Nighthawk Mesh Wifi 6 Router MR60 losing connection to 2.4 devices

[nnrpro]

I thought only me is having this problem. My dad keeps telling me to fix the internet because his TV keeps losing network. I was like i have no idea what is happening. I paid this device to improve the speed but it is not working well at all. It is just weird that the connection is off for some devices. After restarting the router, all devices is working good again. The next day, problem again. I gave up. I will return back to Costco. 

[AwakenedGiant]

Years ago and I mean in the 50s and 60s, companies like Philco and GM used to field test their products to disclose issues that might arise when they were sold to a consumer and the issues fixed prior to them hitting the market. In 1992 or so, GM field tested 1,000 Northstar engines in Taxis on the Chicago streets for a year. Taxis offer some of the most brutal conditions. In addition the Northstar was validated by running it between 3/4 and full throttle for 175 hours straight.
Today's products hit the market and consumers do the testing and validation. I blame our esteemed congress who are more interested in BS, than protecting consumers. How a Samsung washer hits the market with a fatal flaw of the top exploding off during the spin cycle or how they sell a phone with an exploding battery that bursts into flames is beyond me. Still not one Netgear representative has stopped by here. I even wrote a comment on their YouTube video hyping this product. I called them repeatedly and reached incompetent tech support from around the world. This stuff has to change.

[AC04]

I have referenced this thread in my chats with support. Radio silence.

I love having a case number but you essentially start over with each new rep. I've had reps tell me to roll back the firmware only for the next to say your firmware is out dated and must be updated.

I may switch to an Alien Router and mesh system, possibly recommended on one of these threads.

[dj2819]

@AC04 would highly recommend the Alien. I had to switch to them after 16 years of Netgear was brought down by the disconnects of the RAX120. The Linksys Velop MX series is good too but I had some issues with them on the high band.

The Alien is amazing. Performance is great and no issues out of the box. Everything just worked and it’s pretty cool. Stop wasting time with Netgear. Their new products have so many flaws that support doesn’t care about. Alien and Ubiquiti has amazing support and the community is actually watched by engineers who respond to our comments and feedback. What a modern experience.

[AwakenedGiant]

Oh man you are soo right, I had 4 different case numbers to return the MK62 back to netgear. Then they blame covid-19, when EVERYONE worked out of their HOUSE! This is a TECH company if everyone is working out of their house, how in the H are they affected by the quarantine at all, my guess is because they LAID OFF half their staff, to let them suck of unemployment. The firms that will succeed in the future are the firms that provide competent help and customer service. I spoke to Kohler yesterday about a toilet part, what a pleasant experience it was, intelligent, articulate, knowledgeable and put forth an effort, my difficult problem was solved. Lets get back to that.

[AwakenedGiant]

Oh and by the way, I upgraded the bluetooth driver on my Dell laptop and my B&W PX7 headphones paired and connected immediately, previously they paired but wouldn't connect. I love it when problems are solved.

[Christian_R]

Hello Nighthawk Community, 

For those experiencing issues with their Nighthawk Mesh system and have contacted support, please send me a private message. Please provide me with your email address and case number(s) and I can have your case followed up and escalated. 

Thanks,

Christian 

[NetworkGuy1490]

Here is an update for eveyone:

I have had the router replaced (RMA), Download firmware and reflashed it, and factory reset it.

After 3 days, I noticed 1 or 2 disconnects. It got worse two days later. After a week, it was almost at the same state as it was when I first reported the problem. Here are my observations:

• When I first installed the original router, the problem took a few weeks to appear.
• When I installed the replacement router, again everything was fine for a few days then the problem re-appeared.
• When I reflashed and factory reset the router, everything was fine for a few days and once again the problem is starting to reapear.

I was in IT and a Network Engineer for over 30 years. Even without that it is obvious that the longer the firmware runs, the more frequent the errors. You have a memory leak that over time causes the problem.

UPDATE: Last night (12 days later) I could not use my TV remote. WHY? Because it is a Harmony Hub which REQUIRES a WiFi connection. When I used my tablet (somehow able to connect), and 2 of 3 of my Harmony Hubs were OFFLINE. This morning, my cell phone refused to connect. It took me over 5 minutes to get a WiFi connection. I know this was escalated and it is July 4th, but this needs to be resolved.

[Roobear]

MR60 MESH system is a POC.  I spent $300 on this garbage.  Literally 90% of the complaints are of how this is not a good product and how connections constantly drop out.  Which is what I AM EXPERIENCING!   I can't even get a case number because the stupid app won't allow me to select support.  Netgear has gone down the tubes.  Once a name brand for quality... now it's just garbage.  I have the latest firmware, and it's not getting fixed.  I want to literally smash this stuff with a sledge hammer.  And, post it on YouTube.

[NetworkGuy1490]

Update:

About 2 weeks ago, my case was escalated to support. They asked me go into debug mode and turn on Enable LAN/WAN Packet Capture. 

When a disconnect occurred, I sent support the debug log with the device and time of the disconnect.

It has always been my theory that the disconnects are caused by a memory leak which gets worse over time. I think my experience proves this correct.

I had just factory reset my router before the escalation. It took about 4 days before the first disconnect (that I noticed occurred). Ten a few more days until it happened again. After two weeks, I have had 3 disconnects in the past 12 hours. Getting more frequent over time. The last was an Amazon Echo was streaming a radio station and disconnected in mid-song. (It reconnected about 30 seconds later.)

I have provided over a half dozen disconnects over three different device types. I am waiting to hear what support plans to do.

[NetworkGuy1490]

Temporary Work-Around:

***This is NOT a solution.****

Experience shows the disconnects get worse over time. Here is a temporary work-around for when it gets too bad.

1. Backup your router configuration
2. Factory reset the satellite (paper clip in back of unit)
3. Factory reset the router (paper clip in back of unit)
4. Start the setup process
5. Restore your configuration

Woth luck, you should be disconnect free for about a week.

[tristated]

I am just going to add my experience. 

I had a fairly stable situation using firmware V1.0.4.96.  I would get occational disconnects, but it would reconnect and be good to go.  It seems to happen more when the devices were sitting between the satilite and the router.

About 4-5 days ago, router and satellites have been updated to V1.0.4.98_2.0.42 through the router interface. The readme information Netgear provides is horrendously poor to nonexistant.

Now, the disconnects have been horrible. Devices which never disconnected before would disconnect now. Some devices will reconnect to the WIFI network, but do not get usable internet access again after being reconnected. I need to reboot the router and satellites in order to get resume using the devices. I now must reboot the router several times a day now.

For the most part, the router is default settings.  I tried static IP address with no success.  The only cure is a reboot and the time of normal operations is relatively short anymore.

[NetworkGuy1490]

I have an update.

I have an escalated case and have been workig with support for a few weeks, I have sent them router logs with exact times and devices of the disconnects. I am still waiting to an answer.

Anyone who is having a problem, download a free WiFi analyser and look at you access points. There are suppose to be four:

• Router 2.5Ghz & 5Ghz
• Satellite 2.5Ghz & 5Ghz

I am missing the 5Ghz access point from my Satellite.

Something is very seriously wrong with the firmware in this router.

[bigmark173]

WHEN is was able to connect, I had checked the software/firmware version and it was current. This system constantly drops devices regardless of distance from the units. I bought it on 4/10/2020 and not that I'm outside the "90-day tech support" they want to charge me $50 to buy a "Technical Support agreement" to replace a warranty product! ABSOLUTELY pure robbery! I have reset both units multiple times and this did not resolve the issue. When I run the CAT line from the modem to the base unit I still get no internet. WHY is it so darn difficult to get a replacement for something that is FOUR MONTHS OLD??

[cato2010]

Replacing the unit will not fix your problem, it is a firmware issue, I would recommend you to return it ASAP.

[bigmark173]

Herein lies the problem.

Netgear will not let me return it until I pay the $50 for the "Tech Support agreement". I think this is absolutely INSANE and very poor customer service. Making your customers pay a fee to return a product that is under warranty. Yes - I have my receipt, but that does not seem to matter!

[bmoney11]

I wanted to add my voice to the conversation. I am having the same issues as reported above. The disconnection issues are indiscriminate to my wifi devices (phones, tablets, laptops (macbook air and MS surface)). I have two wired devices and they work with no interruptions, so I believe this is clearly a wifi-only issue. I have tried unplugging my satellite, but it makes no difference. I have been on multiple firmwares, no difference. 

I hope to see this resolved soon since I'm not itching to spend hundrends of dollars on a new wifi system (I'm out of my return window). 

I see some of the steps above and will try soon. I try to sneak in router reboots when no one but me is using the router. 

I have tried to use static IPs for devices, but it simply does not work. 

Please netgear fix this!

[Retired_Member]

Hello all!

Im running into the same issue... i cannot believe this.. how unstable the wireless connection is.
We need a new firmware for this!

Also, we need clarification, if this device is WiFi 6, why in the logs it says that is WiFi AC?

You can enter to the "debug menu" by going http://ipofyourrouter/debug.htm, eg: http://192.168.1.1/debug.htm

==========================version==============================
Release version : 802.11ac Dual Band Gigabit Wireless Router MR60
XXXXXXXXXX/V1.0.4.98/2.0.42
Time : Jun 30 2020 12:35:50
CFE version : V1.0.15
==========================routerinfo==============================

[sm2020]

Recently bought Netgear Mesh from Costco facing same issue.

Looks there is no solution for net dropping. Will return this crap today

[Retired_Member]

I opened a support case:

Subject: Wifi unstable.

Body: Im having disconnection issues like described (link to this forum thread)
Attached: Debug from the device...

Second mensaje: Im suffering disconnections, im attaching debug log after and before reboot.

Message from support: Hello, can yo describe me the issue and give me your current firmware version?

Me: Really?

Also i checked and i saw that my first message was not having the link to this forum thread so i send this to them again. But i told them... this is not an isolate issue... you have plenty of people complaining about this. It cannot be that Netgear sells such a buggy device... (i was thinking that before this device)...

[NetworkGuy1490]

Here is my favorite exchange with L2 support during an escaled case.

Review Ticket History

Summary :

MR60 - Frequent disconnection issues on WIFI

NETGEAR Support

2020-07-13 20:46:12

Hi John, Kindly provide the following: 1. Brand /Model of the Access point 2. Brand /Model of modem 3. Internet Service Provider Regards, NETGEAR Support

Online Comment

2020-07-13 23:48:24

1. Brand /Model of the Access point Seriously? I am using your router and satellite.

P.S. This was after I had supplied debug logs from my MR60 router. 

[Edq]

i have same issue on the M60. i have to reboot the router everyday otherwise some devices will appear the following symptom (randomly):

1) Connected to the Wifi but no internet connection

2) Keep obtain the IP address

I have report this case to the support team but they just told me to factory reset without the reason OR preserve the IP address to some important device. This is very ridiculous that my existing WiFi router (TP-Link) evevn stable than Netgear.  

This is my first time using NetGear. I will never recommend my friends to using it .... very bad experience on it.

[Retired_Member]

... So.. after disconnections and spend hours trying stuff... i went back to my old but reliable WNDR3700v1 witn OPEN-WRT firmware.
I cannot belive how a community firmware has 20 times more features than a factory one... 
Netgear is really disapointing with this "nighthawk" MEH system...

[jomiran]

This product is absolute garbage.  For months I have been fighting this piece of junk.  I have to reboot the router every night because it will continue to disconnect devices and never let them back on until the router has been rebooted.  This is the least reliable router I have ever used in my 25 years working in tech, and that includes $15 chinese routers off Amazon.  The fact that it has been many months without even an attempted fix is inexcusable.  I will never buy a Netgear product again.  Hot, stinky, garbage "product".

[Nug]

Wow. The form to reply to this thread asks for a model number. So I type in ‘MR60’ and it doesn’t appear and doesn’t allow adding it. How long has this router line been out?

Anyway, for the most part I’ve been pretty happy with the performance and stability of the MR60 + satellite. It’s been far better than the Telstra (Australian isp) supplied unit I was running before.

Even so, I’ve been experiencing the previously mentioned issues where some devices ‘lose the internet’. I don’t know how.. it’s so big!! Sorry, dad joke.. had to bring some humour 🙂

Perhaps a little more detail than I’ve read in the past 6 pages, for me, the device wifi adaptor actually stays connected to the wifi network. But the device loses its DHCP supplied address.

When manually trying to renew the DHCP lease, it rejects pretty quick and defaults to the 169... address, which denotes self-assigned and infers inability to get a lease.

Yes rebooting the router, usually solves the issue. But also stops everything else on the network.

Also, setting a manual IP for that device (go high in the range to avoid conflicts) without rebooting anything has worked for me every time (and is slightly more convenient).

Having said that, it’s a major PITA that this brand new netgear product running the latest firmware as of August 6th 2020, has issues with a simple DHCP service.

Searching for ‘DHCP’ across this forum, I can see this issue seems to occur with many other netgear devices.

@netgear, I’m not sure what more info the users on this forum (your customers) can provide. I’d be surprised if this issue has not occurred in your QA labs. But if by some chance it has not, maybe you should do some real-world testing where there are lots of devices, walls, microwave ovens, xboxes and competing wifi networks. Maybe that will shed some light?

If not, maybe you need to pay your customers to diagnose this apparently widespread issue, rather than asking us to pay you.

This could be your moment. We’re all struggling thru covid, some countries and cities harder than others. I’m currently in city-wide lockdown in Melbourne, Australia. We turn to you to help us work and play from home, now more than ever.

(No, I’m not trying to pull your heart strings.. just your business acumen)