Nighthawk RAX80 very unstable - losing connections
Hi all,
I've bought the RAX80 six weeks ago and it's been very unstable since then:
- devices losing wifi connections
- devices not seeing the wifi network
- RAX80 losing internet connection (orange led)
I did resets to factory settings several times (with rebooting modem, RAX80 and all the connected devices). I only use default settings now - with Smart Connect enabled. No extra wifi6 settings like MU-MIMO. But nothing works. After a few days all the problems above come back again.
I'm very disappointed in this 300 euro router. In times like this with working at home en schools closed losing wifi and internet connections is very frustrating.
Is there something I can do about this problem - except for returning the RAX80?
Re: Nighthawk RAX80 very unstable - losing connections
How frequently is it happening? Have you checked the modem? Another thing you can try doing is downgrading the firmware a version. Maybe the one you're on has issues.
If you do downgrade, I'd recommend doing it over a hardwired connection, then do a factory reset and clean install.
Re: Nighthawk RAX80 very unstable - losing connections
- Devices with interrupted/losing wifi connection: almost every day
(iPhone goes to 4G, Apple TV gives warning: wifi connection - temporarily - lost, Microsoft Teams and Citrix disconnect and so on)
- Devices not seeing/listing the wifi network: few times a week, sometimes more often
(From iPhone 11 to old Windows laptop)
- Disconnecting from internet altogether (orange led): once a week or so
- Cisco Modem is fine (is very robust, simple modem, no wifi or routing functionality whatsoever). No problems with the modem (or connection) with my previous Apple Airport Router (Airport router needed a restart just once a year or so, very stable).
I'm not so comfortable downgrading the firmware of the RAX80 since there were some security vulnerabilities patched in the latest firmware update.
Re: Nighthawk RAX80 very unstable - losing connections
OK, I reinstalled the firmware. We'll see what's happening now.
On a sidenote: I noticed (again now) that RAX80 messes up the names of the connected devices (in the webinterface and the app). After editing and renaming the devices this seems solved. Don't know if it's related to the connection problems but it's kind of sloppy.
Re: Nighthawk RAX80 very unstable - losing connections
I have the same problem with my RAX80, devices lose connection and the router won't accept new connections. ANything for once a day to once every few weeks. Randomly happens.
This is my second RAX80 (first one was replaced under warranty for this exact issue), and all the latest firmware installed, but the problem keeps happeing.
I've been buying Netgear equipment for 20 years and never had a problem, but this will be my LAST Netgear purchase.
Re: Nighthawk RAX80 very unstable - losing connections
Little update:
Devices are seeing the wifi network till now and internet connection hasn't been lost for the last couple of days but devices sometimes lose connection with Teams and Citrix.
In some cases there seems to be an automatic reconnection in other cases I have to reconnect manually. In one case there seemed to be a switch from 2,4 GHZ to 5 GHZ. Is it normal some devices get an IP address via DHCP four times an hour?
Betreff: Nighthawk RAX80 very unstable - losing connections
Hello @all I have exactly the same problem. After 4 Weeks, my result, no Firmware works solid, this router is very Crap. The NG-Support doesn`t seem to care. I swap to my NG R8000P and all works.
Betreff: Nighthawk RAX80 very unstable - losing connections
Same issue here, current FW. Everything works fine but after 1 to 5 days the router drops WLAN connections and does not allow any new ones. Reboot (either via web interface by a device that hasn't been dropped or turn on/off) and everything reconnects. I've played around with many of the settings (SmartConnect on/off, etc) but no dice. Happens with very current devices just like pretty old ones, Apple, Windows, smart devices - no difference.
If NG can't fix this maybe at least add a feature to automatically reboot the router at a certain time each night? I feel like I'm back in the '90s. At this point I'm contemplating a smart plug that can turn it off and back on at a certain time at night. Ridiculous for a product like this.
Betreff: Nighthawk RAX80 very unstable - losing connections
If you read the forums this is a common problem with the RAX80 with no solution (or acknowledgement from Netgear) that its a problem.
My RAX80 cannot maintain Wifi connections, constantly resets LAN connections & requires a reset every week.
These problems were reported more than 18months ago by many users without any attempt to correct these problem from Netgear.
I placed another Wifi5 router from Netgear in the exact same location (same settings, SSID, SmartConnect ON etc) and this works without any issues.
The only solution most people seem to have found is to return the RAX80 & buy something else.
You wont get any support from Netgear for this problem except "your service contract has expired, would you like to buy our extended telephone support so that we can help you?"
This is 2020, "corrupt" firmware after flashing is not a problem.
If a router cannot detect bad flashing itself it is not worth €250..!
Betreff: Nighthawk RAX80 very unstable - losing connections
Dealing with the same issues after getting it replaced twice. Paid their support team for a $80 6 month extended tech plan and their solution for me is to buy a new router and junk this $400 router. Can we start a class action suit on this? 🤦🏻♂️
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Betreff: Nighthawk RAX80 very unstable - losing connections
i have the exact same problem. half time homepods are not reachable. after router restart they get better but then again they don't work. all my devices hang after a time sometimes a day or two. Very annoying.
Re: Nighthawk RAX80 very unstable - losing connections
Update, two months later:
Windows 10 laptop and two MacBooks keep loosing wifi connection. Mostly after starting the laptops. Wifi is connected for a minute or so, then lost and very often my wifi network isn't listed anymore. Disabling and enabling wifi and restarting laptop and then waiting for a few minutes usually works.
Sometimes my new iPhone also looses connection, but mostly the MacBooks and Windows laptop.
But it's almost every day now! It's very very bad for a router that expensive. I don't know what to do anymore.
Re: Nighthawk RAX80 very unstable - losing connections
Another update:
I finally disabled smart connect. Looked like it was working for a short while but now all problems come back again: MacBooks don't see the wifi networks (not 2,4 GHz and not 5 Ghz). After restarts of MacBook, disabling and enabling wifi sometimes it works again. Or typing in the network name and password. Sometimes connections are lost again.
It's driving me crazy: what's wrong with this router? Why isn't Netgear fixing this? No updates this year. For a 300 euro router...
