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Will NetGear ever fix R7500 or should I get rid of it?
I have to reboot the router, just like everyone else, about every other day, to restore wifi and internet connectivity. Sometimes, twice in one day. All the sudden all the wifi connections to all devices drop - wired internet no longer works until rebooting router. It only happens when the router is being used. If no ones using the network - I wont have to reboot it until someone or some device uses it for a while. Always happens during actual usage - not if it's been sitting there for a while with no devices actively causing traffic.
It seems like everyone's been complaining about this for a while - back through early 2015. I always loved NetGear products. Unfortunately, I'm thinking this will be my last one. I never had these issues with the older Netgear Wifi routers.
None of the firmwares they have released have resolved this issue and because it's been happening so long for so many people - it seems like Netgear doesn't care - or there is some sort of flaw with the hardware that cannot be overcome with software. In which case, NetGear sold us all an flawed product with an expensive price tag.
Do you all get this impression as well? Is it time for me to drop NetGear like a flaming bag of poo?
Re: Will NetGear ever fix R7500 or should I get rid of it?
Just an update. Seemed to have isolated at least why the router crashes/halts comms intermittently.
Originally, I decided to plug my external drive into the ESata port rather than one of the USB 3.0 ports.
I wanted to use ESata figuring it would be slightly faster avoiding USB encapsulation/conversion. Honestly I can't tell much different speed wise Esata vs the USB on the R7500.
Any way, a few weeks ago I decided to switch the external drive to the USB 3.0 port. Since then, I haven't had to reboot the router once.
Never had any issues with the Esata when directly connecting the drive to a Windows machine. So I'm not sure what is at error exactly. Could be the sata on the router, could be the drive enclosure. Could be the cable. (not spending further time on this)
Just figured maybe if someone else ran into a similar issue, they could try using the USB port versus the Esata, if they are using the Esata port.
Re: Will NetGear ever fix R7500 or should I get rid of it?
Although I am dissappointed in the failure of my R7500, I am have not lost confidence in Netgear. So many of us have R7500 routers that I believe there is still a future for them after somebody is lucky enough to come across a simple fix. I most likely will add another Netgear router to my network since I am also heavily invested in Arlo and ReadyNas.
Re: Will NetGear ever fix R7500 or should I get rid of it?
Pardon the double post: to give a more direct answer, don't get rid of you R7500 unless you can still return it. If you can return it, then YES take it back and get a different model Netgear router. If you are like me, past return AND warranty, then keep it for a few months to see if a fix evolves.
Re: Will NetGear ever fix R7500 or should I get rid of it?
My immediate impression is that the R7500 and R7800 are related but different enough that it is unlikely to have the same issues as the R7500 has in these forums. The R7800 is at the top of my list of replacement options for my R7500.
I see the R7800 has significant changes in specs over the original two X4 Nighthawks (R7500 & R7500v2). I used my R7500 as a basic NAS with daily backup of 4 computers to two separate drives...this was one of my favorite features and it worked well. The R7800 has a nice new CPU that should improve upon this functionality and leave plenty of room for more NAS/Server-like uses. The 2.4ghz band is finally 4x4 on the R7800 making it a full 4x4 and the 5ghz is upgraded. The guys at www.smallnetbuilder.com say:
The R7800 is the first product on the market to support 160 MHz bandwidth mode. Since there is not actually 160 MHz of contiguous bandwidth in the 5 GHz band available in consumer routers today, this is implemented as 80 MHz + 80 MHz.
160 MHz mode enables devices to basically double their maximum link rate. So a 2x2 STA 802.11ac STA that supports 160 MHz mode can have a maximum link rate of 1733 Mbps vs. the 867 Mbps it would normally have. Of course, like many of 802.11ac's high-bandwidth tricks, higher 160 MHz mode bandwidth requires a strong signal to work effectively.
I have two WNDR4500 routers that still work with little to know maintainence after YEARS of service (some of that spent in the attic of my Texas home running in 110+ degree temperatures). I thought the R7500 would bring me similar longevity and simplicity and I hope the R7800 will do just that.
Re: Will NetGear ever fix R7500 or should I get rid of it?
Just an update. Seemed to have isolated at least why the router crashes/halts comms intermittently.
Originally, I decided to plug my external drive into the ESata port rather than one of the USB 3.0 ports.
I wanted to use ESata figuring it would be slightly faster avoiding USB encapsulation/conversion. Honestly I can't tell much different speed wise Esata vs the USB on the R7500.
Any way, a few weeks ago I decided to switch the external drive to the USB 3.0 port. Since then, I haven't had to reboot the router once.
Never had any issues with the Esata when directly connecting the drive to a Windows machine. So I'm not sure what is at error exactly. Could be the sata on the router, could be the drive enclosure. Could be the cable. (not spending further time on this)
Just figured maybe if someone else ran into a similar issue, they could try using the USB port versus the Esata, if they are using the Esata port.
