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Re: BUG REPORT Nighthawk® AX12 RAX120 Router Firmware Version V1.0.0.84

schumaku
Guru

Re: BUG REPORT Nighthawk® AX12 RAX120 Router Firmware Version V1.0.0.84


@mbze430 wrote:

Surface Pro 3 with the Marvell Wifi will not connect when set to WPA2+WPA3.  Will connected fine WPA2 even with AX enabled.


Aehm, the many years old Surface Pro 3 does unlikley support a config for WPA3 (just like the mainstrem Windows 10 release which don't yet...).

 

Should you talk of the router radio setting, this system isn't alone - several devices are struggling. Could be a client as well as a AP problem.

Message 26 of 53
mbze430
Guide

Re: BUG REPORT Nighthawk® AX12 RAX120 Router Firmware Version V1.0.0.84


@schumaku wrote:

@mbze430 wrote:

Surface Pro 3 with the Marvell Wifi will not connect when set to WPA2+WPA3.  Will connected fine WPA2 even with AX enabled.


Aehm, the many years old Surface Pro 3 does unlikley support a config for WPA3 (just like the mainstrem Windows 10 release which don't yet...).

 

True the Marvell doesn't support WPA3.  However this new setting

WPA2-Personal[AES] + WPA3-Personal

lead one to think that devices that CAN authenticate via WPA3 will do so, if not it will fall back to WPA2.  Which that is the case for Android devices that I have tested.  When I have it set to that particular setting.  My Android devices continues to connect via WPA2 even though it doesn't connect at WPA3.  Which should happen as well in Windows or ANY other devices. 

Which also hold true to this setting

WPA-Personal [TKIP] + WPA2-Personal [AES]

if a device can't connect at WPA2, it will fall back WPA.


 

Message 27 of 53
schumaku
Guru

Re: BUG REPORT Nighthawk® AX12 RAX120 Router Firmware Version V1.0.0.84

Sure, and that's what this thread bug report is about - some clients fail to associate if the RAX is set to WPA3+WPA2.
Message 28 of 53
mbze430
Guide

Re: BUG REPORT Nighthawk® AX12 RAX120 Router Firmware Version V1.0.0.84

I am also seeing serious speed issue when the RAX120 is setup as a Wireless AP.  with AX turned off.  I am 10ft away from the RAX120 connected to the 5ghz band.  I can barely get 175mb/s on down (I have 400mbit down), but my RT-AC5300 which is 40ft or so in the living room, while connected to the RT-AC5300 5ghz band, I can get my 350mb/s down speed.

Message 29 of 53
mbze430
Guide

Re: BUG REPORT Nighthawk® AX12 RAX120 Router Firmware Version V1.0.0.84

Another thing I noticed with my Surface Pro 3 when connecting and then disconnecting from the RAX120 (AX disabled).  My Surface Pro 3 Marvell will go into this 'limp mode'  were i only get 50mbits down and 5mbits up.  If I reboot my laptop and connect straight back to the my RT-AC5300 it works fine.

Message 30 of 53
mbze430
Guide

Re: BUG REPORT Nighthawk® AX12 RAX120 Router Firmware Version V1.0.0.84

Alright more problems!

 

So I set up the RAX120 to use the SAME 2.4ghz SSID as my RT-AC5300 but on a different channel

RT-AC5300 is on channel 11, and used channel 1 on the RAX120; both with the same SSID.

It is giving me all kinds of problem.  As soon as I connect the RAX120 it would connect but HUGE amount of lag.  Doing a bloatbuffer test from dslreports I am getting ping time over 2500ms+.  As soon as I change the RAX120 2.4ghz SSID to a different name, they work fine independently.  But I used to have a RT-AC3200 that had no issue as a Wireless AP with that same setup and configuration.

At this point I can't use the RAX120 as a main router nor can I use the RAX120 as a Wireless AP.  I am starting to remember why I left Netgear back in 2012.  This is horrific.

Message 31 of 53
avtella
Prodigy

Re: BUG REPORT Nighthawk® AX12 RAX120 Router Firmware Version V1.0.0.84

I had such isssue between a RAX80 and RAX120 running at the same time. So there must be something else at play here.

 

Make sure the RAX120 is set to 20 Mhz and not 40 Mhz, force 20 MHz infact by slecting lower by selecting 1 mode lower than max. Additionaly go to 192.168.1.1/debug.htm and disable PMF. I believe PMF is disabled on Asus units by default so maybe having it enabled on one and not the other is causing an issue? 

 

Lastly just a thought have you tried reversing the channels on the two units.

Message 32 of 53
avtella
Prodigy

Re: BUG REPORT Nighthawk® AX12 RAX120 Router Firmware Version V1.0.0.84

Correction I meant * I had no such issue*.

Message 33 of 53
mbze430
Guide

Re: BUG REPORT Nighthawk® AX12 RAX120 Router Firmware Version V1.0.0.84


@avtella wrote:

I had such isssue between a RAX80 and RAX120 running at the same time. So there must be something else at play here.

 

Make sure the RAX120 is set to 20 Mhz and not 40 Mhz, force 20 MHz infact by slecting lower by selecting 1 mode lower than max. Additionaly go to 192.168.1.1/debug.htm and disable PMF. I believe PMF is disabled on Asus units by default so maybe having it enabled on one and not the other is causing an issue? 

 

Lastly just a thought have you tried reversing the channels on the two units.


For test, I disabled PMF on the RAX120 that didn't help.  Decided to enable ALL my routers with PMF.  That seem to help a bit.  But I am still having major issues with the RAX120 causing a huge amount of bufferbloat when testing traffic through the RAX120.

And yes I ALWAYS set 2.4ghz at 20mhz since I live in area with gazillion  WIFI APs.  Switching/Swapping channel didn't help either that was the first thing I tried even before voicing my issue.

Now I just to figure out why I am getting this huge amount of bufferbloat only on the RAX120 and not on my RT-AC5300.

Message 34 of 53
avtella
Prodigy

Re: BUG REPORT Nighthawk® AX12 RAX120 Router Firmware Version V1.0.0.84

Sorry to hear nothing helped.
Message 35 of 53
mbze430
Guide

Re: BUG REPORT Nighthawk® AX12 RAX120 Router Firmware Version V1.0.0.84

Ok more update on my issue and this one took a long time to test.

 

Basically when a WiFi client that was on the RAX120 and roamed over to the RT-AC5300 that particular client will be in a 'stuck' state.  It just sits there and creates a huge amount of lag. From what I have tested with a few devices, if you turn off the wifi and on again it seems to be fine.  HOWEVER!  Clients originated from the RT-AC5300 and roamed over to the RAX120 don't seem to have this issue at least the lag is minimal. 

 

I used a Windows laptop and my phone in terminal to continuous ping the gateway.  RAX120 roamed over to the RT-AC5300 the ping reply can go up to 500ms but drops a LOT of packets.  Once connected, it will continuously drop packets or reply with over 500ms and this will continuoue to last over 5mins or until I turn off the WIFI and turn it on again and then it will then go back to normal.

When the client originate from RT-AC5300 and roam over to the RAX120 the packets are dropped continuous and only a few replys are over 100ms and once it connected, the ping reply are well under 20ms

Message 36 of 53
mbze430
Guide

Re: BUG REPORT Nighthawk® AX12 RAX120 Router Firmware Version V1.0.0.84

Anyone know how to uncheck the option "Allow guests to see each other and access my local network" it's always grey'd out for me

Message 37 of 53
avtella
Prodigy

Re: BUG REPORT Nighthawk® AX12 RAX120 Router Firmware Version V1.0.0.84

It should be unchecked by default. Enabling and disabling is working fine for me. 

Message 38 of 53
avtella
Prodigy

Re: BUG REPORT Nighthawk® AX12 RAX120 Router Firmware Version V1.0.0.84

Have you tried toggling the guest nework on/off and then checking or reeboting. If it still is occuring after that, might be due to settings corruption. I suppose a factory reset is the last resort.

Message 39 of 53
kc6108
Luminary

Re: BUG REPORT Nighthawk® AX12 RAX120 Router Firmware Version V1.0.0.84

This is the default, and intended, behavior when the router is in Access Point (AP) mode.

Model: RAX120|Nighthawk AX12 12-Stream WiFi Router
Message 40 of 53
avtella
Prodigy

Re: BUG REPORT Nighthawk® AX12 RAX120 Router Firmware Version V1.0.0.84

Ah I missed that it was in AP mode, then I don’t think it matters.
Message 41 of 53
mbze430
Guide

Re: BUG REPORT Nighthawk® AX12 RAX120 Router Firmware Version V1.0.0.84


@kc6108 wrote:

This is the default, and intended, behavior when the router is in Access Point (AP) mode.


That absolutely makes no sense.  Even in the basic of an AP mode a 'GUEST' network basic is to avoid your "guest" to come in contact with your LAN resources other than Internet access.

 

I am tired, I spend the entire weekend unable to even get the most basic WLAN concept to work (AP Roaming & Isolated Guest network). 

 

I have requested an RMA from my place of purchase and this is definitely going back.  I will try Netgear products maybe another 10yrs from now.  Going back to ASUS even though I don't need all that bloated junkware on it.

Thanks for nothing Netgear.  

Message 42 of 53
schumaku
Guru

Re: BUG REPORT Nighthawk® AX12 RAX120 Router Firmware Version V1.0.0.84


@mbze430 wrote:

@kc6108 wrote:

This is the default, and intended, behavior when the router is in Access Point (AP) mode.


That absolutely makes no sense.  Even in the basic of an AP mode a 'GUEST' network basic is to avoid your "guest" to come in contact with your LAN resources other than Internet access. 


Disabled Features on the Router when set to AP Mode

"The following router features are not available (grayed out) when the router is in AP mode:

  • Guest Network
    ..."

No guest network in AP mode, so no isolation, ...  @kc6108 is correct.

 

Have fun with Asus - not even their AiMesh does support extending a guest network to the AiMesh "nodes".

Message 43 of 53
mbze430
Guide

Re: BUG REPORT Nighthawk® AX12 RAX120 Router Firmware Version V1.0.0.84

On my RT-AC5300 and my RT-AC3200 I don't use AiMesh (Merlin firmware) and Guest isolation was an option.

 

I recently moved the RT-AC3200 to my office and loaded DDWRT on it.  That is why I needed a new router.  Didn't want the GT-AX11000 since it won't support Merlin, but at this point, it still looks like a better option than the RAX120.

Message 44 of 53
avtella
Prodigy

Re: BUG REPORT Nighthawk® AX12 RAX120 Router Firmware Version V1.0.0.84

It makes sense because the unit acting as the router handles if devices on the two bands see each other. The AP unit has no control over that. Since the router unit just sees a single wired connection to AP and not two separate connections it can’t control it either.
Message 45 of 53
avtella
Prodigy

Re: BUG REPORT Nighthawk® AX12 RAX120 Router Firmware Version V1.0.0.84

Probably need OpenWRT/DDWRT if you want that kind of granular control.
Message 46 of 53
mbze430
Guide

Re: BUG REPORT Nighthawk® AX12 RAX120 Router Firmware Version V1.0.0.84

Not sure how the RAX120 VLAN their internal since I can't even SSH.

 

As far as I know.  Working with 4 Wireless APs in the office.  OpenWRT allows you to isolate the VAPs, since it assigns each VAP as wl0.1, wl0.2, and so forth.  Using IPTables for isolation.

I never actually looked at the RT-AC3200 IPTables when I had it running as a Wireless AP, but there was a check mark area to isolate the guest.

Maybe Netgear is too lazy to incoporate a simple script to isolate the guest network.  Who knows

 

Message 47 of 53
nasserkhatri
Aspirant

Re: BUG REPORT Nighthawk® AX12 RAX120 Router Firmware Version V1.0.0.84

I am also facing slow speed while on AP mode of RAX120. Getting 90 down and 75 up... While my other AC devices are giving me 400down and 200 up while on AP mode. I usually keep AP mode on all routers to maintain IP to 192.168.0.X but just for RAX120 i had to setup as router with 192.168.1.1 to bring up full performance.
Message 48 of 53

Re: BUG REPORT Nighthawk® AX12 RAX120 Router Firmware Version V1.0.0.84


@nasserkhatri wrote:
I usually keep AP mode on all routers to maintain IP to 192.168.0.X but just for RAX120 i had to setup as router with 192.168.1.1 to bring up full performance.

So how many routers do you have on your network?

 

More than one router is a recipe for chaos and can cause what you experience.

Message 49 of 53
schumaku
Guru

Re: BUG REPORT Nighthawk® AX12 RAX120 Router Firmware Version V1.0.0.84

@michaelkenward  have spotted several reports of RAX owners reporting the wireless bridge (AP mode) performance does badly suffer, while the wireless performance is great in router mode (also over the NAT router).

 

Don't know why - many users or sales people seem to find routers great to operate as APs. Ok, here with the 802.11ax devices, there are not many choices.

Message 50 of 53
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