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Re: problem installing AX4 (RAX40). Cannot get to internet

hpw2408
Apprentice

problem installing AX4 (RAX40). Cannot get to internet

Here is my setup before I touched it today. Comcast internet 300 MBS to Arris SB8200 Modem and then to R6300v2. Everything is great.

 

To "improve" things I did a straight swap of the R6300v2 with the RAX40. After resetting both and unplugging and replugging in the recommended order and then in the opposite order just in case, I cannot get to the internet. Either by wifi or ethernet.

 

I have swapped them back and forth several times and continue to have great network and internet with the R6300v2 and only local network (with wifi) with the RAX40.

 

I did a hard reset (with paperclip) on both the modem and also with the router but it did not help. I then swapped the R6300v2 back in and everything works great. Then I also plugged the ethernet cable straight from the modem to the computer without any router and the internet works great. In fact, that is how I am able to post this.

 

Any suggestions?  (One time I did a hard reset of the modem and was able to address the modem directly 192.168.100.1 through the RAX40 but could not get past this to the internet.)

Model: RAX40|Nighthawk AX4 4-Stream WiFi Router
Message 1 of 36

Accepted Solutions
sgo
Aspirant
Aspirant

Re: problem installing AX4 (RAX40). Cannot get to internet

Same issue. After reading how many hours it took experts to figure it out, I'm sending the POS back and exchanging for a different brand. My old TPlink is working fine, just wanted something faster, not a headache. Thanks

View solution in original post

Model: RAX40|Nighthawk AX4 4-Stream WiFi Router
Message 36 of 36

All Replies

Re: problem installing AX4 (RAX40). Cannot get to internet


@hpw2408 wrote:

...I cannot get to the internet. Either by wifi or ethernet.

 

How are you diagnosing this? And what are the symptoms.

 

What prompts do you see? What do the LEDs on the RAX40 show?

 

There are just so many ways that people "cannot get to the internet" that we are left guessing about what you see.

 

For example, if you are using a Windows PC and it will not work, it may be that Windows thinks you are on a Public network and has blocked access to the outside world.

 

In Network & Internet settings you should see Network status. If you go to Change Connection Properties this should be Private.

 


@hpw2408 wrote:

(One time I did a hard reset of the modem and was able to address the modem directly 192.168.100.1 through the RAX40 but could not get past this to the internet.)


Again, not clear.

 

Are you setting ther thing up with a browser? What do you mean by "could not get past this to the internet"? What are you doing and what are the prompts?

 

Was that 192.168.100.1 a typo for 192.168.1.1?

 

Doesn't it work to use http://www.routerlogin.net? That could be a clue.

Message 2 of 36
schumaku
Guru

Re: problem installing AX4 (RAX40). Cannot get to internet


@hpw2408 wrote:

I did a hard reset (with paperclip) on both the modem and also with the router but it did not help.


A recipe to create unexpected issues... MAC reservations are not permanently stored typically, a cold reboot (as you have done before) is commonly sufficient to allow a new router.

 

With very few ISP, you have to request a reset for the old MAC address.

 


@hpw2408 wrote:

One time I did a hard reset of the modem and was able to address the modem directly 192.168.100.1 through the RAX40 but could not get past this to the internet.


So the RAX40 worked as a plain IPv4 (NAT) router and works with the ISP CPE resp. the cable modem. Before a cable modem is provisioned from the ISP headend, there is a default IP address with DHCP server and captive portal in place.

@michaelkenward While not as popular as the common 192.168.0.1/24 or 192.168.1.1/24, the 192.168.100.1/24 is a popular default LAN IP used by products from many vendors, including Ambit, Arris, Askey, Cisco, Motorola, Netgear, Scientific, USR, .... ZyXEL - typically cable modems, but also on other CPE like 3G/4G routers

Remains the problem what is required by your ISP to configure the RAX40 (e.g. PPPoE encapsulation, VLAN tagging, authentication, ...).

 

 

Message 3 of 36

Re: problem installing AX4 (RAX40). Cannot get to internet



While not as popular as the common 192.168.0.1/24 or 192.168.1.1/24, the 192.168.100.1/24 is a popular default LAN IP used by products from many vendors, including Ambit, Arris, Askey, Cisco, Motorola, Netgear, Scientific, USR, .... ZyXEL - typically cable modems, but also on other CPE like 3G/4G routers


The default for the RAX40 is 192.168.1.1

 

I checked the manual.

 

My question is how come the user wants to get at a different IP address?

 

Why do they want to address the modem?

 

I sense some confusion.

 

I am not interesting in devising complicated theories. I am interested in finding out what is going on. In that way it is easier to suggest possible solutions.

Message 4 of 36
schumaku
Guru

Re: problem installing AX4 (RAX40). Cannot get to internet

They do not want to talk intentionally to the modem - it just happens that while certain CPEs like cable modems are not provisioned yet - that these devices have a default LAN IP, an active DHCP server, and many times a captive portal so an attempt to connect the Internet does hit the cable modem, for indicating a problem situation locally, for the time the uplink and downlinks are not established yet.

 

This happens when users reboot the cable modems, and it can take even longer if they decide doing a factory reset of these units.

 

Nothing wrong, and a nice proof the router and it's Internet/WAN Interface is working as expected - up to the CPE.

 

Lack of any more insight (ISP, config requirements, ...) it's difficult to assist on why the RAX40 can't be used to establish the Internet connection.

Message 5 of 36
hpw2408
Apprentice

Re: problem installing AX4 (RAX40). Cannot get to internet

thank you for all of the responses. I hit the two hour mark on working on this so I am just sending it back.

 

This is about the eighth wifi router that I have installed over twenty years and never had this issue before. I addressed the modem directly (...100.1) to make sure that it was on the internet and it was and all of the status indicators on the modem were correct. So the router was seeing the modem since it would give me the modem web page.

 

Occasionally the browser would give me the netgear installation web page and I would proceed but then get to the part where Netgear wants to connect to the internet and it would say that it was not able to.

 

The router lights were all over the place. From just the power blinking red to all of the lights showing green except the internet showing amber.

 

I believe the comment about the MAC may be valid. I have had problems in the past with Comcast not wanting to relinquish the MAC of the modem but never of the router. When all of the status lights were green or amber on the router then a browser would say that it could not connect because of a security flaw. I ran the Windows 10 network diagnostic and it showed that it was hitting windows.com but the website would not respond.

 

I was going to call Comcast to see if they could help but then time ran out so I just kept what I had.

 

Thanks again for all of the comments.

Message 6 of 36
hpw2408
Apprentice

Re: problem installing AX4 (RAX40). Cannot get to internet

I guess the summary of my problem was that in the past I had always been able to swap a router out directly for another router for a working system.

 

The wifi would not work before adjustment but the wired router ability would work just fine right after power cycling.

Message 7 of 36

Re: problem installing AX4 (RAX40). Cannot get to internet

I suspect a sequencing issue in the setup. I have had that one happening to me.

 

Unfortunately, it isn't simply a matter of swapping out one box for another.

 

The first step is to reset everything.

 

Then you get the modem to talk to the Internet. That get its configured ready to join the rest of your network.

 

Then you turn it off.

 

Then you turn off everything.

 

Now plug the router and PCs into the modem, but don't turn them on.

 

Now turn on the modem. Wait for it to connect to the Internet. (I assume that there are lights to show this.)

 

Now turn on the router.

 

Wait until all of the router's LEDs have settled down.

 

Now, and only now, turn on the PC that you plan to use to manage the router.

 

If you then throw your browser at www.routerlogin.net the router's startup wizard should kick in and take you through the configuration process.

 

Mistakes happen when people think they can take short cuts.

 

Another source of issues can be the modem. In my case, what calls itself a modem-only device can also provide limited router features.

 

So, if the setup process hits a brick wall it is worth investigating that. I looked at the manual for your modem and could see no router features, but it does seem to have two Ethernet LAN ports, which was a bit puzzling.

 

 

 

 

 

Message 8 of 36
hpw2408
Apprentice

Re: problem installing AX4 (RAX40). Cannot get to internet

Usually it is a matter of swapping out a router and recycling all the switches, modems, etc. I have been doing this for twenty years from dial up to dial up usb modem to adsl to now cable with Linksys, d-Link and Netgear. I am quite familiar with the process. The problems usually arise with the wireless access portion, additional WAP's, etc.

 

Also, I spent a lot of time both following all of the instructions that came with the device and to the instructions on this page.

 

Again, I was able to easily get to the netgear setup page and the hang up would be with going on the internet.

 

I have sent this item back but there was something that bugged me about the setup. In hindsight, none of the internet would talk to me through the modem. The pages were all blocked because they viewed me as a security issue.

 

In one of my responses above, I noted that using the Windows Troubleshooter showed that Windows (at microsoft) was receiving my request but that it would not respond to me for an unknown reason.

 

That is why  many times all of the router lights were correct but I could not get through to anyone. All the browsers I used on my computer to go outside my own network would show security threat. The firewall is built into the router and a wired connection from the computer to the modem would then work and also putting in a completely different older Netgear router worked.

 

It is a new router and perhaps in my setup this signaled a security risk for some reason.

 

Just posting this in case Netgear wants to replicate it. The return rates for routers is something like over one third because the headache is too much for the average Joe.

 

 

 

Message 9 of 36
schumaku
Guru

Re: problem installing AX4 (RAX40). Cannot get to internet

As long as the Internet set-up is not established yet, or the Internet connection is down, the router does intercept the Web traffic to indicate a problem and one would assume to a page assisting with the problem. Of course, as most pages are https, the certificate on the router does not match, so the browsers spill some kind security issue messages. That's all. 

Message 10 of 36
theagg
Star

Re: problem installing AX4 (RAX40). Cannot get to internet

I can add that I'm having exactly the same issue with my new AX4 (RAX40). As described word for word pretty much. No amount of power cycling, waiting, unplugging, plugging etc has got this router to see the internet. (via the Virgin Meia hub 3) Not even when the status lights on the AX4 are all green (internet included) will it work..The MAC spoofing page the browser throws up when it fails to detect the internet, fails to work as well. Solutions suggested online are of little use, since many of them advise logging in to the router but it won't get to the log in page because it wants to check the internet first..

 

Likewise there were no problems with the router this one is meant to replace.

Message 11 of 36
hpw2408
Apprentice

Re: problem installing AX4 (RAX40). Cannot get to internet

It is nice to hear that I am not alone. My guess is that it is something with our setups that was not tested in the lab.

 

If you have not sent back the router yet and it is not too much of a hassle to plug it back in: Would you please run the "troubleshooter" in windows? I did it and it said that windows received the request but would not respond. And that one of the reasons is that it may not trust the sender.

 

If you just are using it for the wired router capabilities then it does't need a network name or anything. It just plugs in and does the DHCP process. So, I don't see why it flames like this.

Message 12 of 36
theagg
Star

Re: problem installing AX4 (RAX40). Cannot get to internet

I haven't sent it back yet but am close to doing so ! I will give that a go tomorrow, having had enough of it trying most of this afternoon with no success. But yes, I'm suspecting some issue with the firmware (given these WiFi-6 routers are new off the line).

 

It's quite annoying that I (and I assume you as well when you had it) can't even access the router settings page. Using the default 192.168.1.1 address immediately throws up a 'Before you can complete the installation, you must click agree' page. Clicking agree then moves directly to 'detecting internet connection' at which point it fails...and the rest is history, as you are well aware of. And it needs repeating again for any 'experts' reading, it doesn't matter how the sequence of plugging, power cycling etc goes, even with a full set of green LEDs, it fails to detect the internet. (my ISP requires dynamic DHCP in case anyone was wondering but that's a moot point because I can't get into the AX4's settings to change that if that was one of the problems !

Message 13 of 36
hpw2408
Apprentice

Re: problem installing AX4 (RAX40). Cannot get to internet

I am trying to think of things that were different with this installation. For the first time I used the Netgear app. It seemed similar to the ring app where it makes a private/public wifi connection outside of the standard wifi network. And then maybe it stuck open.

 

But, even when I used the paperclip to do a hard reset of everything and uninstalled the app from my phone it still would not work.

 

And, yes, I always saw the "detecting internet connection" deadend.

Message 14 of 36

Re: problem installing AX4 (RAX40). Cannot get to internet


@theagg wrote:

But yes, I'm suspecting some issue with the firmware (given these WiFi-6 routers are new off the line).

 

Remind me, did you try an older firmware?

 

You are right about these AX boxes. Netgear seems to have embarked upon an extended beta programme, using customers to do the work.

 

That's what you get by roaming the bleeding edge of technology.

 

 

 

Message 15 of 36
theagg
Star

Re: problem installing AX4 (RAX40). Cannot get to internet

Well, I can point out one difference, that being I'm not trying to set this up via the mobile phone app, since I don't have a mobile phone that can do that (high end tech everywhere else but an old basic mobile!) so my setup has all been via PC and browser.

Message 16 of 36
theagg
Star

Re: problem installing AX4 (RAX40). Cannot get to internet


@michaelkenward wrote:

@theagg wrote:

But yes, I'm suspecting some issue with the firmware (given these WiFi-6 routers are new off the line).

 

Remind me, did you try an older firmware?

 

You are right about these AX boxes. Netgear seems to have embarked upon an extended beta programme, using customers to do the work.

 

That's what you get by roaming the bleeding edge of technology.

 

 

 


Not tried older firmware, principally because I can't get into the settings page. The default, new out of the box proceedure for 'installing' this router seems to be, that upon attemtping to log into the router (192.168.1.1), it opens up a 'Terms and conditions' page, requiring you to click 'Agree'. Upon doing that, it then immediately attempts to 'detect the internet connection' and fails...After that it cycles through various "did you check this, do that, try this" pages in the browser, trying at each to 'detect the internet connection' and failing each time.

 

And goes round in circles at this point, the actual settings pages never opening. This auto setup wizard which keeps deadending is effectively running ahead of reaching any log in page, so no way to check or install other firmwares.

Message 17 of 36
theagg
Star

Re: problem installing AX4 (RAX40). Cannot get to internet

Day 2.5.

 

Unplug WAN cable. So now the AX40 is connected to PC by LAN and nothing else. (internet side fully disconnected). Attempt to login and...

Agreement page appears, click 'Agree', Router tries to automatically detectinternet, fails (of course) and brings up screen with two options.

 

They are 'Try again' or 'manually configure internet' Select manual with 'next' button which brings up page to set up password and two security questions.

 

Enter those details and click the 'next' button.....

 

Next button doesn't work (not in any of the three browsers tried)....dead end ?!!

 

 

Message 18 of 36
Christian_R
NETGEAR Employee Retired

Re: problem installing AX4 (RAX40). Cannot get to internet

Hello hpw2408 - Thanks for your post. Have you gotten a chance to contact our Support team regarding your issue? 

 

https://www.netgear.com/support/default.aspx
 

~Christian 

Message 19 of 36
hpw2408
Apprentice

Re: problem installing AX4 (RAX40). Cannot get to internet

I did not even bother. I have never had good luck or any good effort from netgear support. I have an arlo camera that was having a problem. Here is a copy of my last post regarding the camera to which I never received a response.

 

The first portion is a netgear response to a service e mail that I entered through the system.Then my response to the e mail. And I never heard anything further

 

"Network Solutions Inbox

Arlo Support -
We have received your email.
We would like to acknowledge the receipt of your email.
An expert will review your query and respond to you as soon as possible.
Thanks,
Arlo Support."
I got this on Oct 18 2018 and it is now Oct 29 2018 and no response.
No one reading the stuff?
Message 3 of 3
Message 20 of 36
Christian_R
NETGEAR Employee Retired

Re: problem installing AX4 (RAX40). Cannot get to internet

Hi hpw2408 - I can assist with support reaching out to you. If you wish to be contacted, please send me a message with your contact info and serial number. 


~Christian 

Message 21 of 36

Re: problem installing AX4 (RAX40). Cannot get to internet


@hpw2408 wrote:

I did not even bother. I have never had good luck or any good effort from netgear support. I have an arlo camera that was having a problem.


Arlo and Netgear have been separate companies, with separate stock market listings, for near on a year now.

 

Their techies don't talk to each other. Your experiences with Arlo have no bearing on anyone's dealings with Netgear.

 

 

 

Message 22 of 36

Re: problem installing AX4 (RAX40). Cannot get to internet


@theagg wrote:

 

And goes round in circles at this point, the actual settings pages never opening. This auto setup wizard which keeps deadending is effectively running ahead of reaching any log in page, so no way to check or install other firmwares.


A bit of a bugger, but have you tried the most basic approach to attacking your RAX40?

 

There is a way to get around the dead ending.

 

Disconnect the RAX40 from anything else on your network, especially the modem.

 

Connect a PC to the RAX40 and nothing else. So no Internet.

 

Then try to login to the router through the graphical user interface (GUI).

 

Tell any wizards that try to get in the way to scram.

 

Use this as a guide on how to sneak up on the router:

 

If you cannot login to your router | Answer | NETGEAR Support

 

If that doesn't work, then give up and return to seller.

 

Oh, it might be a good idea to factory reset the RAX40 before you try this. Even better, download, save and unzip a copy of the latest firmware to your PC before you try this. Then you can update the device without needing to go anywhere near the Internet.

 

Then you can set the creature up and reintroduce it to the network.

 

If all of that works and you still can't make it work, something else is going wrong in the setup process.

 

Message 23 of 36
theagg
Star

Re: problem installing AX4 (RAX40). Cannot get to internet


@michaelkenward wrote:

@theagg wrote:

 

And goes round in circles at this point, the actual settings pages never opening. This auto setup wizard which keeps deadending is effectively running ahead of reaching any log in page, so no way to check or install other firmwares.


A bit of a bugger, but have you tried the most basic approach to attacking your RAX40?

 

There is a way to get around the dead ending.

 

Disconnect the RAX40 from anything else on your network, especially the modem.

 

Connect a PC to the RAX40 and nothing else. So no Internet.

 

Then try to login to the router through the graphical user interface (GUI).

 

Tell any wizards that try to get in the way to scram.

 

Use this as a guide on how to sneak up on the router:

 

If you cannot login to your router | Answer | NETGEAR Support

 

If that doesn't work, then give up and return to seller.

 

Oh, it might be a good idea to factory reset the RAX40 before you try this. Even better, download, save and unzip a copy of the latest firmware to your PC before you try this. Then you can update the device without needing to go anywhere near the Internet.

 

Then you can set the creature up and reintroduce it to the network.

 

If all of that works and you still can't make it work, something else is going wrong in the setup process.

 


That's the first thing I tried this morning (no internet, no WAN, just a single ethernet to a LAN port) and likewise, no luck, the PC could not access the router. This time after trying the intial login, it gave two options, 'try again' or 'set up internet manually'. Both failed.

 

However, I ca now report success but here's what I had to do..

 

Yesterday, as all efforts then were to get it working via hard wired LAN to PC, today I dug out my tablet and installed the Nighthawk app and had a go via wifi. Result...success ! Woot ?!! However, it wasn't a smooth success.

 

At first, when starting the Nighthawk app, it checked cable connections, tick. Then checked internet connection (the stumbling point via PC and LAN) and amazingly found the internet with no issue. The app then asked did I want to set up the router (or skip)..Choosing 'set up router' it opened the password and security questions set up page and once these were filled in and 'next' was clicked, wait for it, it failed with a 'configuration error', stating it could not apply the settings. (A 'Check wifi' message came up etc)

 

At this point since it had at least found the internet in the Nighthawk app via wifi (where the PC LAN had failed), with the Nighthawk app still running (green ticked internet connection) and my PC still wired up by LAN, I went back to check if the PC could now see the internet. Sadly no, the web page login attempts on the PC stil failed. LAN could not see through to the internet, where WiFi could.

 

Back to the Nighthawk app then and restarting that, it once again checked cables and internet, green ticks to both. This time though instead of setup router I chose 'skip setup', which opened up the main sections selection page and immediately a message popped up saying 'new firmware update available'. That downloaded, installed and the AX40 rebooted.

 

Following this, the 'setup' screen now worked om WiFi but more importantly, going to the other room to check, the PC via LAN could now see the internet and access the routers settings pages!!

 

Basically then, this whole problem seems to have been caused by problematic firmware as exists straight out of the box.

 

Message 24 of 36

Re: problem installing AX4 (RAX40). Cannot get to internet


@theagg wrote:

Following this, the 'setup' screen now worked om WiFi but more importantly, going to the other room to check, the PC via LAN could now see the internet and access the routers settings pages!!

 

Basically then, this whole problem seems to have been caused by problematic firmware as exists straight out of the box.

 


To me those symptoms smell more like a problem with the PC LAN to router link.

 

These are rare but not unknown, especially on a Windows 10 PC where the security settings can block devices from getting on to networks that it deems suspicious. You can end up with the public/private network clash which blocks all internet access.

 

One thing I did not specify was the need to start things in the right order. Turning the PC on should be the final step. At least, that is the pattern when booting a network.

 

Message 25 of 36
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