Latest firmware killed my Nighthawk AC1750 R6700v2

[Retired_Member]

I have so many issue with this unreliable router. I have another post @ https://community.netgear.com/t5/WiFi-Range-Extenders-Repeaters/My-nightmare-has-begun-from-Nighthwa...

I created a support case about it but no one has ever picked the phone.

The issue has happened after the latest firmware update. Every night it can't connect to internet and force me to reboot the router. The router lights are correct. Modem is connected to internet fine. The router UI shows internet is good. Everything looks normal but no device can get online. 4 days ago, I tried to shut down everything inclduing the modem, router, extenders then turned them on again. 3 days ago, I tried to reboot my router 2-3 times since it's randomly disconnected to internet. 2 days ago, I turned off everything again and waited for 20 minutes then turned everything back on. Yesterday, I rebooted my router. Now I did factory reset and reconfig my port forwarding and so on. I think the router is doomed. I should request a replacement but no one ever picked the phone.

I forgot my previous case number and now I have another new number 29369804.

[Retired_Member · Accepted solution]

Update:

The solution works I think.

Since I already did static ip way before for port forwarding, the only setup was different was the DNS. I have both DNS set to the google DNS addresses, not the DNS addresses were defaulted. It's more than 40 hours and my internet is still good.

[michaelkenward]

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@Retired_Member wrote:
Now I did factory reset and reconfig my port forwarding and so on.

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Has it thrown a wobbly since you did that?

[Retired_Member]

No...

When I posted it which was last night I reset. This noon I went out for lunch then got home by 2pm the internet was down again. This router now is totally junk and the customer support line never picks up my call.

[joelbb]

Pretty much the same thing happened to my R8000 with the latest "security update" firmware, and I had to roll back to an earlier version. Netgear seriously does not have their act together with recent firmware releases.

[Retired_Member]

Does anyone know how to get the older version firmware?

[michaelkenward]

The support pages for all Netgear devices have firmware versions going back to the original release. For the R6700v2 start here:

>>>R6700V2 | Product | Support | NETGEAR <<<<

For others start here:

Support | NETGEAR

[Retired_Member]

Yesterday after talked with the customer support, she told me to update the firmware with a computer connects the router with a Ethernet cable. This morning the router if off internet once again. Netgear does not want to do phone support since my nighthawk was purchased by end of July. They only support it for 90 days or spend 80+ dollars to get support. To prove it’s a router issue, you need to pay the 80+ dollars for the phone support to narrow down the issue to find out if it’s a hardware issue then you may get a replacement from netgear.

My router setup is so simple. I have 2 devices have port forwarding. One of them has forwarded port 80. I’m not sure if those can be the issues. I’m going to remove all my port forwarding then also try to downgrade it. I spent ove 100 for a router only works for few months. Bad decision bought nighthawk.

[Retired_Member]

Also found out after it loses internet, from outside the network, I can assess skybell, HomeKit, hue, arlo. The first time I tried arlo I could connect to the cam. The next time I tried could only connect to the base.

[michaelkenward]

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@Retired_Member wrote:
Yesterday after talked with the customer support, she told me to update the firmware with a computer connects the router with a Ethernet cable.

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Did you reset the router to factory settings after you installed the new firmware?

There is a manual for the R6700v2 somewhere at the end of this link:

>>>R6700V2 | Product | Support | NETGEAR <<<<

See page 161.

If the device is less than a year old, then it is still under warranty.

You can also take it back to the previous firmware by downloading the older version from the above site and follow the instructions in the release notes.

[Retired_Member]

Hi,

I did factory reset once and that was 4 days after the new firmware installation. If you mean the current firmware directly uploaded from a computer that's wired with an ethernet cable to the router then I didn't do factory reset. I am planning to reverse to the pervious firmware tonight.

I am not sure if factory reset can help since I already tried and also there had no error when I did the firmware update.

[Retired_Member]

After yesterday’s rebooting in the morning, I had the internet off again this morning. It looks like every 20-24 hours the router loses internet. I just rolled back to pervious firmware 1.2.0.4. Hopefully it will work.

[Retired_Member]

After downgraded to the previous firmware, the issue is still not resolved. The internet status shows good in the router page. I could login in to my router outside home network via the predefined specific port.

I went to connection status in the router page and hit renew then internet is back.

Does it mean it’s not the router issue but the modem issue?

[michaelkenward]

If you have a modem router combination there is no harm in restarting the network in the recommended sequence:

• Turn off and unplug the modem.
• Turn off the modem router and computers.
• Plug in the modem and turn it on. Wait 2 minutes.
• Turn on the modem router and wait 2 minutes.
• Turn on the computers.

This forces the router to reestablish a connection with the modem after it has negotiated  a connection. This reduces the risk that the router will get its network address confused.

[Retired_Member]

I am not sure what do you mean "modem router combination". I have the R6700v2 router which is just the wifi router.

I have done to turn off my modem and router and wait for 15 minutes to turn them back on before. I do not see any error from the router. It shows the internet connection is good. However, anything from the router cannot access internet. I still can access to the router outside the home network from a brower.

[michaelkenward]

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@Retired_Member wrote:

I am not sure what do you mean "modem router combination".

This is just a router and a modem working together.

In some messages you say there is no Internet. In some you say that there is. So it is hard to work out what you are saying.

Go back to basics. What connects and what doesn't?

How do they connect? Wired (LAN) or wifi?

[Retired_Member]

Let me explain all details here.

The router's WAN is wired to the cable modem. I have some devices wire to the router LANs. Some devices wirelessly connect to the router or the wifi extenders.

Everyday during 1:00AM-6:00AM( I sleep so don't know the exactly time) the internet connection loses. In the router admin page, the internet status shows GOOD in green. However, there is no web page can be accessed via the internet. However, from outside the home network, I am able to access the router via the predefined port. Other services such as skybell seem to work since I am able to access them to view the live stream. For Arlo, it seems like I still can login to the base but not the camera.

What I have tried to resolve the issue are reset the router, reboot all devices, downgrade the firmware, nothing really helps so far. I just noticed if I renew the ip in the internet status from the router admin page this morning, the internet can work again without rebooting the router.

In my router setting, I have 2 port forwarding items and the remoate access is on.

Do you need more information? 

[2pfspiff]

Is your Gateway just a modem or is it a Modem/WIFI set up.  If it is a Modem/WIFI setup then try setting internet suppliers gateway into Bridge mode.  May be there is a conflict between your gateway and your Router.  Also try a factory reset on your Gateway and see if that helps.

[michaelkenward]

Good question. What is the modem?

[Retired_Member]

Sorry I haven’t replied for a while since I have tried different ways to narrow down the issue. Finally I found out once I have my new Amcrest ip cam (ip2m-841B)installed, it has the issue.

It’s not like always eveynight lose internet. It’s actually like every 24 hours. I unplugged my cam and the internet was good for more than 24 hours. Yesterday morning, after 32 hours good internet connection, I reset and added the cam back. This morning, internet was gone again. Then I did a research, found out some people also had the issue and blamed it’s a bug from netgear. Here is the topic with a solution. I’m going to try it tonight.
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Nighthawk-WiFi-Routers/WiFi-Internet-Only-drops-about-every-12-hour...


My setup does have static ip but does not have static dns. Hopefully the solution can fix this issue.

[Retired_Member · Accepted solution]

Update:

The solution works I think.

Since I already did static ip way before for port forwarding, the only setup was different was the DNS. I have both DNS set to the google DNS addresses, not the DNS addresses were defaulted. It's more than 40 hours and my internet is still good.