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R8000 Router Ongoing DNS Issues

MyBrokenRouter
Initiate

R8000 Router Ongoing DNS Issues

So the DNS resolution issues affecting the R8000 and seeminly other models are all over this forum. The last two firmware upadates (.74 and .76) are complete junk and completely break the DNS resolution of the router so that devices consistently fail to connect to internet domains. Rolling back looks possible, but introduces major security vulnerabilities..?

My question is what are Netgear actually doing about these issues? There have been many months passed now since .74 was released which introduced this issue, no comm's and no fix. I bought my router at the end of 2019, so now I have no way to get in contact with Netgear support - they do not care. 

Does anyone with current in-date support have any comm's with Netgear on this issue?

I'm this close to tossing it in the bin and moving on, I certainly won't ever be buying Netgear products again.

Model: R8000|Nighthawk X6 AC3200 Smart WIFI Router
Message 1 of 16

Accepted Solutions
mkrejci
Tutor

Re: R8000 Router Ongoing DNS Issues

@plemans Yes, I read about turning on IPV6 and have tried it, so far so good, the problem seems to have gone away.

 

Thanks.

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Message 10 of 16

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plemans
Guru

Re: R8000 Router Ongoing DNS Issues

Its rare to find netgear on here as this is the community forum. 

I do know they're aware of the issue. Not sure whats being done on it since they don't release firmware updates/plans/eta's. 

 

Did you try enabling IPv6? for a lot of people, that helped with the dns issue. 

you can even set your own dns provider like google or cloudfare. Just make sure to set it up in the IPv4 and IPv6 settings. 

Message 2 of 16
Kadaro
Aspirant

Re: R8000 Router Ongoing DNS Issues

I am seeing all sorts of DNS issues on the R8000 V1.0.4.76_10.1.82 (current version)

I don't know at what version this issue started.

 

 

When IPV6 is enabled, several workstations DNS does not work, but routing is OK as I can ping external IP's

Some workstations will be OK, other not. 

I see delays in web pages opening 

 

When IPV6 is disabled, some things are better, but some secure web pages like a banking bill pay will not open.

I also see delays when web pages try to open. 

 

If I manually set DNS servers ie: 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 at the troubled host, it works OK. 

Web pages open quickly, and the bank web site works correctly. 

 

Here is my ipconfig of my host with V6 disable, showing IPV6 addresses are still provided. 

Ethernet adapter Ethernet:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) 82579LM Gigabit Network Connection
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : B8-CA-3A-A7-3F-2D
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IPv6 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 2002:4353:7b0b:0:90f9:e3b5:76f8:c02e(Preferred)
Temporary IPv6 Address. . . . . . : 2002:4353:7b0b:0:688d:b789:c7b0:1fb(Preferred)
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::90f9:e3b5:76f8:c02e%9(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.15.160(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Monday, February 07, 2022 8:12:16 AM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Tuesday, February 08, 2022 8:12:15 AM
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : fe80::9e3d:cfff:fe48:57f6%9
192.168.15.254
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.15.254
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 246991418
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-1B-33-E4-9A-B8-CA-3A-A7-3F-2D
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.15.254
2002:4353:7b0b:0:9e3d:cfff:fe48:57f6
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled

 

This verifies that the R8000 DNS forwarding is not working correctly. 

As Others mentioned, IPV6 is not fully disabled when its disabled on the router. 

 

 

 

Message 3 of 16
MyBrokenRouter
Initiate

Re: R8000 Router Ongoing DNS Issues

I haven't played with the IPv6 settings, but I don't understand why that should either help or cause issues. My provider doesn't use IPv6 addresses yet so I don't see the point in turning it on.
My only working solution is to manually set the DNS servers on each connected client, which is completely impractical for some clients. Setting the DNS servers on the router had no effect
Message 4 of 16
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: R8000 Router Ongoing DNS Issues

Try reverting FW version back to what was working. 

Message 5 of 16
Kadaro
Aspirant

Re: R8000 Router Ongoing DNS Issues

Hi,

 

The router is basically brokering all DNS lookups (DNS forwarder) 

Since recent firmware updates, IPV6 seems to be interfering with IPV4, even when IPV6 is disabled on the router. 

 

Although IPV6 is not fully used yet, it is active.

most OS's have this enabled by default. 

 

Even after a full reset of my R8000, I am still seeing some issues with DNS. 

However the GUI now shows that IPV6 is disabled, where it wouldn't change before the reset. 

 

 

 

Message 6 of 16
plemans
Guru

Re: R8000 Router Ongoing DNS Issues

@Kadaro did you try downgrading a version (or 2) as was recommended? 

Message 7 of 16
mkrejci
Tutor

Re: R8000 Router Ongoing DNS Issues

I just recently purchased an R8000P router and have setup firmware version V1.4.3.88_1.3.50. I too am seeing the DNS problems. It constantly fails to resolve a domain unless tried several times in a row, sometimes even then it won't. From reading this post it appears it has something to do with IPv6, even if disabled. Has anyone found any fix for this issue yet? It is a really frustrating thing have so many website constantly failing.

Message 8 of 16
plemans
Guru

Re: R8000 Router Ongoing DNS Issues

@mkrejci Did you enable IPv6?

If so and it doesn't work, please start your own thread so we can help you 1:1 and not confuse your info with the OP's. 

Message 9 of 16
mkrejci
Tutor

Re: R8000 Router Ongoing DNS Issues

@plemans Yes, I read about turning on IPV6 and have tried it, so far so good, the problem seems to have gone away.

 

Thanks.

Message 10 of 16
rgsneed
Guide

Re: R8000 Router Ongoing DNS Issues

Just wanted to confirm that changing IPv6 to Auto Detect from Disabled seemed to fix the firmware/DNS issue I originally posted about last year.  I've held my router at V1.0.4.68_10.1.75 for the last year since upgrading the firmware version brought on the intermittent DNS resolution issue that everyone else has noted.  After changing IPv6 to Auto Detect, and then upgrading the firmware to V1.0.4.84_10.1.84, the DNS resolution issue seems resolved.  No slowness, and no issues.  My provider is Spectrum.  I did not change the DNS resolution to 8.8.8.8 as others have mentioned.

Message 11 of 16
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: R8000 Router Ongoing DNS Issues

Thanks for letting us know. Be sure to save off a back up configuration to file for safe keeping. Saves time if a reset is needed.
https://kb.netgear.com/24231/How-do-I-back-up-the-router-configuration-settings-on-my-Nighthawk-rout...
Enjoy. 📡


@rgsneed wrote:

Just wanted to confirm that changing IPv6 to Auto Detect from Disabled seemed to fix the firmware/DNS issue I originally posted about last year.  I've held my router at V1.0.4.68_10.1.75 for the last year since upgrading the firmware version brought on the intermittent DNS resolution issue that everyone else has noted.  After changing IPv6 to Auto Detect, and then upgrading the firmware to V1.0.4.84_10.1.84, the DNS resolution issue seems resolved.  No slowness, and no issues.  My provider is Spectrum.  I did not change the DNS resolution to 8.8.8.8 as others have mentioned.


 

Message 12 of 16
Kadaro
Aspirant

Re: R8000 Router Ongoing DNS Issues

Hi,

 

I tried switching to Auto Detect, with the same firmware. 

It keeps selecting 6to4 Tunnel.

What did yours set to?   

I use Optimum cable

 

 

I also tried setting Lan Setup use DHCP...it was on Auto Config. 

 

No change so far...

Message 13 of 16
plemans
Guru

Re: R8000 Router Ongoing DNS Issues

I don't think optimum supports ipv6. So if ipv6 doesn't work, you might need to downgrade to get it working properly again. 

Message 14 of 16
Kadaro
Aspirant

Re: R8000 Router Ongoing DNS Issues

Hi, thanks for the reply

 

I tried all the options/suggestions like disabling the IPV6. 

 

I did noticed that some secure web pages, or regular web pages (banks and others) fail loading at first attempt. 

Its better with IPV6 on, but not perfect.

 

I also note that Netflix fails usually the first attempt to connect from any of my Roku's or Samsung apps. If you stop and retry it works.  

 

In both cases I wonder if they have load balancers out there that don't have all the correct DNS pointers (for either IPV6 or 4) 

To confirm that idea, I did have some success fixing my host file with an  DNS IP that works and it had some good results as well....but not 100%. 

 

You would think Netgear would have solved this by now.

 

 

Message 15 of 16
plemans
Guru

Re: R8000 Router Ongoing DNS Issues

You'd think but I also doubt they have the resources dedicated to an 8 year old router (released in 2014). 

 

Message 16 of 16
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