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Re: Netgear Nighthawk X6 R8000 Randomly Restarting

Lundfu
Aspirant

Netgear Nighthawk X6 R8000 Randomly Restarting

When using my TV, I am consistently experiencing the router restarting sporadically when streaming. When the TV is not in use streaming wirelessly, there appear to be no technical issues. LG has replaced the Wi-Fi hardware components of the TV and I have reset both the TV and the router, but the problem persists.

Router: Nighthawk A6 R8000
Firmware: V1.0.4.46_10.1.63
TV: LG C8
TV Firmware: 5.10.20

 

Any ideas as to how I can troubleshoot this issue? The router logs are erased when the router resets, so I have difficulty figuring out the reason behind the reboot. Both router and TV are on the most recent versions of their firmware.

Model: R8000|Nighthawk X6 AC3200 Smart WIFI Router
Message 1 of 15

Accepted Solutions
IrvSp
Master

Re: Netgear Nighthawk X6 R8000 Randomly Restarting


@Lundfu wrote:

Well.. I made it about 90 minutes with streaming on Amazon Prime Video before another restart occurred. Should I go back another version to 1.0.4.18 and give that a shot?

 

Also, is there any way to start to track or log where the restart command is coming from?


Well, the cause could be a few things?

First, did you RESET the router and manually re-entered all settings after the downleveling of the firmware? There  are 2 ways to do this. One is the using the RESET recessed button as described in the User Manual, the other the ERASE NVRAM on the GUI page where you updated the router on. That is an important step in backleveling the firmware if you have a problem. Even then, I'd not do many settings at least as a test, only the Wireless settings and see if that works, no others need be done to do streaming.

 

Secondly, the possibility of some other reasons, such as heat, noisy/varying power, and the router crashing due to many factors including internal failures.

 

I do NOT have my R8000 in service at this time so my suggestions might not be totally accurate to help debug the situation. Going back to an even older f/w I don't think will help.

 

There is a 'hidden' DEBUG page on the R8000. To access it, once you are in the GUI, the last part of the URL I recall is 'start.htm'. If you replace it with 'debug.htm' (. html, I forgot which) you should press enter and see it. The RAM/Memory data is one to look at. It is quite possible that once that fills up, the router might reboot as it can't write data to the NVRAM. I recall my R8000 usually had about 1/2 free or less all the time.

 

There are 2 other possible pages too, hidden_cpu.htm and Thermal_FAN.htm. I found on the web, and if you do have them (could even be in some f/w for the R8000 but not all?) they could help determine if there is an overheating problem.

 

On that debbug page is also another logging function, but I am not sure if that was to internal memory or you could send it to a USB drive or PC? You'd have to check that. If it does post to an external device it would survive a reboot.

 

Alternatively you could look at the logging function too. I recall some settings to send the log via e-mail? One was when the log fills and another on time intervals? Checking the 'fill' and also say every 5 minutes might provide you some data. I'm thinking of something going on repeatedly seconds or less apart filling the log and NVRAM causing the reboot?

 

If I'm wrong, I'm sure someone will jump in here and state so, and possibly give you the correct steps for the above.

 

For the power situation, if the router is connected to a Surge Protector, try going straight to the wall socket as a test.

 

Can't think of much else here? If still under the warranty RMA period maybe you could get NG to replace the router? I'm pretty sure this is an isolated problem to your router? If it were not there would be many reports like this here?

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Message 14 of 15

All Replies
IrvSp
Master

Re: Netgear Nighthawk X6 R8000 Randomly Restarting

Interesting?

 

V1.0.4.46 removed DLNA support, and generally you need that support for Streaming (and/or Samba which also went away). So I'm not sure how you are doing it? Also V1.0.4.46 was released fairly recently. Did this all work before? If so, you were probably on V1.0.4.28 which DID have DLNA included. Might want to back-level the F/W to that version and see if that fixes it. It was probably automatically installed for you recently over V1.0.4.28 and caused the problem possibly.

Message 2 of 15
myersw
Master

Re: Netgear Nighthawk X6 R8000 Randomly Restarting

Are you streaming from some service like Netflix or from the router. If from the router then @IrvSp  is giving you the problem. No longer DLNA support. If from on of the streaming services I am not sure what the answer is. DLNA would not be needed for streaming services as far as I know. 

Message 3 of 15
antinode
Guru

Re: Netgear Nighthawk X6 R8000 Randomly Restarting

> V1.0.4.46 removed DLNA support, and generally you need that support
> for Streaming (and/or Samba which also went away). [...]

 

   Huh?  Samba "went away"?  Where was that documented?  Do you know
what Samba is?

 

 

> [...] No longer DLNA support. [...]

 

   So, if a feature like DLNA was removed from some router firmware,
that removal will cause that feature in the router to work (or not work)
"sporadically"???  And a spontaneous restart?

 

   How many people here believe that?  Let's make a little sense, at
least.

Message 4 of 15
Lundfu
Aspirant

Re: Netgear Nighthawk X6 R8000 Randomly Restarting

Hi @myersw,

 

I am streaming through Amazon Prime Video, Netflix and YouTube TV directly using the apps installed on the TV (not casting or apple play).

 

I'm not quite sure what you mean by streaming from the router directly, but I'm thinking that this is not the case.

 

Thanks for the help!

Model: R8000P|Nighthawk X6S AC4000 Tri Band WiFi Router
Message 5 of 15
Lundfu
Aspirant

Re: Netgear Nighthawk X6 R8000 Randomly Restarting

Hi @IrvSp ,

 

It is a recent (~1-2 month old) problem. I can certainly try and rollback to the previous version. Is 1.0.4.28 the version that you'd recommend trying?

 

For streaming, I'm using the Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and YouTube TV apps that are installed on the TV directly.

 

Thanks for the help!

Message 6 of 15
antinode
Guru

Re: Netgear Nighthawk X6 R8000 Randomly Restarting

> [...] what you mean by streaming from the router directly, [...]

 

   Presumably, using files stored on a USB-connected storage device
which is attached to the router.  The related DLNA server was the
relevant feature which was removed from recent firmware versions for
various router models.

 

> [...] but I'm thinking that this is not the case.

 

   Most likely.  Especially if you don't have any USB-connected storage
devices attached to your router.

Message 7 of 15
Lundfu
Aspirant

Re: Netgear Nighthawk X6 R8000 Randomly Restarting

Thanks @antinode !

 

You're correct. There are no storage devices attached to the router.

Message 8 of 15
antinode
Guru

Re: Netgear Nighthawk X6 R8000 Randomly Restarting

> You're correct. [...]

 

   Sadly, being able to spot some kinds of nonsense is not the same as
providing a solution to your real problem.  Knowing nothing, I, too,
would vote for trying a different firmware version.  A Web or forum
search for your model (and/or firmware version) might find something
more helpful.

Message 9 of 15
IrvSp
Master

Re: Netgear Nighthawk X6 R8000 Randomly Restarting


@Lundfu wrote:

Hi @IrvSp ,

 

It is a recent (~1-2 month old) problem. I can certainly try and rollback to the previous version. Is 1.0.4.28 the version that you'd recommend trying?

 

For streaming, I'm using the Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and YouTube TV apps that are installed on the TV directly.

 

Thanks for the help!


Yes, that is the version, it is the one before v1.0.4.46 that was released. Go to Support, enter R8000, then Downloads and at the bottom is PREVIOUS VERSIONS. Open it (press the '+'} and then you'll see it. Press the 'down arrow' on the right of it and READ the RELEASE NOTES. I has all the info on how to install it (and the link to it too). During install it will tell you you are installing an older version, just ignore that and continue. Then try the streaming. If it works and everything else works, fine. If not, you'll have to RESET the router and manually re-enter settings. Before doing that I suggest you look at all tabs to see what you changed and make notes or do screen captures so you have a reference on what to re-do. DO NOT used a CONFIGURATION file to restore the settings.

 

After doing all this, there is an AUTO-INSTALL setting for the firmware for new versions. If it works, TURN THAT OFF!!! Later when NG publishes a new version, you can manually try it. Doesn't work, back to V1.0.4.28 again, but before doing that you can save a working Configuration file for use later just in case to make the job easier.

 

I have used NetFlix and Amazon Prime streaming on my R8000 (never used V1.0.4.46 though) and it worked fine.

Message 10 of 15
Lundfu
Aspirant

Re: Netgear Nighthawk X6 R8000 Randomly Restarting

Thanks @IrvSp !   I've successfully downgraded to V1.0.4.28_10.1.54.

 

I'm going to let it run this weekend and will report back on if there are any unexpected restarts.

 

I always thought that keeping firmware up to date was essential to prevent things from breaking, but it seems like that may not be the case here. Is this common for Netgear's updates to cause problems?

 

 

Message 11 of 15
IrvSp
Master

Re: Netgear Nighthawk X6 R8000 Randomly Restarting


@Lundfu wrote:

Thanks @IrvSp

 

I always thought that keeping firmware up to date was essential to prevent things from breaking, but it seems like that may not be the case here. Is this common for Netgear's updates to cause problems?

 

 


Generally speaking, absolutely. In most case you'll pick up fixes and new features. In almost all cases, you get Security 'patches' and some unreported fixes as well.

 

Up until at least a year or so ago, this was true for NG as well, maybe even back 2 years ago. Then things started to go 'south'. New f/w release was not well tested. Some created more problems than they fixed! Common problems crept in across many router models, like the Access list. Lately, a new 'wrinkle' has happened. NG has removed FEATURES that were included in the Router when purchased, and replaced that with Armour. A $79/yr. revenue stream for NG if you wanted to keep using it after 90 days I think, might be shorter. Didn't want to use it, too bad, don't, but you can't get back the features like Time Machine, Tivo, or DLNA Server. Only way to do that, back-level the firmware. However you could never update again without losing them. So you'll be locked in, no new fixes, no new enhancements, no Security fixes, stuck in mid-2019 forever. At some point you might actually have a security breach, or decided, way before you would have wanted to replace the router, to do it to get new enhancement and the latest security protection.

Message 12 of 15
Lundfu
Aspirant

Re: Netgear Nighthawk X6 R8000 Randomly Restarting

Well.. I made it about 90 minutes with streaming on Amazon Prime Video before another restart occurred. Should I go back another version to 1.0.4.18 and give that a shot?

 

Also, is there any way to start to track or log where the restart command is coming from?

Message 13 of 15
IrvSp
Master

Re: Netgear Nighthawk X6 R8000 Randomly Restarting


@Lundfu wrote:

Well.. I made it about 90 minutes with streaming on Amazon Prime Video before another restart occurred. Should I go back another version to 1.0.4.18 and give that a shot?

 

Also, is there any way to start to track or log where the restart command is coming from?


Well, the cause could be a few things?

First, did you RESET the router and manually re-entered all settings after the downleveling of the firmware? There  are 2 ways to do this. One is the using the RESET recessed button as described in the User Manual, the other the ERASE NVRAM on the GUI page where you updated the router on. That is an important step in backleveling the firmware if you have a problem. Even then, I'd not do many settings at least as a test, only the Wireless settings and see if that works, no others need be done to do streaming.

 

Secondly, the possibility of some other reasons, such as heat, noisy/varying power, and the router crashing due to many factors including internal failures.

 

I do NOT have my R8000 in service at this time so my suggestions might not be totally accurate to help debug the situation. Going back to an even older f/w I don't think will help.

 

There is a 'hidden' DEBUG page on the R8000. To access it, once you are in the GUI, the last part of the URL I recall is 'start.htm'. If you replace it with 'debug.htm' (. html, I forgot which) you should press enter and see it. The RAM/Memory data is one to look at. It is quite possible that once that fills up, the router might reboot as it can't write data to the NVRAM. I recall my R8000 usually had about 1/2 free or less all the time.

 

There are 2 other possible pages too, hidden_cpu.htm and Thermal_FAN.htm. I found on the web, and if you do have them (could even be in some f/w for the R8000 but not all?) they could help determine if there is an overheating problem.

 

On that debbug page is also another logging function, but I am not sure if that was to internal memory or you could send it to a USB drive or PC? You'd have to check that. If it does post to an external device it would survive a reboot.

 

Alternatively you could look at the logging function too. I recall some settings to send the log via e-mail? One was when the log fills and another on time intervals? Checking the 'fill' and also say every 5 minutes might provide you some data. I'm thinking of something going on repeatedly seconds or less apart filling the log and NVRAM causing the reboot?

 

If I'm wrong, I'm sure someone will jump in here and state so, and possibly give you the correct steps for the above.

 

For the power situation, if the router is connected to a Surge Protector, try going straight to the wall socket as a test.

 

Can't think of much else here? If still under the warranty RMA period maybe you could get NG to replace the router? I'm pretty sure this is an isolated problem to your router? If it were not there would be many reports like this here?

Message 14 of 15
Lundfu
Aspirant

Re: Netgear Nighthawk X6 R8000 Randomly Restarting

Well @IrvSp... I used the reset button on the router and brought it all the way back to factory settings.

 

Since then, I have streamed hours of content without issue! It appears that the new firmware was the cause of the problem and going back to the older version after resetting the router was the fix.

 

Thank you very much for your time and help walking through this with me.

Message 15 of 15
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