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@rpzky8In total, I have 15 devices connected via WiFi, 5 permanently connected to 5ghz, 4 others on 5ghz that only connect when in range, i.e. cell phones/ipad etc and the remainder are on 2.4ghz. I then have 4 devices hardwired via a Netgear GS105 switch leaving three spare ports on the back of my R7000. I think the maximum number of devices I've had attached at any one time, has been 21, so 17 on WiFi and 4 hardwired. All this on the latest firmware with no drop outs.
My router isn't hidden away in a cupboard anywhere, it's sat on a table in our TV room beaming WiFi all over the house and it reaches out into my garden on 2.4ghz. I'm on a standard fibre broadband with a maximum speed of just 37mbps download and 9mbps upload.
R7000 AC1900 build date, 1 March 2019
Modem, UK version Draytek Vigor 130k, Cat7 cable linked to R7000
But to still be getting firmware on a 7 year old router? to me it shows an impressive level of backing by netgear.
What would be "an impressive level of backing by Netgear" would be a solid, stable router that doesn't randomly and repeatedly drop Wi-Fi connectivity. Yes, it works wonderfully for you and others, that's great for you. However, it doesn't make those of us with problems feel any better.
Visit http://netgear.com/support , put in your model number, and look for Downloads. (For older versions, under Firmware and Software Downloads, look for "View Previous Versions".) Find the kit(s). Download the kit(s) you want. Read the "Release Notes" file for instructions.
> Model: A7000|Nighthawk AC1900 WiFi USB Adapter - USB 3.0
The smart connect is no longer working as a work around to have the latest firmware updates. The random drops were non-existent for a few weeks and they have now returned. I am now back on the .42 release. This is the only way to have a working router.
Adding myself to the list of R7000 owners seeing this problem. Strangely, the issue JUST started happening within the last 2 weeks! As far as I can tell, there hasn't been a firmware update recently - it looks like I'm still on V1.0.9.88_10.2.88 and the router update check isn't finding the latest. It seemed to coincide with some electrical work that powered down the R7000 and the xfinity router, ever since then 5G has been almost impossible to use... which suggests a h/w issue and probably time for a new router. But 2G works swimmingly...
I'll be moving to latest firmware, SmartConnect, and dropping back to .42 and will report results. Thanks to everyone for the suggestions on the thread.
yep. I have the same problem. Bought one of these second hand and it's a ripper. Updated the firmware to the latest and now the 5GHz keeps disccounting. 2gHz is fine. I'l try rolling back and see how it goes.
UPDATE: Still extremely unstable 5ghz band. I have reverted to the V1.0.9.88_10.2.88 firmware to see if that helps the stability and disabled auto updates. This is a recent issue so I'm hoping its just an issue with the most recent firmware. I will update again if this resolves the issue as I'm hoping to not revet all the way back to .42.
With so many people having these issues, how is Netgear not doing something to rectify it? Losing customers for life with my (our) losing confidence in the product. This was bought brand new just over a year ago, and never had any issues until a few weeks back.
@Eric1213 I hear what you say. The problem is though, not all of us are having the issues that some of you state you are having. I can sit here all day long and tell you that I'm not having any issues at all with my R7000 AC1900, no 5ghz WiFi dropouts, there just isn't a problem, for me, it isn't broke.
And this is still the crux of the problem isn't it? Why are some of R7000 owners having issues and some of us are not? The Guru's on here don't even know the answer to that one. Their standard answer to it all is, downgrade to v.42 because quite simply, they've got no other answer. So people take the 'advice' and downgrade to a 2 year old + firmware which may or may not be security safe but bizarrely, downgrading seemingly suddenly works! So, is it flawed firmware? is it flawed hardware, either routers or modems? is it a regional issue? environmental issues? No one knows.
I do accept there must be an issue somewhere. Clearly something is going wrong for people to keep telling others on this forum that Netgear's firmware is 'broken'. The trouble is whilst you've still got people like me who aren't having issues, what are Netgear supposed to do? The fact is, they don't even monitor this forum do they?
As far as my own setup is concerned, well I'd clearly love to know what it is that makes my situation so different from others who are continually having problems when I am not. I'm not using Smart Connect, I've less than 20 WiFi devices connected at any one time, I've disabled Logs, UPnP, auto update, I don't use Netgears default NTP, I split my WiFi networks into standard and Guest bands, I don't have parental controls set up, I use Google Open DNS. All this on 37mbps fibre broadband using Cat7 cabling on a router that was manufactured in Vietnam on 1st March 2019. No problems at all since I updated the firmware on 4th April 2020. Maybe, I'm just lucky.
I can absolutely assure everyone though, if I were having the problems that some of you state you are having, I'd have dumped my R7000 by now. It would have gone back to the place I bought it and I'd have bought something else or gone back to using my ISP provided router. The trouble is, as I've already stated, my R7000 works exactly as it's supposed to, as long as Logs are disabled, because when Logs are enabled, they keep telling me my R7000 is getting DoS attacks when it clearly isn't. That aside, for me, the R7000 is a great router, it's just a shame it isn't working out for others the same way as it has for me.
IMO, I believe many (like the one I had) may have different parts in them. It seems like a hardware failure. Some who may have bought their’s at a later date got the “good” ones. Like I posted earlier, I just bought a new router and moved on. I encourage you to do the same. Trust me, the issue is only gonna get worse!
Model: A7000|Nighthawk AC1900 WiFi USB Adapter - USB 3.0
@Mike_Monroe ... getting a new router is likely going to be the route I go, because this has been nothing but a pain, but I literally just bought this router 13 months ago, and paid more for it than any other router in the past (due to upgrading to fiber optic internet and then suggesting getting a stronger router). I think it’s just hard to accept and move on from a router that is essentially brand new. Did you have the guts to buy the same router despite these issues, or go somewhere else? Would any of you recommend paying the fee to call and talk to a Netgear expert to help with the issue?
I bought another Netgear router (shamefully). It’s literally all that’s at my Best Buy besides Linksys (didn’t want). I actually wanted a specific ASUS model but it was going to take a while to get my hands on it. So I broke down, bit my tongue, and bought an RAX50. When I upgrade my router (since I was forced to), I always buy for the future. I wanted to have AX technology. Hopefully I can get a good 7-10 years out of this router to justify the $300 I just spent on it 😕
@Eric1213 wrote: @Mike_Monroe... getting a new router is likely going to be the route I go, because this has been nothing but a pain, but I literally just bought this router 13 months ago, and paid more for it than any other router in the past (due to upgrading to fiber optic internet and then suggesting getting a stronger router). I think it’s just hard to accept and move on from a router that is essentially brand new. Did you have the guts to buy the same router despite these issues, or go somewhere else? Would any of you recommend paying the fee to call and talk to a Netgear expert to help with the issue?
It would of course be interesting to know just exactly how old your router is though? Essentiialy 'brand new' means quite literally, nothing. When I bought my router at the end of February this year, it was 11 months old out of the factory, a 2019 build. I only found that out because I asked Netgear support what the build date of my router was. So you bought your router 13 months ago and it might have been manufactured 12 months before you purchased it. It might have different hardware in it and that might be causing the problem.
As I say, perhaps I'm somehow 'lucky' in that the build date of my R7000 might have different hardware in it compared to routers that were manufactured before it. Who actually knows?
My 90 day support period is up. If my router starts misbehaving, I won't be paying Netgear a penny. It does have a 2 year warranty though, so if it 'breaks' then I'll just return it to where I purchased it within the first 12 months for a refund or replacement.
Mine was purchased in October of 2018. I only had it about a year and a half 😞 . They probably have a bunch of them in a warehouse and its a toss up on which production batch you get. Also, they could be pushing the older manufactured ones first to clear the inventory. You just never know, but seems as if they could have hardware deficiencies. But even that doesn't fully make sense because none of the issues came until the updates came so........Do with that as you will, but the only fully working fix is buying another router. I don't even think about drops anymore, but it does suck to spend $500 dollars in routers in the span of a year and a half. That is not quality at all. I wasn't planning to buy another router until at least 2023.
Model: A7000|Nighthawk AC1900 WiFi USB Adapter - USB 3.0
I've installed the custom firmware from here: http://xvtx.ru/xwrt/index.htm so far the router runs stable and even works after my parent router switches the channel because of DFS. That never worked with the original firmware (running in Bridge mode). Using it now happily since about 2-3 weeks.
I bought my R7000 from one of the largest most well known consumer electrical specialists here in the UK. I have no idea at all what their stock rotation is like, but I'm guessing they must have a reasonable turn around of goods.
Logistically, well who knows how long it takes a Netgear router manufactured in Vietnam to reach a buyers warehouse wherever in the world that may be? So mine was manufactured in March 2019 and it could have taken 3 months to reach the UK. So say it arrives in June 2019. It then goes and sits in a warehouse for 3 months until it is shipped out to a store. It then sits in a store backroom for 3 to 5 months upon which it is eventually sold to the consumer. In all of that time, the factory has been building other routers of the same model range, but due to supply variances, different components are substituted. Again, who knows?
As for my own router, I bought it on a special offer price, so paid about a third less than usual price. It does the job I need it to. I have no complaints.
Those that don't notice it probably have smart connect setup. If you split the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands into seperate SSIDs and hook to the 5GHz band I wonder if everyone would have the same problem.
I first noticed the problem when I had my wifi networks seperate so I tried the smart connect but I get the same problem. I have down graded to V1.0.9.88_10.2.88 and I haven't had any problems with the 5ghz band since the rollback. I'm on the wifi all day with the work laptop and my wife has her laptop on most of the time as well. We started to notice the problem last month maybe late april. I use to have the router set to auto update. So its definitely the latest firmware V1.0.11.100_10.2.100 causing the issue for me. I've never had an issue with the router before the update. Its been very stable and high performing for me and I would probably buy a newer netgear model even with this one issue. I dont know what's different with the users who dont have the issue, but for me definitly a 5ghz band issue on the firmware V1.0.11.100_10.2.100 and manually rolling back to V1.0.9.88_10.2.88 seems to have solved the issue. If they come out with an update to the firmware I will give it a try.
@DragonWarrior The more I read through the posts, the more I'm of the opinion it's a hardware issue within some routers themselves. The problem is proving it.
I'm currently furloughed and I have been spending far too long on my laptop browsing the www. My laptop is connected via 5ghz WiFi for around 14 to 16 hours a day, every day. My email program is open the entire time. I just don't get a single drop. In the background, I'm watching films etc via streaming sticks, Wife is using her iPad and she's also working from home, her work computer connected wirelessly up to 8 hours a day, again, zero drops.
All that and several other devices all continuously connected, either on the 5ghz or 2.4ghz bands, all on firmware v.100.
Going back to V1.0.9.88_10.2.88 solved my issues. 1.0.11 is no good. I've had no issues with any other firmware except this one and I bought my router in 2016, so it's one of the first batches.
Going back to V1.0.9.88_10.2.88 solved my issues. 1.0.11 is no good. I've had no issues with any other firmware except this one and I bought my router in 2016, so it's one of the first batches.
And therein I suspect lies the problem. Your 2016 built router? 3 years older at least than my 2019 built router. Have they been built in the same factory/country? Exact identical hardware inside?
That's why I don't think it's a firmware issue entirely. If certain components in your router vary from mine, which quite frankly we'll never know unless we put them side by side and tear them down, if components do differ and are unable to cope with firmware changes in one router supposedly identical to another, then perhaps that is the issue? Who actually knows?
I don't know if this applies to this form but I was having issues with 5G dropping and complete crashes.
I updated to the latest firmware V1.0.11.100_10.2.100, did full reset, changed SSID and still had issues, I rolled back to V1.0.9.42_10.2.44 and crashes continued.
I then disconnected a 2.5 HDD from the router which i was using to backup files from my PC using ready share vault.
After doing this the router has been stable for over a week (reconnected HDD to test and had a crash after 1 hour)
My guess is that the 2.5 HDD which gets power from the router was possibly draining to much voltage and causing my issue.
So if you are using a 2.5 HDD plugged into your router for file sharing or backups try disconnecting it to see if it resolves the problem.
My router was brought about 4 years ago so is an early release model, i am still running the V1.0.9.42_10.2.44 firmware.
