I'm having a big issue with my RAX 120, but with only 1 device in my household.
I have a pretty simple network. I'm on ATT Fiber 1000 with their BGW210 gateway setup in IP passthrough mode, so there's only 1 IP assigned through that and my router is plugged right into that. I have my desktop computer plugged into the router and a few devices hardwired into that. It's running the most recent firmware, but this as been an issues since I got the device, but only with my 4k AppleTV.
I have about 30-35 devices connected to the network at any given time, and only 1 is having issues. I use my 4k AppleTV as my primary TV device (cord cutter) and for some reason about once a day to 2 days (though some times it decides to wait a week) it will just decide to drop my wifi connection in the weirdest way. I think it's happening at the router level, because the router doesn't think the AppleTV is connected to it anymore, but the AppleTV thinks it IS connected to the router still (when I pull up the "network" info, it still thinks it has an IP assigned). The only way to restore the connection is to reboot the device. My regular AppleTV doesn't do this, nor does any of my cell phones, laptops, various desktops, Ring doorbell, google homes, the roku in my daughter's room, or really anything else in the house.
I've factory reset both devices (paperclip method on the RAX, it's running the most recent firmware). I've tried turning off Wifi 6, changing channels a few times, I've even bought a new AppleTV (still did it). I set the DNS setting on the AppleTV to8.8.4.4, seems to have done it more often. I'm at an absolute loss as to how to fix it. It seems completely irrational.
Before I changed to the Netgear router I was running a first gen google wifi mesh system that was on its last leg (had to reset it every few days because the main puck would drop my internet connection), so I thought I was upgrading to something better. Overall I'm happy with this router, but I'm really getting annoyed that it's deciding to just not get along very well with one of the devices I use on a near constant basis.
I contacted support and they had my change my CTS-RTS, but I'm skeptical that's going to have any sort of appreciable change on anything.
I'm having the same issue with my Apple TV 4K as well as my iPhone. Wifi just seems to disconnect from Apple devices for no reason. You're right about the Apple TV, when I go into Network it looks like it's still connected to the network but nothing will load. I've found that I don't need to totally reboot the Apple TV, but instead can "Forget the Network" and then reconnect, enter the password and it kicks back on.
Same thing with my iPhone. Often times it happens late at night or overnight so in the morning I just have to turn off wifi on my phone and then turn it back on, it reconnects with the router and it's good for usually the day.
Definitely seems to be an issue between this router and certain apple devices loosing connection. Really wish support would come up with a fix for this. It's a great router outside of this annoying issue.
I reached out a few weeks after setting up the router and they had me change the WiFi channel. I thought maybe that helped but after a few days the issue was back. I’m not just outside my free support window. Will they continue to help me out since this is an ongoing issue since pretty much day 1 that I reached out about during the support warranty period?
It is quite odd, as I don't see this issue with my Apple TV4K. Did you change any settings from defaults? Also are you connected to 2.4 or 5 Ghz? If on 2.4 Ghz I would select a fixed channel 1/6/11 rather than auto.
My regular AppleTV wasn't having issues, and my wife's iPhone doesn't have any issues, just the ATV4k. It runs on the 5ghz network. I tried a bunch of stuff and could never get it to stick, so I've since purcashed and started using an nvidia shield instead. I also haven't tried it since the last firmware upgrade. Since it was the only device doing it, I know it was a setting on the router (I bought a new Apple TV and it did it, too), but I just couldn't find it and got impatient.
Do you have your 2 networks named the same, or do you have your 5ghz and 2.4ghz separated? I always thought that maybe the router/appletv was trying to force itself to 2.4 back to 5 and didn't know how to deal with the sudden change as it always seemed to happen when there was either a lot of traffic or a lot of devices connected, but didn't really want to redo all the devices on my network. I used to have a google wifi system that did the same switching and never had an issue, but that may have been a bit better since it was a mesh network and I think was supposed to be designed to do that sorta thing?
I've seen the disconnects on both the 2.4ghz and the 5gz. It tends to happen more on the 5 and that's what our phones and AppleTV4k are connected to. The 2.4ghz doesn't have a strong enough speed for the AppleTV4k since I'm streaming for TV, Netflix, etc. I have my 2.4 and 5 ghz networks named individually, something different. So it shouldn't be getting confused by the name.
One thing I did do was use the same names as I had setup on my previous Nighthawk router. Do you think it could have something to do with that? I've got through on all my Apple devices and done the "forget network" and reconnected.
No I don't think names would have anything to do with it. I'm just trying to figure out what else is different in our enivironments leading to you having issues and not me. I've even been able stream 4K on 2.4 Ghz without issues. I do run my RAX120 as an AP with my firewall acting as the actual router, though even in router mode I haven't had an issue with the AppleTV4K.
As for the disconnects for other devices I've seen that on rare occasion with mine and my sister's iphones.
Try running the RAX120 as an AP just as a test to see if the issues dissapear.
I purchased an AppleTV 4K device last weekend and it too connects to the Wifi router but fails to communicated across the open channel to my RAX200. It seems to be the same problem as what you are seeing on the RAX120. I returned the AppleTV 4K device and got my money back. I opened a Support Case with Netgear to work this out as I believe it is an incompatibility between Netgear NightHawk Routers and the AppleTV 4K device. When I connect via Ethernet, the problem goes away. I even managed to update the AppleTV 4K device to the latest firmware and then disconnected the Ethernet to see if it fixed the problem connecting to the RAX200. No luck. I cannot even ping the AppleTV 4K device via Terminal session on another device attached to the same network. My 3rd generation AppleTV connects with no issues to my RAX200. It is just AppleTV 4K the Netgear Nighthawk routers do not like.
Here is my RAX200 wifi setup:
Enable AX = on Enable OFDMA in 2.4GHz = on Enable OFDMA in 5GHz = on Enable OFDMA in 5GHz high band = on Enable SmartConnect = on
2.4GHZ settings: Enable SSID Broadcast = on Enable 20/40Mhz Coexistence = on
5-1GHz settings: Enable SSID Broadcast = on
5-2GHz settings: Enable SSID Broadcast =on
Again, the AppleTV 4K device connects and gets a valid IP address from the RAX200 wifi router. But, the device fails to communicate with that open channel. Netgear, if you are reading this, then please purchase one and see for yourself. It really is easy to duplicate this failure.
PS: Netgear really needs to have a setting to allow the enabling/disabling of individual Devices being controlled by SmartConnect. The Router dropping network on a device is annoying.
I think my issue is different JoeMor. I'm able to get signal 99% of the time on my Apple devices from the RAX120. My problem is a sudden drop in communication. Everything will be fine, and then all the sudden my iPhone and Apple TV4K will just get stuck and stop loading anything. When I go into settings it looks like I'm still connected on WIFI. The fix is to "Forget the Network" and then reconnect. When I do that everything starts loading and working fine. Super annoying.
I am seeing the same thing as you are when the router is setup for WiFi 6 support. The AppleTV 4K connects and then drops the connection even though you still have an IP Address. My problem never cures itself and Netgear has admitted to it to me when they tried to get me to remove the WiFi 6 configuration from my router. Case #43313600 and Case #43333755.
I was lucky to get my money back on the AppleTV 4K. I will wait until a WiFi 6 supported AppleTV 4K comes out to buy it again.
It would be nice if the WiFi 6 configuration on the router would allow non WIFI 6 devices to not go along with the WIFI 6 setup. A somewhat of a hybrid approach. After all, the router is advertised as backward compatible with AX WiFi 6 standard. Netgear just fails to mention that you have to setup the router as WiFi 5 or WiFi 6. You can’t have both unless you like your WiFi 5 devices dropping/reconnecting to the WiFi during usage.
I tried turning off Wifi 6 and still was having issues. I don't think I reset and rebooted everything after turning it off (maybe, I'm not sure) after doing that, though. It wouldn't surprise me that that was the issue, or connected to it.
Having exactly the same issues. I have been trouble shooting for months with no luck. It’s definitely a Netgear issue. My friends cannot replicate the issue on their networks with my Apple TV 4K.
AppleTV 4K does not like these new routers running in Wifi 6 mode even if they are backward compatible. You have to disable Wifi 6 (SmartConnect) in order for it to work. I am not doing it and just waiting for AppleTV 4K to support wifi 6.
Another option is to by the EAX80 wifi extender and place it by your AppleTV 4K and connect to it via Ethernet. I purchased the EAX80 and it works great with the RAX200. It is something to think about. I am going to forgo purchasing an AppleTV 4K device because the new Sony smartTVs that are coming out include the Apple App. So, no need for a AppleTV 4K device anymore.
Do you live in an apartment with 20 other households having wifi routers? If so, Netgear wanted me to pick a wifi channel instead of selecting Auto for the setting as well. When I heard I had to disable SmartConnect that was a, no way, response from me. Try setting the individual 2.4, 5.0 antennas to a channel that is not being used. How to determine if a channel is not being used? Well, I guess if someone else is using the same channel, then you would see network disconnecting/attaching problems. I am not sure about this last point.
Nope, a house. I live in a neighborhood and there's a decent number of signals, but there's enough space in the channels.
Considering the appletv was the only device doing it, and my Nvidia Shield doesn't after I switched to it, there's something strange going on in the communication between the 4k apple tv and the router. My older Apple tv doesn't have the same issue stiff.
Yep, you are seeing the exact same issue I was seeing. My AppleTV 3rd generation works with the Router. But, the latest AppleTV 4K does not.
BTW, I hate Netgear customer support. They spend most their time trying to close your support case then actually trying to help you. Horrible customer support. Horrendous customer support. Did I mention I did not like Netgear customer support?
Geez..... i thought it was me all this time. And yes changed all kinds of settings on the router, and even went as far as exchanging it because i thought it was a defective router.
My appletv 4k drops connection a few times a day, and its annoying as hell. This only happens when connnected to 5ghz. Hope someone finds a solution soon!
I said earlier my 3rd generation AppleTV works. Well, it works like what you are seeing with AppleTV 4K. I get network drops on it every now and then. Here is more information I have since the last time I posted.
There have been 2 RAX200 software updates since then and I am using the latest version (Version = 1.0.3.106) as of this writing.
1) The problem I was seeing has not been regulated to the AppleTV 4K I purchased and subsequently returned. I have purchased a new PC that used an AC wifi network adapter. Yes, I know why the hell didn't you get a AX wifi adapter for the new hardware. Well, this PC was $700 and was slated for use as a intro gaming PC for my 13 year old. I couldn't warrant paying over $1000 to get a AX wifi adapter with a new PC machine. Anyway, I noticed I couldn't find my network's SSID name when I went to setup the new PC using the AC adapter to connect to my RAX200 router running in WIFI 6 mode. I knew there would be problems. But, this just about had me wanting to take the router and chuck it out my window. After calming down and sleeping on it for a day, I realized this had to be the AC adapter problem. None of my other non AX wifi adapters had this issue with my RAX 200 router. So, I began digging into the PC specs online and determined I had an Intel ac wifi adapter. I then began looking to see if there had been any updates to the driver for the device. I searched Intel's website and found an updated version. When I looked through the release info, I found the driver had a fix to communicating with Wifi 6 routers. I updated the driver on my kid's machine and voila, the new PC can now see the SSID name for my RAX200 router. The new PCs AC wifi adapter reaches speeds of 433 Mbps when connected to the 5GHx channel. When connected to the 2.4GHz channel, I get 72 Mbps. I went into the device manager on my kid's new PC and configured the AC wifi adapter to disable the 2.4GHz channel and only communicate via 5 GHz channel. The kid has been tearing heads off his opponents on his 3rd person online game without any lagging or network drops.
2) Next problem was for an old PC my next son was using. This machine was using an old Intel AC wifi adapter. This old AC adapter had the same wifi network speeds as my youngest son's new PC using an AC wifi adapter. 5GHz speeds = 433 Mbps, 2.4GHz speeds = 72Mbps. After I get my youngest son's new PC all setup and running correctly on the RAX200, this son's PC starts dropping network and lagging all the time. Obviously, he starts complaining to me this his younger brother is taking all the bandwidth. I just laughed. I did an exercise to see if putting his PC on the 2.4GHz would stop the lagging and network drops to the RAX200. It does. He once again is happy. But, I am pissed. I have this expensive new router that is dropping non Wifi 6 adapters all the time. So, I do some research looking for a new USB Wifi 6 AX adapter for this son's PC. I find one for $47 and purchase it. I get it and put it in my son's PC and voila this thing is running at 2442 Mbps. I have even seen it reach 2800 Mbps for a Wifi 6 adapter rated for maximum speed of 2400 Mpbs. I feel a little better now. My son is now tearing heads off his opponents on his 3rd person online game without any lagging or network drops. Even his little brother can't beat him now.
3) I have iphones from 7, 8, 11, and now 12 for the Mrs. My wife's iphone 12 is the only iphone that supports wifi 6. She gets 1200 Mbps on the 5GHz band. All other iphones' using AC wifi connection get anywhere between 433 Mbps - 882 Mbps for network speed. The wifi 6 phone doesn't drop network. The other iphones do drop network connection.
In conclusion, I have come to the following realization:
1) Netgear Wifi 6 routers suck when communicating with non Wifi 6 network adapters. Be prepared for some pain here. The pain is not the same for all non Wifi 6 routers.
2) If you buy one of these Wifi 6 routers, then migrate everything over to Wifi 6 AX and you will be happy.
3) Netgear Support sucks. All they care about is closing your support cases faster than you can open them.
That about does it. Oh, a new Wifi 6 standard just came out. Wifi 6E = XE. Great. Just great.
I think I finally found something that may have helped my issue of it dropping the Apple TV 4K entirely. I went into the routers setting and assigned static IP addresses for pretty much all my wireless devices (including the AppleTV) and for whatever reason, I haven't had to "Forget the Network" to reassign it anymore. There have been a few dips in speed where I'll get a buffer every once in a while, but I think that's because my coax line has noise and it's extremely clean after being split a few times coming into the house.
Give that a try and see if it helps you guys. I do think JoeMor is correct. Most of these issues are probably because of a WIFI 6 communication problem between our router and apple devices. Maybe they'll find a way to correct that down the line, or we'll all get newer phones and not have the issue anymore.
