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How many devices can connect to a R8000P?

BikerCJH
Aspirant

How many devices can connect to a R8000P?

I have had this router for a couple of years now and been quite happy with it. As well, I've had an ever growing number of devices attached to it - currently 63, but one TV & AppleTV are usually turned off.

 

Lately, devices keep dropping off - different Sonos speakers, the house alarm, outdoor cameras - I can find a rhyme or reason. I saw the high device count so I went to upgrade so I looked at buying a Nighthawk AX12 since they seem to handle more, but the specs say nothing of the number of devices. I got it and the box says "30 devices".

 

Before I open this thing & make returning it more difficult, will this fix my problem?

 

And, given my pentiant for buying gadgets, will I be looking to do this again in a few months?

 

Is there a better long-term strategy?

 

Lots of questions... hope there's an easy answer.

Model: R8000P|Nighthawk X6S AC4000 Tri Band WiFi Router
Message 1 of 8
plemans
Guru

Re: How many devices can connect to a R8000P?

Its usually 32 devices per band. 

https://kb.netgear.com/24043/How-many-clients-can-you-connect-wirelessly-to-a-NETGEAR-router

 

The R8000P is triband so you can accomadate up to 96 devices if you seperate them out. But if they're all high bandwidth devices, you're not going to be able to run that many at a time. For example, I usually have around 60 devices on my network but a good 20+ are IoT devices and use minimal bandwidth. 

 

did the issues just start? 

What firmware version are you on?

What modem/gateway are you connected to? 

When they "drop off", do the disconnect from the network, do they say "connected, no internet", are they unable to see the wifi? what actually happens?

Message 2 of 8
BikerCJH
Aspirant

Re: How many devices can connect to a R8000P?

As I said, the issues just started & they are low bandwidth devices, however many will only connect via 2.4Ghz. Most high bandwidth devices are wired.

 

Firmware is v1.4.1.68_1.3.28

Most devices don't differentiate when a connection is broken, but those that do say WiFi connection dropped. A few seconds later they reconnect, usually. My cameras have stopped sending notifications and the app to see what's going on keeps needing to reconnect.

Come to think of it, the cameras are probably the highest bandwidth items on the 2.4 band.

 

I have tried to split my 2.4 devices between the Guest network and the regular one, but there are still a lot there. And they are connected to 2.4 because they won't connect to anything else.

Message 3 of 8
plemans
Guru

Re: How many devices can connect to a R8000P?

using guest network doesn't allow you more than the 32 per band. 

How many do you have on the 2.4ghz?

Message 4 of 8
BikerCJH
Aspirant

Re: How many devices can connect to a R8000P?

33 (HA)

Message 5 of 8
BikerCJH
Aspirant

Re: How many devices can connect to a R8000P?

So, how to get around this? Is there a business level access point or router that will allow more connections? Do I add another router for all these devices?

 

I'm not having a problem with slow access.

Message 6 of 8
plemans
Guru

Re: How many devices can connect to a R8000P?

got an old router sitting around? 

or an extender?

 

If you take an old router and run it in access point, then you can use that for additional device. 

I've frequently used an old router (not always old) for putting my IoT devices on. 

 

The router itself supports many more than the 32 devices its just the wireless only allows that many. 

Message 7 of 8
BikerCJH
Aspirant

Re: How many devices can connect to a R8000P?

I believe I do.

Thanks for your help.

Message 8 of 8
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