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Forum Discussion
RAX120 Router Random Disconnects
Hey everyone, I know that I'm not the only one with problems on the Nighthawk WiFi 6 devices, but thought I'd post my most recent headache. My hardware consists of a Motorola MB8600 DOCS 3.1 modem w/...
Got referenced here from thread I started two days ago as well:https://community.netgear.com/t5/Nighthawk-Routers-with-WiFi-6-AX/RAX120-Connectivity-Issues/m-p/1871820#M6088. I also have a support case open with netgeart: Case# 42409064
Of course I got the standard apply hotfix .118 code above which i did already to no avail. This morning I did a hardware device reset. My problems also seemed to start on Evening of March 8th. Wonder if it has anything to do with Daylight savings time and TTL with DNS or something wierd.
So far network stable for almost 12 hours now with 16 devices and 2 kids level work load after factory reset. Support is asking me to place device in AP only mode now which seems just like trial and error method.. Is there no logs or debug output we can get captured and analyzed? It doesn't matter if I use different DNS servers, I've tried 3 now, and rest of my network that hangs right off my provider router works just fine, so its definately DNS proxy issue on the RAX120.
I've had the .115 beta firmware in for 3.5 hrs now and so far so ok. I'll let you guys know if/when this craps out.
I may just be sending this back to amazon. I don't have any wifi6 devices yet and was really just trying to get some more distance (and future proof). I understand the 1watt limit on these devices, but I was thinking this antenna aray would set it apart.
My ASUS RT-AC3200 has been solid, and espicially useful with the Merlin 3rd party firmware. I don't think I'm getting any better distance, but it's all down to measuring bars since this device doesn't tell me the dBm of each wifi client like my ASUS did. I may trade this for a TP-Link product...
This DNS issue doesn't seem to be isolated to the RAX120, but is a common problem over the years with other netgear devices.
Thanks everyone for all the input and experiences. I'd like to think that we will get a solution with more people posting and submitting cases, but I'm kinda pessimistic in regard to Netgear support.
Here’s a little update on my issue. I had no problems as of 6pm tonight (9 hours after the last reboot), but my wife complained that her system wasn’t functioning. She had all of the same issues as my laptop during the other failures, but my laptop was still functioning normally. I was scratching my head until I realized that I was VPN’d into work. Once I disconnected the VPN session, my machine experienced the RAX120 DNS failure problem. My company’s VPN profile forces my machine to use their DNS servers when I’m VPN’d in to their network. Hence, I did not notice any failures until my wife mentioned something.
This is definitely a DNS server issue on the RAX120. It’s like the DNS server service dies and fails to restart. Also, I saw another poster had the issue occur the morning of March 8th as well and suggested the daylight savings change. netgear is there a bug with the daylight savings time change? Does NTP not function as it should and somehow hoses DNS? A time change should and NTP should not be related to internal DNS whatsoever, but who the heck knows at this point.
The last thing I can try at this point is update to .115. I’ll have that done in about 15 minutes. Crossing my fingers with lacking optimism…
Having same issue with my RAX120. DNS queries fail to respond after a few hours.
Restarting the router fixes the issue temporarily. The only workaround for me is to manually set dns servers on each device.
Definetely a big problem here.
Router Firmware Version V1.0.1.114
24hrs stable now after Factory Reset on V1.0.1.118. At least 3 diagnosed DNS outages from my RAX120 connected devices within 2 day period on v114 and v118 code . I suspect would have been more but I left it off at one point for a while and used my Spectrum WiFi. I have no WIFI-6 devices. After factory reset outside of changing password and SSID config, I changed the timezone back to ESTDT ~12hours ago. Will be getting used heavily next 12 hours so will update if anythign pops up.
As a point of (hopefully helpful) information for this thread, I have been using the CleanBrowsing DNS service (185.228.168.10 and 185.228.169.11) on an RAX120 without experiencing any “random disconnects” to-date.
Update on .115:
Installed yesterday (3/10) at 3:30pm
It installed ok, and I poked around the interface not changing anything else just making sure all settings were ok/same.
I logged back in last night to check attached devices....no issues.
Logged in this morning to do the same...no issues.
Logged in again a bit ago 10:30am and got authentication errors....weird. I then had to use the default password and create a new one (this time creating a strict password with one cap, one lower, one numeric and one symbol). I'm not sure why this just now occurred, but also after the password save....MY DNS STOPPED RESOLVING AGAIN!
I changed my DNS servers to ones I want to use, and am rebooting. If the DNS fails to resolve again on .115 as of now (11:23am CST), this thing is going back to amazon.
A similiar issue just happened to me. The RAX120 has been running for about 12 hours on .115 with no DNS issues. I go to login and it is giving me authentication failures. My admin password that worked last night after upgrading to .115 is not working. This isn't a fat finger, cuz it's copy and paste from a password DB. Attempting to use the default admin password doesn't work either. It sends me to the security questions prompt, and my answers that I know are correct won't let me in. Way to go Netgear. you broke the router's ability to serve up DNS requests and push a beta firmware as a solution that breaks your ability to auth to the switch.
I wonder if I can get my credit card to reverse the charge since I can't return this paper wieght back to Amazon?
Wow... I just got in using the old default of many switches... For those who have the same issue wth auth just stops working using your previously functioning credentials, try username == admin and password == password. I'll continue to monitor the switch for DNS fails.
This is still a sh!t show though. Netgear needs to do something to support their user basse beyond the 90 days of support.
Yeah I got in with admin/password.
I'm pulling the plug...Time of death, 1:35pm CST.
My router had been up since yesterday. However, as I was reviewing the TP-Link Archer AX6000 and the trusted ASUS RT-AX88U and comparing the two. I decided to go with the ASUS and as I went to amazon to purchase...website not found. Then confirmed on other devices that DNS was down. I didn't make it 24 hours on firmware .115
Good bye netgear...Good luck to the rest of you.
The issue persists even after upgrading to Firmware Version V1.0.1.118 (hot fix)
I will try factory resetting the router now.
This is definetely the most expensive router I have ever purchased and the one I had the most problems with as well. Big disappointment.
I did a factory reset on code .118 and reimportated my config. No dice. I moved to the beta .115 code last night and I didn't have the DNS failure until about an hour ago.
A hack to clear it is you run a test from Basic >> Internet >> Test. Maybe Netgear should open up an API so we can self solve!
Regardless, this is complete and utter trash. Netgear doesn't seem to be doing anything to help us either.
I am a novice with routers and I am extremely frustrated with constant disconnects and reboots.
I do not know what it means to manually set DNS server for each device. Could someone please explain.
hpgerrin wrote:
I do not know what it means to manually set DNS server for each device. Could someone please explain.
You can't. But why do you want to do that?
This is a long running discussion that has wandered all over the place. The subject, "random disconnects", could be down to many things.
If you have problems, start a new discussion in the right place that lays out your issues and describes your setup. So far, we know not much.
