Nighthawk RAX120 - Fast Wireless Download Speed, Slow Wired

[bionanoscience]

My ISP is Comcast/Xfinity with a 1-Gig subscription. When I hardwire my desktop directly to the Arris SB8200 modem, my download speed is approx. 940 Mbps. When I wire the desktop to the router and wire the router to the modem, the download speed drops to approx. 50Mbps. I'm using the same cable from the desktop to the modem as I use when I wire the desktop to the router (CAT5E). My wireless download speed on my laptop and phone both come in around 400 - 500Mbps when connected through the router. It is as if the router is throttling down the download speed or functioning as a bottleneck. I've been speaking with tech support for over 2 hours, but no luck after their many suggested adjustments. I had the same problem with the Nighthawk AX8 model that I had for about a week and returned today, swapping it for the RAX120. They are excalating this issue to one of their senior techs who will call me tomorrow.

I'm using firmware version 1.0.1.114 - This appears to be the latest version, although there is a .118BETA available that I can't seem to get downloaded onto the router.

Also, I want to reset the router to the factory settings. They had me change a number of settings which had no effect, so I'd like to change them all back. The tech indicated I should use a pointy object to depress the reset button on the back of the router, which I did depress, but the settings did not reset... I asked the tech for a link to an instruction manual for the router, but I haven't see that yet, so if anyone can point me in the direction of one, that'd also be helpful.

[plemans]

When you push the reset button, make sure the router is powered on and to push for 7-15 seconds. The lights should change when held long enough. 

Make sure to disable any traffic monitoring, circle, qos, or anything like that. 

Have you tried speedtesting a different hardwired device into the router? 

Are you using link aggregation? I know the SB8200 supports it and so doe sthe RAX but its had issues from both arris and netgear. 

here's where you can get the manual

https://www.netgear.com/support/product/rax120

[bionanoscience]

Is there some way to edit my posts? It would be useful to clarify what I wrote previously as wel as fix some spelling errors.

When I attempted to factory reset the modem, I did hold the reset button down until the all the lights went out on the router except one. This took about 8 to 10 seconds. The tech on the phone indicated I would need to name the 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz networks again as well as choose my password again, none of which reset after the reset. I'll probably just ask the escalation tech to help me through this when he/she calls.

I have not speed tested another hardwired device. Unfortunately, I do not have another device to hardwire (my laptop is a Surface Pro 6 with no ethernet port). We do know this hardwired desktop supports at least 940 Mbps download, as this is the speed when it is hardwired directly to the modem.

I'm not using link aggregation.

[Topology]

Bionanoscience, two comments for consideration…

[1] You can perform a factory reset of the router through the browser interface – see ADVANCED | Administration | Backup Settings | Revert to factory default settings | Erase

[2] Installing “Firmware Version 1.0.1.118 - Hot Fix” must be done manually, in my experience. Download “RAX120-V1.0.1.118_BETA.zip” from here, extract the “RAX120-V1.0.1.118.img” file to your desktop, and then upload it to your router through the browser interface – see ADVANCED | Administration | Firmware Update | Locate and select the upgrade file on your hard disk

[plemans]

A couple things you can try.

1. When resetting, you can try going through the advanced----administration---backup settings. you can use this to erase and revert back to factory as well. Try this method. 

2. Also, try reinstalling the firmware. if it didn't install properly/correctly, resetting only removes settings, it doesn't overwrite the firmware. Actually reinstalling can help with this. 

3. Send @Christian_R a PM. There's an actual beta firmmware for the RAX120. Maybe that firmware will help your issue. Plus it'd keep you in the loop for other RAX120 firmwares. 

[Topology]

Bionanoscience, I am curious: have you been able to successfully troubleshoot the problem of “Fast Wireless Download Speed, Slow Wired” on your RAX120? If not, reporting what actions you have tested to-date can also be of benefit to this forum community.

Thank you.

[bionanoscience]

I spoke with a lead support tech about 48 hours ago, who was able to log-in to my computer remotely and test the router. He was able to confirm the problem but unable to resolve it, so he collected a bunch of data and indicated he would escalate this to the engineers. He also indicated he'd be back in touch. At this time, I haven't heard back. I asked for an ETA, but he was not able to provide one.

For some reason, the router operates at the expected high speed when a speed test is performed through IPv6, but it tests slow through IPv4. Given apparently most things on the internet are still IPv4, for all practical purposes, it sounds like my router will run at the slower speed until they find a resolution. This is my understanding currently, which is subject to revision once I hear back from tech support. I'll keep you posted.

[Newfiedrool]

It will take a while to hear back but don't worry, you can contact them via your support page to see what the situation is.

Ive had recent contact with L2 and found them to be great and very understanding and helpful. They really do appreciate help solving issues where an end user is willing to help to with an issue that needs addressing. 

[Topology]

Bionanoscience, I am writing to share a hypothesis concerning the “fast wireless + slow wired” problem: namely, the network interface controller (NIC) in your desktop PC is failing to Auto Negotiate the link speed with the router at 1000 Mbps and, instead, is using 100 Mbps. The link speed can be viewed in the browser interface at ADVANCED | ADVANCED Home | Internet Port | Show Statistics | <LAN Port>. The fact that the problem occurs when using an RAX80 and well as an RAX120 with the same PC suggests that the latter may be the root cause of the problem.

You may also wish to set the Link Speed to “1000 Mbps/Full Duplex” (rather than “Auto Negotiation”) for your PC's NIC (see Device Manager | Network adapters | <NIC> | Right Click + Properties).

P.S.: The RAX120 User Manual may be downloaded from here.  In particular, note the status information provided by the router’s Ethernet LEDs (see page 12).

[bionanoscience]

Thanks, Topology (great subject by the way), I appreciate your thoughts.

I have an update:

When I returned home from work yesterday evening, my devices weren't able to load websites when connected through the router. As soon as I disconnected my phone from the router, for example, my phone was able to load the desired site. At this point, I'd pretty much had enough of this router, so I disconnected it, threw it in the box it came in, and intended to return it to Best Buy today. When I did this, it occurred to me to connect my desktop to the Arris SB8200 modem and do a speed test at https://speedtest.xfinity.com/ . Now, I had done this as described previously, but Comcast's speed test site has a way to select the IPv4 or 6 protocol you want to test, and I hadn't manually chosen which protocol previously with the desktop connected directly to the modem. Well, after manually choosing the protocol, it turns out that the desktop-to-modem connection was giving the same download speeds as the desktop-to-router-to-modem connection, i.e.:

approx. 50 Mbps when tested on IPv4
approx. 900Mbps when tested on IPv6

For some reason, when I would test the desktop-to-modem setup, the speed test would default to IPv6, whereas when I would test the speed of the desktop-to-router-to-modem setup, it would default to IPv4 (or so it seems). Given this, I thought to myself perhaps there isn't a download speed problem with the router. There is an open question as to why the change from IPv6 to IPv4 when the router is connected, but ultimately I became concerned that this is more an issue with Comcast, my ISP.

I called Comcast to ask them why my download speed wasn't what I'm paying for when I test IPv4 vs IPv6, and long story short they indicated as long as I have an IPv6 IP (which they have assigned), I should receive the full download speed regardless of whether the URL I type in has an IPv4 or IPv6 IP. I was concerned that if I go to sites that have IPv4 IPs, my download speed would reduce to the 50Mbps, which isn't exactly what I'm paying Comcast for. They assured me that because I have been assigned IPv6, that's all that matters. Whether that is true or not is above my pay grade.

Once I finished my phone conversation with Comcast, I reinstalled the RAX120 and was able to download websites again. I wish this was the end of the story, but, when I woke this morning, I attempted to download websites again, and once again I wasn't able to. Apparently the router will work for a bit after it's been power cycled. So, I'm now sitting in the parking lot of Best Buy with the router about to walk in and trade it in for an ASUS ROG Rapture AX11000. C'est la vie. I appreciate everyone's help and suggestions.

[ahagler]

RAX80

You see different people talk about enabling then disabling QoS , traffic metering, etc.. to get back to full speeds.  This works, but only temporarily.  Additionally, it has nothing to do with enabling or disabling anything.  Every morning I wake up and perform a speed test on my 1g connection and see that I'm only getting 250Mbs download speed hardwired directly to my computer Cat6.  I go into the router page under QoS settings and just hit the "Apply" button (without changing anything).  My connection speed then jumps right back up to 700-800Mbs without making any changes at all.  By the next day, the connection speed has already dropped backed down again.  Netgear needs to address this issue as the router is obviously throttling back for some reason or another over time.

[EpicLegacy]

I am also having the same issues with mine. Same model. I have done everything to test the speeds. My computer hardwired in with cat 6 still can't pull more then 100Mbps while my wireless can pull my 1 gig paid speeds. I have reached out to mediacom multiple times but they can't assist me as it's a router issue which i can't resolve.....

[Topology]

EpicLegacy, to clarify, is your router an RAX80?

Can you reproduce the problem with a different computer, connected to the router using Ethernet?

[EpicLegacy]

I just tested wired connection on my laptop. I'm now currently loking into why my Desktop PC isn't going past 100Mbps download. I have a EVGA X299 FTW K socket 2066 motherbaord. I just updated bios versions to the latest. Now looking into LAN drivers for the Killer port.

[EpicLegacy]

Still no luck after updating drivers....

[brunodusty]

I am having the same exact issue with my RAX120. Router Firmware Version V1.0.1.122

1- test the speeds. They are low, 25-250mbps

2- open router's QoS page, change nothing, click apply

3- test speeds again, now getting 400-600 mbps
4- wait a while

5- test speeds. We are now back at step 1. Infinite Loop.


Seems like a prety glaringly reproducible issue. As far as I can tell from looking at this forum, Netgear has been knowingly selling us an entire line of routers that promise better performance that they do not even come close to delivering. I am developing the impression all of the RAX routers have the same issue. I RMA'd  mine and the replacement is doing the same thing.
Seems it's not a quality control problem, in the traditional sense, where manufacturing inconsistencies can introduce possible bugs to a few units. This appears to be a flawed design that predictably performs this bad for all customers no matter what workarounds we try. The product appears fundamentally incapable of delivering the speeds promised for longer than 1 day. After months there is still no fix. How is there no class action lawsuit?? 

[Newfiedrool]

There's an update available. Download, reset and test again.

[Retired_Member]

It is under support not downloads on this page.

[TerryPh]

Link for newest fw update v. 1.0.1.128. Courtesy of @Retired_Member from other RAX120 topic

https://www.downloads.netgear.com/files/GDC/RAX120/RAX120-V1.0.1.128.zip