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Re: Turning off UPnP causes authentication errors RAX80

CyberTri
Apprentice

Turning off UPnP causes authentication errors RAX80

If you don't know what UPnP (universal plug n' play) is look it up. It's a notoriously poorly rated, insecure, feature which was implemented to make lazy manufacturers not have to fight routers when advertising ports inside of home networks.

Its garbage. So as a security engineer for over 15 years, I never use it. I have owned multiple Asus and Netgear routers and Cisco FWs for home use. Never use UPnP.

I don't want my video cameras (which are often made in China...no matter what manufacturers assembles them) being able to open ports to the internet which then get constantly scanned and attacked for weakness by Nmap (look it up) hackers on the web.

So, I haven't asked it for years. Not on my X6 (R8000) before my new RAX80. So, I was very surprised to find out that on some firmware (.58 & .61 for sure) I discovered that if you turn it off multiple devices (Galaxy phones, HP laptops, Alexas) will get "Authentication errors".

No...I'm not kidding. Try it yourself.

NETGEAR: This is entirely UNACCEPTABLE. Fix your crappy firmware so that I and others that understand what this is about don't have to leave UPnP enabled to use our devices. Also,.61 broke the capture option in your /debug.htm menu.

Really. $400 to be more vulnerable to attacks than ever before. FAIL!
Model: RAX80|Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream WiFi Router
Message 1 of 18
CyberTri
Apprentice

Re: Turning off UPnP causes authentication errors RAX80

Typo:

 

So, I haven't (used) it for years. 

Message 2 of 18
CyberTri
Apprentice

Re: Turning off UPnP causes authentication errors RAX80

Message 3 of 18
CyberTri
Apprentice

Re: Turning off UPnP causes authentication errors RAX80

Message 4 of 18
Christian_R
NETGEAR Employee Retired

Re: Turning off UPnP causes authentication errors RAX80

Hi CyberTri - Would you mind providing a screenshot when the 'Authentication Error" occurs.


~Christian 

Message 5 of 18
CyberTri
Apprentice

Re: Turning off UPnP causes authentication errors RAX80

Really? You need a screen shot of the words "Authentication error"?

It happens on every device. Alexa. Android.

Turn off your UPnP and screen shot it yourself.
Message 6 of 18
CyberTri
Apprentice

Re: Turning off UPnP causes authentication errors RAX80

I have a case open for this. Case #: 41574005

Im just warning other people who also know that UPnP is a crap feature and Netgear has botched the ability to disable it on a "state of the art" AX device they just released
Message 7 of 18
CyberTri
Apprentice

Re: Turning off UPnP causes authentication errors RAX80

auth_error.JPG

Message 8 of 18
CyberTri
Apprentice

Re: Turning off UPnP causes authentication errors RAX80

Case #41574005

Bug confirmed:

Hi Dan, I was able to reproduce the issue in our lab and capture the debug logs as well. I will proceed on escalating this case to our engineering team ....... Regards, Eduard Expert ID: 8305 NETGEAR L2 Support Expert

Model: RAX80|Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream WiFi Router
Message 9 of 18
Christian_R
NETGEAR Employee Retired

Re: Turning off UPnP causes authentication errors RAX80

Hi CyberTri - Thanks for posting an update on the thread. We look forward to further updates as you continue to work with our Support Team on debugging the issue. Feel free to reach out if I can be of any further assistance. 

 

~Christian 

Message 10 of 18
CyberTri
Apprentice

Re: Turning off UPnP causes authentication errors RAX80

Why is this still broken Netgear? My Alexas sometimes won't authenticate even with UPnP on (which I am forced to use due to this PROVEN bug)
Message 11 of 18
CyberTri
Apprentice

Re: Turning off UPnP causes authentication errors RAX80

Still not fixed as of Firmware Version 1.0.1.70. With UPnP off multiple devices have authentication errors. Alexa Show and Spot, Chromecast... especially seem affected.
Message 12 of 18
svan71
Aspirant

Re: Turning off UPnP causes authentication errors RAX80

Your concerned about privacy/security yet you use Alexa?

Message 13 of 18
kennyjimno
Aspirant

Re: Turning off UPnP causes authentication errors RAX80

The same exact problem here
Message 14 of 18
kennyjimno
Aspirant

Re: Turning off UPnP causes authentication errors RAX80

As a matter of fact .... i have it enabled right now and none all of the devices you have i have Samsung Note10 5g, multiple Alexa show devices Authentication Error.
Message 15 of 18
kennyjimno
Aspirant

Re: Turning off UPnP causes authentication errors RAX80

So I restart the Router and then the Nighthawk app now says that my Router is not compatible with the Nighthawk app?
Message 16 of 18
kennyjimno
Aspirant

Re: Turning off UPnP causes authentication errors RAX80

Correction the app says my Router is not supported
Message 17 of 18
CyberTri
Apprentice

Re: Turning off UPnP causes authentication errors RAX80

Message 18 of 18
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