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Re: RAX120 Connectivity Issues

kschroed
Star

RAX120 Connectivity Issues

I setup a new RAX120 ~4 weeks ago updated to latest firmware available V1.0.1.114. Device has been working great without any issues since I got it installed and all my devices cut over. Yesterday all my networked devices connected to it started having connectivity issues. IP connectivity was working however websites etc weren't loading on my clients. It seemed like DNS issue so updated my configuration to use Google DNS instead of provider DNS on the router. After changing that and resetting the router things started working again, this morning things were not working again. I have reset my Spectrum Motorala modem it is connected too, but I have other devices directly connected to that modem/router that are not experiencing any connectivity issues, which firmly leads me to believe it is an issue that has started occurring in my RAX120. Network has been completely powered down multiple times, problem will resolve for a short period and then connectivity issues start happening after 30 minutes or so again. Have tried different DNS providers as mentioned but issue persists. Problem is affecting both wifi and hard wired devices across all operating systems, including mix of Windows, IOS, Chromebooks, Linux, Mac operating systems issues. I can remote manage the router from the Nighthawk app on my phone and Internet speed test works just fine.

Model: RAX120|Nighthawk AX12 12-Stream WiFi Router
Message 1 of 15
plemans
Guru

Re: RAX120 Connectivity Issues


@kschroed wrote:

I setup a new RAX120 ~4 weeks ago updated to latest firmware available V1.0.1.114. Device has been working great without any issues since I got it installed and all my devices cut over. Yesterday all my networked devices connected to it started having connectivity issues. IP connectivity was working however websites etc weren't loading on my clients. It seemed like DNS issue so updated my configuration to use Google DNS instead of provider DNS on the router. After changing that and resetting the router things started working again, this morning things were not working again. I have reset my Spectrum Motorala modem it is connected too, but I have other devices directly connected to that modem/router that are not experiencing any connectivity issues,------is it a modem router combo device? what your wrote makes me think so. It puts you in a double nat which can cause many issues.  which firmly leads me to believe it is an issue that has started occurring in my RAX120. Network has been completely powered down multiple times, problem will resolve for a short period and then connectivity issues start happening after 30 minutes or so again. Have tried different DNS providers as mentioned but issue persists. Problem is affecting both wifi and hard wired devices across all operating systems, including mix of Windows, IOS, Chromebooks, Linux, Mac operating systems issues. I can remote manage the router from the Nighthawk app on my phone and Internet speed test works just fine.


From the above, it makes it look like your in a double nat. Have you tried your RAX120 in AP mode or placing your spectrum device in modem only/pass through mode? 

https://kb.netgear.com/30186/What-is-Double-NAT

 

Message 2 of 15
kschroed
Star

Re: RAX120 Connectivity Issues

Yes it is double natted. I haven't tired either suggestion as that is a supported cofiguration as far as I know and was working just fine. 

Message 3 of 15
plemans
Guru

Re: RAX120 Connectivity Issues


@kschroed wrote:

Yes it is double natted. I haven't tired either suggestion as that is a supported cofiguration as far as I know and was working just fine. 


 

so you know its in a double nat. Which is known to cause issues. 

But someone told you "its supported" and "its worked fine". so it must not be the issue.

And you're not willing to try the methods that fix double nat's because "it must be a router issue". 

Ok. Maybe it'll fix itself. Either way, good luck.  

Message 4 of 15
kschroed
Star

Re: RAX120 Connectivity Issues

The known issues as outlined in the KB you referenced: "problems with playing online games, opening a specific service port, connecting to a VPN tunnel, or visiting secure sites with SSL" are not problems that I'm having.  I'm having fundamental DNS issues, that did not previously exist up until some random moment the other day at which point it will only resolv lookups temporarily after resetting the router.  Bypassing the router address as the DNS resolver manually circumvents the issue, connecting direclty via an IP address instead of hostname circumvents the issue.    I specifically inserted this device into my topology so that I could have configureable DNS from the DHCP service, as opposed to from my Internet provider as they do not allow customizeable DNS servers which is something I require.

 

Removing the double NAT topology is not going to allow me to do what I bought the device for. Has nothing to do with my not willing to try a configuration, but it needs to be a configuration that will work for the reasons that I bought the device in the first place.  It clearly is an issue with the Netgear and DNS service it is providing proxy pass-through to. 

Message 5 of 15
HanzJ
Guide

Re: RAX120 Connectivity Issues

Just found your thread.  We are having the same issue and it's being discussed here:

 

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Nighthawk-Routers-with-WiFi-6-AX/RAX120-Router-Random-Disconnects/m...

 

Currently hoping that some beta firmware will correct the domain name resolution issue.

Message 6 of 15
Placesandspaces
Apprentice

Re: RAX120 Connectivity Issues

ISP’s dns has been an issue with disconnects for me. Started using smartdns as my back up dns servers and haven’t had any disconnects since. I am guessing whenever the isp’s primary dns fails their back up was failing also. So now if the isp’s primary fails my router automatically goes to a different server that is not affiliated with the isp so no longer getting disconnect messages. I am riding with this setup until it proves me wrong.
Message 7 of 15
TheWhiteDick
Aspirant

Re: RAX120 Connectivity Issues

Just picked this router up last week. I have not had a stable day.  Speed test are great on the App and through third party apps on iPhone and computers.  The Internet drops out noticeable a few times an hour. Spectrum 400X20.  Speed varies through out the day something 480's DL and sometime 68 DL.  Also if I'm getting the great speed 10 feet from the nighthawk, 40 feet away on the patio my wife is having issues facetiming on her wifi 6 phone.  

I have factory reset twice and still having the issue.  I want this to work so bad, but if the families not happy it has to go back.  I got this router to have Wifi that just works with out all the trouble shooting. 

 

working from home and I need a stable connection or I lose alot of work. 

 

Has anyone found a better solution that reboot, reset, repeat.

 

Thanks 

Model: RAX120|Nighthawk AX12 12-Stream WiFi Router
Message 8 of 15
Placesandspaces
Apprentice

Re: RAX120 Connectivity Issues

That could be a number of issues. Would probably need to know more as to what your settings are in the router. Did you set them up through the app or through the GUI?
Message 9 of 15
vlozko
Aspirant

Re: RAX120 Connectivity Issues

Bumping this thread because I, too, am experiencing issues with this router. I "upgraded" from the Airport extreme and to say I'm disapointed is an understatement. Multiple times an hour on different devices I'm experiencing dropped connections. Sometimes my devices are indicating that I'm still connected to my Wi-Fi network but network requests just drop out. I have to toggle my wifi on and off to get my connection working again. It doesn't appear to be a DNS issue as even requests to 192.168.1.1 were timing out. Other devices do just drop the connection and I have to manually reconnect. My most frequent experience is on my iPhone where I'm toggling my wifi a good 5-10 times an hour. It's beyond ludicrous and aggravating, especially given how much I paid for this router. I don't believe I have a double NAT issue as my router connects directly to a Spectrum modem, not router, and I don't have any other routers on my network (I do have a switch). Also, my internet port ip address isn't 10.x.x.x or 192.x.x.x. My firmware version is 1.0.1.136.

 

I'm beyond my return by date but am still under 90 day support. Any suggestions?

Model: RAX120|Nighthawk AX12 12-Stream WiFi Router
Message 10 of 15
Placesandspaces
Apprentice

Re: RAX120 Connectivity Issues

Have you checked your event log in the router’s settings to see what if it is showing issues?
Message 11 of 15
vlozko
Aspirant

Re: RAX120 Connectivity Issues

I have and there was nothing remarkable about it. It’s a very sparse event log. Is there a way to turn on verbose logging?
Message 12 of 15
Placesandspaces
Apprentice

Re: RAX120 Connectivity Issues

Not sure about verbose logging availability. Are you using the smart connect feature? Is it a standalone modem from Spectrum? Ethernet cables relatively new?
Message 13 of 15
Killhippie
Prodigy

Re: RAX120 Connectivity Issues

Have you tried a factory reset are re-installing the firmware? I have had the router since October and have no issues like you, I update via a PC and not let the router auto update, then factory and reset the router manually, dont use a saved config file to restore from as that could bring in low level code from from the last firmware which may be causing issues.

Model: RAX120|Nighthawk AX12 12-Stream WiFi Router
Message 14 of 15
Placesandspaces
Apprentice

Re: RAX120 Connectivity Issues

Additionally I have never been a fan of the ISP’s equipment (in this case the Spectrum modem). Cable companies generally supply customers with inferior equipment. I would recommend buying your own modem and maybe get one that is Docsis 3.1 compatible to future proof for higher speeds that are becoming more random more available. More cost effective too in the long run.
Message 15 of 15
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