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Nighthawk R7800 poor WiFI performance

olhado
Aspirant

Nighthawk R7800 poor WiFI performance

I use R7800 for almost two years. Until some time ago performance was very good. I have 100/15Mbps internet connection, and I had no problems with the speed. Recently my WiFi performance dropped and is very unstable - it is like ~20, 30 Mbps over 5G WiFi (earlier it was around 100) and pings spike to strange values - samples as on attached screen.

 

I thought it is something with the internet but eventually, I checked the connection over ethernet cable (via R7800) and it is stable 100Mbps as should be.

 

I made a factory reset but it didn't help. Tried to turn QoS and WMM on and off also with no improvements. The router was checked with automatic firmware updates so I have the newest firmware possible - V1.0.2.58.

 

It affects all connected devices - like phones, pc computers and tablets (up to 10 devices).

 

If anyone has an idea what could be the problem or what to do to find the cause please help.

Model: R7800|Nighthawk X4S AC2600 WiFi Router
Message 1 of 6

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James721
Luminary

Re: Nighthawk R7800 poor WiFI performance

It's not only wifi drops with the new .58  It has a issue with huge ping spikes and latency. This has been confirmed by dozens of people and the tests have been ran. There is no question .58 firmware is faulty.  That said Voxel is a third party firmware that builds on the core GPL of Netgears original code. He adds much needed updates to several outdated packages Netgear uses and also adds features. Info here https://www.snbforums.com/threads/custom-firmware-build-for-r7800-v-1-0-2-60sf.48805/  Firmware here. http://www.voxel-firmware.com/Downloads/Voxel/html/index.html   If your not comfortable using third party firmware then simply downgrade back to .52 Netgear firmware it works good minus naming connected clients wich is broke in .52. 

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Message 5 of 6

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James721
Luminary

Re: Nighthawk R7800 poor WiFI performance

The problem is the latest firmware. .58  This is a on going issue that Netgear has yet to comment on or fix. The only solution right now is to downgrade back to .52 firmware or use Voxel's .60sf firmware. Bottom line .58 has WiFi problems and should be avoided. 

Message 2 of 6
olhado
Aspirant

Re: Nighthawk R7800 poor WiFI performance

Hello James,

thank you very much for the information. I will try to update the firmware. But could you please tell me what exactly is Voxel's firmware? Is it officially recognized by Netgear as the proper one, and if it is safe to use it? How to find the one that is compatible with R7800.

Model: R7800|Nighthawk X4S AC2600 WiFi Router
Message 3 of 6

Re: Nighthawk R7800 poor WiFI performance

My R7800 sees no wifi dropoff with the latest firmware. So that is not necessarily the solution.

 

Before heading down the rocky road of alternative firmware, check for interference from the neighbours, and see if it helps to use a different wifi band.

 

It can also help to reset the router to factory settings after a firmware flash.

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 with new firmware.

This is a nuisance because you then have to reconfigure the device all over again.

You can backup your settings before you reset and restore them later. But that may just bring back the fault. Then again, at least you will know if the reset fixed the problem.


The factory reset is more a "witchcraft" move than a technically informed solution, but it does seem to fix problems for some people, especially on the wifi front.

 

Message 4 of 6
James721
Luminary

Re: Nighthawk R7800 poor WiFI performance

It's not only wifi drops with the new .58  It has a issue with huge ping spikes and latency. This has been confirmed by dozens of people and the tests have been ran. There is no question .58 firmware is faulty.  That said Voxel is a third party firmware that builds on the core GPL of Netgears original code. He adds much needed updates to several outdated packages Netgear uses and also adds features. Info here https://www.snbforums.com/threads/custom-firmware-build-for-r7800-v-1-0-2-60sf.48805/  Firmware here. http://www.voxel-firmware.com/Downloads/Voxel/html/index.html   If your not comfortable using third party firmware then simply downgrade back to .52 Netgear firmware it works good minus naming connected clients wich is broke in .52. 

Message 5 of 6
olhado
Aspirant

Re: Nighthawk R7800 poor WiFI performance

I have installed Voxel's .60sf firmware as you suggested and after a few days of testing, I can say it is much better. I can see no lag spikes and connection is much more stable over WiFi. I need more time to be sure but it seems, that .58 is somehow causing the troubles. Thank you for help ;-).

Model: R7800|Nighthawk X4S AC2600 WiFi Router
Message 6 of 6
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