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Re: AX12 RAX120 Constantly Rebooting

txbesmer
Guide

AX12 RAX120 Constantly Rebooting

For the third time in a year, this router has started to reboot itself about 10 times per hour.  I have 50+ wifi/wired devices connected.  Current firmware v1.2.3.28 installed over 3 months ago.  No recent changes to network configuration.  No log entries that point to a specific cause.  debug login shows 88.11% CPU load which leads me to believe this is the root of the problem.  I'm beyond frustrated that a router of this caliber cannot handle my network.  Not a business, no gaming, 1 TV on YouTubeTV.  Lots of 2.4 mhz devices mostly switches.  2 POE cameras, no NVR, local SD Card storage only.  I've read a lot about these routers overheating, rebooting for power problems, and other reasons.  When it works, it's great.  When it doesn't, it won't give you any indication why.

Model: RAX120|Nighthawk AX12 12-Stream WiFi Router
Message 1 of 16

Accepted Solutions
txbesmer
Guide

Re: AX12 RAX120 Constantly Rebooting

The last time this happened, I did do a factory reset. No help. That time I was inside the return window so I sent it back for another one. That’s the one I have now and it’s been solid for months since it too had the problem twice. Ruling out a defective unit. Update: I unplugged it for the overnight. Powering it back up in the morning, it’s been solid once again. Definitely a heat issue. I also have a mesh that records traffic to each connected device. One tablet running a surveillance camera stream had used over 7.5GB 2.4mhz streaming over a 2 hour period just before this started. I’ve disabled 2.4mhz WMM and the home assistant card responsible for the streaming. No more problems. Bottom line, this router cannot handle 2.4mhz streaming video. It will overheat.

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Model: RAX120|Nighthawk AX12 12-Stream WiFi Router
Message 3 of 16

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plemans
Guru

Re: AX12 RAX120 Constantly Rebooting

it "should" be able to handle that load without issues. I've got very similar loads on my network and I've ran it on lower performing routers (and higher). 

I'd be better on a process getting stuck. Have you did a factory reset? 

Message 2 of 16
txbesmer
Guide

Re: AX12 RAX120 Constantly Rebooting

The last time this happened, I did do a factory reset. No help. That time I was inside the return window so I sent it back for another one. That’s the one I have now and it’s been solid for months since it too had the problem twice. Ruling out a defective unit. Update: I unplugged it for the overnight. Powering it back up in the morning, it’s been solid once again. Definitely a heat issue. I also have a mesh that records traffic to each connected device. One tablet running a surveillance camera stream had used over 7.5GB 2.4mhz streaming over a 2 hour period just before this started. I’ve disabled 2.4mhz WMM and the home assistant card responsible for the streaming. No more problems. Bottom line, this router cannot handle 2.4mhz streaming video. It will overheat.
Model: RAX120|Nighthawk AX12 12-Stream WiFi Router
Message 3 of 16
plemans
Guru

Re: AX12 RAX120 Constantly Rebooting

What "mesh" is controlling traffic/monitoring it? 

Maybe its causing a loop thats putting a burden on the cpu. the 2.4gh traffic shouldn't put much burden on that cpu to hit 88%

Message 4 of 16
txbesmer
Guide

Re: AX12 RAX120 Constantly Rebooting

2xZyxel NWA50AX (POE). No change to them today or before this all happened. They run in AP mode, DHCP by the Netgear. They have been fine for hours, no router reboots since the POE camera integration in Home Assistant was removed. CPU load down below 10%. I don’t think the mesh had anything to do with the problem other than to route the traffic from the POE camera to the Wi-Fi connected tablet.
Model: RAX120|Nighthawk AX12 12-Stream WiFi Router
Message 5 of 16
plemans
Guru

Re: AX12 RAX120 Constantly Rebooting

Next time it happens, try disconnecting the mesh and rebooting the router. 

Like I said, heat isn't going to increase the cpu processing but a stuck process can or something that's causing a loop on the network. 

 

Message 6 of 16
txbesmer
Guide

Re: AX12 RAX120 Constantly Rebooting

After about 2 hours of reboots and troubleshooting, I disconnected Everything from the router, turned off the Wi-Fi with the push button on the device and tried to get it to start and stay on. It would not. Same issue. It’s been operating continuously all day with almost everything reconnected. The only thing that still won’t connect is my USB connected Drive that I use for cloud storage. It’s been an issue before and has never been a reliable connection. Readyshare has been a weak link on this router and I just read, Readyshare Vault is end-of-life. This might be the last straw for the USB connection. Probably moving to NAS. Incidentally, the USB drive was being used as a storage location for the POE camera feed in testing for that functionality if not using the SD Card in the camera.
Model: RAX120|Nighthawk AX12 12-Stream WiFi Router
Message 7 of 16
beachmiles
Apprentice

Re: AX12 RAX120 Constantly Rebooting

Disable the 2.4ghz wmm in QOS settings if you have bad power and/or a non pure sine wave UPS. Switching to a pure sine wave UPS appears to have solved my Random reboots with 18 days of uptime where previously I would get 8 random reboots a day.
Message 8 of 16
txbesmer
Guide

Re: AX12 RAX120 Constantly Rebooting

I tried that as well. No difference in reboot performance. The USB connection seems to be more of a problem that contributes to my issues. I have a 6TB HDD connected and used as a storage device. If I start a back up job of greater than 10GB, the cpu usage climbs above 80% and the router will fail and start rebooting until I stop the backup job and disconnect the USB drive at the router. A final restart returns the router to normal operation. USB disconnected. The Wi-Fi was the connection method to the tablet that started the high drive usage and causing the initial failure. I don’t think the Wi-Fi was the problem. Just the connection to the root failure which is the USB drive. I’ve connected this drive directly to my desktop without issue. I’m going to try a different USB drive on the router next to test a smaller port-powered HDD.
Message 9 of 16
Killhippie
Prodigy

Re: AX12 RAX120 Constantly Rebooting

@beachmiles Turning off WMM will wreck Wi-Fi performance WMM should always be left on. Basically it decreases Wi-Fi performance badly. See here for details. https://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wireless/wireless-features/30938-dont-mess-with-wmm

Message 10 of 16
beachmiles
Apprentice

Re: AX12 RAX120 Constantly Rebooting

I agree disabling 2.4ghz wmm significantly decreases speed on that channel but I'll take that over the router constantly rebooting.

The real fix for me was swapping my modified sine wave UPS with a pure sine wave UPS. Im going on 20 days without a random reboot with 2.4ghz wmm enabled.
Message 11 of 16

Re: RAX120 V2 Constant Random Reboots

Would you say that almost any UPS with automatic voltage regulation would work to resolve the problem if this is in fact the case?  It could mean a significant difference in investment.  I will mention that I had my router on a UPS, being that there were other devices attached as well, and my router still would reboot 5 to 10 times a day.  Now that I'm plugged directly into the wall, my router may only reboot once every 4 or 5 days.

Message 12 of 16
beachmiles
Apprentice

Re: RAX120 V2 Constant Random Reboots

UPS devices with PFC/APC / Line-Interactive should correct any power fluctuations on the fly without going to the battery but if you have a crummy power source in a large condo building like mine that UPS will need to switch to DC a couple times a day. How gracefully this power correction or switch to DC happens varies by APC UPS model number seems to matter quite a bit to this particular router.

https://blog.tripplite.com/line-interactive-vs-on-line-ups-systems

 

This is the PFC/APC UPS device I previously was using which I thought was a pure sine wave but in fact was a modified sine wave which was causing my RAX120v2 to randomly rebooted 8 times a day if I left 2.4GHZ WMM Enabled. With 2.4GHZ WMM Disabled the router was much more stable but I think it still rebooted like once a week?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06VY12HW4

 

This PFC/APC UPS I switched to is pure sine wave and let my router run 20+ days in a row with the 2.4GHZ WMM Enabled. I had a cable internet issue at one point where Spectrum internet was down in LA one day so I did a manual router reset and the system has stayed strong again with no random reboots so it sure seems like this was the root problem for my router.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00429N19M

 

 

 

Model: RAX120|Nighthawk AX12 12-Stream WiFi Router
Message 13 of 16
beachmiles
Apprentice

Re: RAX120 V2 Constant Random Reboots

Im guessing your power is going in and out of spec like my power so the UPS will need to switch to battery power often. Having pure sine wave when on battery power appears to be very important to this router especially with the 2.4Ghz WMM Enabled.

 

I got the 1350watt version of this but I'd imaging the 1000watt version would be fine for $160 bucks. Not too terrible.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00429N19M

 

Model: RAX120|Nighthawk AX12 12-Stream WiFi Router
Message 14 of 16
cobby1
Initiate

Re: AX12 RAX120 Constantly Rebooting

Am having same problem but i just realized the fan isnt working could that be part of the issue 

 

Message 15 of 16
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: AX12 RAX120 Constantly Rebooting

What FW version are you using? 

Contact the forum moderator and ask about the beta that's available. 

@DarrenM 


Also log into the routers IP address/debug.htm and enable the Thermal Fan check box. Will help keep the router cooler. 

Or install a laptop cooler fan for 24/7 cooling:

https://www.amazon.com/Thermaltake-Massive-Adjustable-Notebook-CL-N004-PL20BL/dp/B00IGSATZY/ref=sr_1...

 

Helps save electronics life span.


@cobby1 wrote:

Am having same problem but i just realized the fan isnt working could that be part of the issue 

 


 

Message 16 of 16
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