RF signal from Spectrum. If you can, post a screenshot of the signals page that has SNR and upstream and downstream power for the channels. It should look like the one I got attached.
On an unrelated note, when will the XR500 finally start working with the USB ReadyShare for Windows? Will the upcoming update finally fix the issue? This function will literally decide whether or not the router will be scrapped for something else very soon unless ReadyShare starts working again.
I do appologize if it seams as though I am being derespectful to anyone. But I'm not really sure what the issue is obviously to point. But there are a few.
1ST I have an I5 gaming computer that is wired. Fresh install and updated. Nvidia drivers. Computer is as old as the combo I bought. not even a year old.
2Nd When I use speedtest.net my ping is around 8ms, download is 460-ish mbps and upload is just over 20 mbps. I know lightning fast right. I pay for the 400 mbps package. No phone or tv. package. Just internet.
3RD I had a new hub installed on the pole right behind my house and payed to have new co-ax put in. (Been tested by charter and works fine. Better than what I pay for actually with no issues there.)
My problem is that Charter can't see that I am online. They have a different IP address for me at Charter and I have a different one when I check on my computer. Proved this to a Charter service tech. He watched me do a speedtest as well as watch youtube and check my email etc. But while he was on the phone talking to a Charter rep they said my internet was out. He told the lady that he was watching me surf the web. Told her about the speedtest and everything. I did a factory reset on my Router/Modem combo while he was here. He even reactivated it and then we were right back to where we started. I've read everything I can find on it. I have never had any browser other than Edge (cause I can't take it off) and google Chrome now. I switch back and forth between Chrome and Firefox. The only program I run on my PC is CCLEANER. No after market anti-virus software either.
My lag comes from gaming, Netflix or Amazon Prime movies. Even my youtube acts funny at times. And my PC will be the only thing connected to my combo unit. No one else using it. It also doesn't mater if I am using a PS4 for gaming or a Smart TV (Vizio) for the movies. All in the same room with the router.
It sucks because when I first load into any shooter PVP game my ping is super low. Then it jumps really high and stablizes around 80ish. I'll have lag and have packet loss. Movies will buffer. I know some people can understand how frustrating this is.
No one can explain the 2 different IP addresses. As I'm not running any kind of software. I have never did any dark web activity. Which the Charter rep asked me about. LOL. He did tell me that he knows for a fact that Charter will mess with the throttle on the internet if they thinks something is suspicious. The only thing that I found remotely close is the fact that my modem needed to be updated to another versoin. They have did everything but help me with it. They have avoided it at every turn.
And ya, I know that I might have to buy a seperate unit. I told him I was going to get an Aris surfboard 3.1 docsis. He told me that in the last few months out od all the ones he tried to register with charter he was only successful with one. And that was after around ten tries. So ya, Charter does want people to use their equipment. I don't know what they did when they updated their system. But they are obviously having problems also. And I'm not the only one. The Charter rep said that most of his calls were for people having issues and they owned their own equipment.
