MR60 Lag Spikes

[Phillips60]

I have a Nighthawk MR60 Mesh system, and for the past couple of months now I have been getting lag spikes that appear for around 5 seconds and then go away. It happens constantly on different computers, and every solution I've looked up has not worked. I've also checked with the ISP and it isn't on their end.  Any help will be appreciated. 

Here is a shortened version of the ping test I did:

Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=21ms TTL=54
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=15ms TTL=54
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=54
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=13ms TTL=54
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=54
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=2441ms TTL=54
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=42ms TTL=54
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=54
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=17ms TTL=54
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=54
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=1961ms TTL=54
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=17ms TTL=54
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=13ms TTL=54
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=54
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=17ms TTL=54
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=15ms TTL=54

Ping statistics for 8.8.8.8:
Packets: Sent = 1171, Received = 1171, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 11ms, Maximum = 2441ms, Average = 20ms

[michaelkenward]

In the absence of any useful information, the usual boilerplate questions to eliminate some of the more common issues that crop up here.

What firmware version do you have on the device?

A number is more useful than "the latest". There may be newer versions, or "hot fixes", that do not show up if you check for new firmware with an app or in the browser interface.

If there is one it might also help if you told people the make and model number of the modem/gateway/ONT that connects this router to the Internet. Is it, by any chance, also a router, with a set of LAN ports on the back?

I ask because a lot of people turn up here trying to put a router behind a modem that is also a router. That can complicate troubleshooting.

[Phillips60]

I have Firmware Version V1.1.7.134_2.0.65

The Modem it is connected to is an Xfinity XB6-T Gateway

[michaelkenward]

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@Phillips60 wrote:
I have Firmware Version V1.1.7.134_2.0.65

The Modem it is connected to is an Xfinity XB6-T Gateway

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The "modem" is, as you say, a gateway. So it is a  modem and router combined,

Two routers on your network can cause headaches. For example, you can end up with local problems with address on your network. Among other things, the other router can misdirect addresses that the Netgear router usually handles, such as routerlogin.net or the usual default IP address for a router, 192.168.1.1.

This explains some of the other drawbacks.

What is Double NAT? | Answer | NETGEAR Support

Unless you have specific reasons for using two routers – to create two separate networks for example – it is often easier to use just one router and then to set up the second router as a wifi access point (AP) with a wired connection to the main router. Netgear advises this, as does just about every site you will visit.

My NETGEAR or Orbi router is connected to an ISP gateway or another router, and it's causing double ...

It may be possible to put the modem/router into modem only (bridge) mode and then to use the second device as the router. Sometimes it is easier to put the second router into AP mode. But that has its own drawbacks:

Disabled Features on the Router when set to AP Mode | Answer | NETGEAR Support

[Phillips60]

Just put the router in bridge mode and ran a ping test, and I’m still getting lag spikes.

[michaelkenward]

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@Phillips60 wrote:
Just put the router in bridge mode and ran a ping test, and I’m still getting lag spikes.

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With such sparse information from you, it is difficult for anyone to begin to diagnose what  might be going on.

Even that sentence doesn't really tell us what you did.

The router? Is that the gateway?

Did you go through all the usual restart things when you changed the network?

You may need a genuine network aficionado to help you out, but they may well ask for more details about what is on your network.

You have obviously spent some time doing all manner if things t try to see what might cause this. Here we are working from a blank sheet.

For a start, any claims that your ISP has made need confirming. They are never the most reliable sources of information. "It s all right at your end" is not much help. They don't tell us if there are any line issues into your cable modem/router.

Have you look at the Netgear router's logs for any signs of strange activity?

[Phillips60]

Sorry, I bridged the gateway and restarted it and my computer and I still got ping spikes, up to 2800 ms. Also, I don’t think it’s the isp because when I had my laptop connected via Ethernet to it the problem wasn’t there, but it was there when the same laptop was connected to the Netgear. After I restarted both I logged into the router setup to check the logs then ran the ping test, and nothing looked out of the ordinary except for this:
[DoS attack: Fraggle Attack] from source UNKNOWN,port 443 Sunday, Mar 24,2024 14:32:30
[DoS attack: Fraggle Attack] from source UNKNOWN,port 443 Sunday, Mar 24,2024 14:28:20

But searching it up seems to indicate that it’s a red herring.

[michaelkenward]

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@Phillips60 wrote:
[DoS attack: Fraggle Attack] from source UNKNOWN,port 443 Sunday, Mar 24,2024 14:32:30
[DoS attack: Fraggle Attack] from source UNKNOWN,port 443 Sunday, Mar 24,2024 14:28:20

But searching it up seems to indicate that it’s a red herring.

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Netgear's firmware is great at creating false reports of DoS attacks. Many of them are no such thing.

Search - NETGEAR Communities – DoS attacks

Use Whois.net to see who is behind some of them and you may find that they are from places like Facebook, Google, even your ISP.

If these events are slowing down your router, that may be because it is using up processor time as it write the events to your logs. Anything that uses processor power – event logging, QoS management, traffic metering – may cause slowdowns. Disable logging of DoS attacks and see if that reduces the problem. This does not prevent the router from protecting you from the outside world.

[Phillips60]

Unfortunately that didn’t fix it either. Cleared the log and rebooted it as well, but the problem’s still there. In the ping test.

[FURRYe38]

Seen some of those fragle entries being misinterpreted by android or apple devices having MAC address randomizers enabled. Might disable these while at home and see to help narrow those out:

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Nighthawk-App/NETGEAR-Mobile-Applications-and-Apple-Devices-FAQ/td-...

Is this lag and such seen over both wireless and wired? 

Seen also if you turn OFF the MS and connect only to the MR?

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@Phillips60 wrote:
Unfortunately that didn’t fix it either. Cleared the log and rebooted it as well, but the problem’s still there. In the ping test.

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[Phillips60]

Yes , the lag is there for both wireless and wired connections, and it’s there when the MS devices are disconnected.

[FURRYe38]

What Firmware version is currently loaded?
What is the Mfr and model# of the Internet Service Providers modem/ONT the NG router is connected too?
Be sure your using a good quality LAN cable between the modem and router. CAT6 is recommended. 

If you connect a wired PC directly to the ISP modem, do you see this same lag spikes there or only when the MR is connected? 

Is Armor, Access Controls or Traffic Meter enabled on the MR? 

[Phillips60]

Firmware Version V1.1.7.134_2.0.65

It is an Xfinity XB6 TG3482G, and the lag spikes are not there when wired to the router, only when connected to the mr60.

Armor, Traffic meter, and access control are all turned off.

[FURRYe38]

And the ISP modem in bridge mode and MR sees this? 
How about the ISP modem in router mode and the MR in AP mode? Same results? 

Has a factory reset and setup from scratch with a PC since last FW update have any changes to this? 

[Phillips60]

Where do I check to see if it recognizes the isp modem is in bridge mode?

Edit: Found it, and regardless it still caused the lag spikes and having the mr60 in ap mode is not an option. I haven’t done a factory reset since the last firmware update since I have no idea when the last firmware update was, so if it updated on its own I wouldn’t know.

[michaelkenward]

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@Phillips60 wrote:
I haven’t done a factory reset since the last firmware update since I have no idea when the last firmware update was, so if it updated on its own I wouldn’t know.

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This is always something to try if you have problems with a router, regardless of the age of the firmware.

This will tell you when the latest version became available:

MR60 / MS60 Firmware Version 1.1.7.134 - NETGEAR Support

New firmware sometimes introduces changes that are not compatible with the old configuration.

So while it isn't guaranteed to fix problems a factory reset is the first thing to try if you have issues.

You can reduce the hassle of reconfiguring all those settings by creating a backup of your settings before you reset. Then if something is still broken after the reset, and the new firmware has not fixed it, you can restore the device to its pre-reset state.

You could even try restoring the settings even if the new firmware has fixed the problems, but be prepared for the restore to also bring back your problems.

[Phillips60]

Sorry for the late update, but the firmware was already up to date, and after a factory reset the lag is still there.