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Re: WiFi 5G dropping on RAX80

April1
Guide

WiFi 5G dropping on RAX80

I got a new AX8 router, updated FW to the latest, rest to factory status, QOS disabled, AX enabled, set 5G channel to 161 and also tried 36, noticed two issues:
1. Fan is noisy
2. 5G radio drops after a day of running and restarts after rebooting

Any solution?
Model: RAX80|Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream WiFi Router
Message 1 of 73
Christian_R
NETGEAR Employee Retired

Re: WiFi 5G dropping on RAX80

Hi April1, 

 

Thanks for taking the time to post. Would you mind providing us with the firmware version your router is currently on.

 

Christian 

Message 2 of 73
April1
Guide

Re: WiFi 5G dropping on RAX80

Version on my router is v1.0.1.70_1.0.30

Message 3 of 73
Christian_R
NETGEAR Employee Retired

Re: WiFi 5G dropping on RAX80

April1, 

 

May you try reverting to the previous firmware version and let me know if the issue persists. 


Thanks,

Christian 

Message 4 of 73
April1
Guide

Re: WiFi 5G dropping on RAX80

I had reverted back to one older version as per the netgear service agents suggestion but none worked. I switched back to the latest then as it is expected to be a better version.

Today morning I lost 5G again on all connected devices. 2G remained on.
I’m monitoring modem signals too, they are +6.2 dBmv to -7.2 dBmv and looks very stable and strong.

When 5G is working, I get pretty strong WiFi in my entire house. Router is great. I had noticed router fan on and off frequently though it’s winter time. My home temp is maintained at 70 deg F. Not sure if this is normal on RAX80.

Netgear service agent asked me to do 1 minute factory reset (keep on pressing the reset button for 1 minute, I had earlier done for 10 secs only). Not sure how long press helps but I did it and didn’t find any useful effect.

Can someone figure out date of manufacturing or batch of manufacturing from its serial number or any hidden number? I suspect a faulty batch.

As I work most of the days from home, I need a reliable WiFi source.
Message 5 of 73
Christian_R
NETGEAR Employee Retired

Re: WiFi 5G dropping on RAX80

Hello April1, 

 

Thanks for confirming and reverting back to a previous firmware version as a support agent suggested. Would you mind sending me a private message with your case number and email address and I can have support follow up on your case. 

 

Thanks,

Christian 

Message 6 of 73
April1
Guide

Re: WiFi 5G dropping on RAX80

Hi Christian_R,

My two of old case numbers available through Netgear App are:
42091317
42095763

I have exhausted all the suggestions given by support agents, also called Arris modem service agent to look into cable signal powers which he certified are in the healthy range ( +6 dB to -6.5 dB on 32 channels).

I wanted to RMA my RAX80 router with new one but was discouraged when read over internet that RMA replacements are refurbished/ repaired devices and don’t expect to get new ones. I don’t like to get an old piece for my newly bought router. I’m prepared to live with the problem rather than accepting an old repaired item.

I know I am stuck.
Message 7 of 73
rugene
Guide

Re: WiFi 5G dropping on RAX80

I seem to be experiencing the same thing. The 5G radio randonly turns off over the course of a few days and leaves only the 2.4G radio broadcasting. Checking the management app indicates that the 5G radio should be on.   A reboot brings it back.

Is this a general issue or do I have bad hardware?

I have the latest firmware.

 

thanks.

 

 

Message 8 of 73
April1
Guide

Re: WiFi 5G dropping on RAX80

My issue is not yet resolved. Netgear has no solution for it. It seems only very few devices are seeing this issue.
Message 9 of 73
modernwize
Aspirant

Re: WiFi 5G dropping on RAX80

Having the same issue on my  Nighthawk R7000

Message 10 of 73
GabboCH
Apprentice

Re: WiFi 5G dropping on RAX80

If you read the forum there are more than a few users who are experiencing these issues.

They have been know for more many months (my device is nearly 5 months old & experienced the problems from new).

5G problems, reset problems, QoS problems.

 

I had exactly the same issues as you, 5G dropout (also 2.4G dropout) and the fan running on and off quite frequently.

After sending many different log files to support I had no feedback at all, no requests to try different firmware etc.

The support know there is a problem, but they also know there is nothing they can do about it.

 

Netgear have "no idea" what could be causing these issues & no interest in sorting them out or even admitting there is a problem.

 

The best solution is return the device a choose a different brand.

Message 11 of 73
Highre35
Aspirant

Re: WiFi 5G dropping on RAX80

It is getting very frustrating for such an expensive router to be doing this.  My router is doing the same thing and started within the first 3 months of owning it.  5G drops offline, power cycle and it comes back for just a day or 2 before having to reset it again.  I have tried reverting back to old firmware and then back to newest. Hard reset many times, ust for the router to do it again. 

Model: RAX80|Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream WiFi Router
Message 12 of 73
April1
Guide

Re: WiFi 5G dropping on RAX80

This seems to be an hardware issue. I doubt if you can resolve it totally. Factory reset couple of times might improve the situation.

Netgear service agents can’t resolve it, don’t waste time with them. Exchange the device if still within time limit. Don’t send it back to Netgear as they may send you a RMA which could be a refurbished device replacing your brand new device. Best wishes.

I had the same issue and living with the problem.
Message 13 of 73
xjn
Apprentice
Apprentice

Re: WiFi 5G dropping on RAX80

Are you using DFS channels? If the router detects radar nearby it will disable it... they should have made it auto switch to non DFS channels instead

Message 14 of 73
April1
Guide

Re: WiFi 5G dropping on RAX80

Logs don’t show blocking / dropping due to use of DFS channel. Either it’s not DFS channel dropping or RAX80 does not log this event. Netgear Tech, please look into it.
Message 15 of 73
GabboCH
Apprentice

Re: WiFi 5G dropping on RAX80

5G and DFS channels are not new.
Moving from DFS to non DFS should be automatic if radar is detected.
My non branded ISP handles this just fine as does my Wi-Fi 5 Netgear extender.

The RAX80 is clearly broken.
I don't think these issues will never be fixed...

As others said, get rid of it if you can..
Message 16 of 73
rugene
Guide

Re: WiFi 5G dropping on RAX80

Same problem here.

I have the latest firmware and have done factory resets.

The router randomly stops transmitting at 5G. The rest of the router functions seem to keep working properly.

I have submitted a trouble ticket.

I am using channel 153 not DFS

A reboot brings the 5Ghz radio back

 

I've noticed that when the router 5 ghz wifi has failed, on the Advanced Home page, under 5Ghz, the "Channel" field has garbled text. Rebooting clears up the text to display properly.

I've also had some other weird behavior, such as loss of internet but I have been uunable to track them down

 

Model: RAX80|Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream WiFi Router
Message 17 of 73
April1
Guide

Re: WiFi 5G dropping on RAX80

I keep facing this issue but never bothered to check the contents of the channel field. I will check it now. This would give a clue to Netgear Dev where to look for the cause of the issue.
Message 18 of 73
GabboCH
Apprentice

Re: WiFi 5G dropping on RAX80

Even if you are using a DFS channel on 5G, it should just switch to a non-DFS channel if radar is detected not disable 5G.

Losing the internet completely is also a common issue.

However, no one is looking into this.
I provided full debug logs of the same issue but had no feedback, as I guess have many others.
Message 19 of 73
rugene
Guide

Re: WiFi 5G dropping on RAX80

Well, I've contacted support. They are now giving me inane suggestions. They seem to ignore whatever I write.

I'm expecting them to just keep hitting me with more silly suggestions. The most recent one was to turn off the AX mode and - you quessed it - reset and reboot. Ha!

Next I'll be asked to set the unit sideways and place a statue of St Joseph on it 🙂

 

We need someone from the development team to look into this and report back - based on the low frequency of occurance, here's my WAQ: Whether you are using a DFS channel or not, a radar detection is inducing a code bug and shutting off the 5G or 2.4G radios.

 

I was turning off the wifi by schedule every night hoping that might clear out any register corruptions but that has proven to be ineffective.

 

Unfortunately I am past the return window for my router, otherwise I would definitely return it.

 

Is there a way to auto reboot everyday? I don't see it in the config app.

Since I need a way to auto recover when I'm am out of my house....Maybe I'll hook the power cord to a remote controlled AC plug and cause a reboot based on a schedule loaded into the plug.

 

Model: RAX80|Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream WiFi Router
Message 20 of 73
GabboCH
Apprentice

Re: WiFi 5G dropping on RAX80

It was pretty much the same for me except I didn't make any settings changes & they never asked.
Mine was out of the box setup. I changed only the SSID and set AccessPoint mode.

When the 70 firmware was released I asked support if I should continue taking logs or upgrade to the new firmware.
They weren't even aware the firmware was released as the normal webpage wasn't updated.

I felt quite sorry for the level 2 support guy.
He seemed to have little to no information from the development team, they never gave him any feedback to my questions & each time there was the "take some more logs requests" reply.
Every log I gave them I also asked them if they could "see" the problem I was reporting but I never once had any reply.

I was also sure half of the logs I gave them contained no data as the file size was small but again when I asked I get no feedback.

I was also out of my return period by the time I realised nothing was going to improve.
It must be 2 months since support closed my case & there's not been an update since.

I've tried to return my device under the normal warranty as it is unfit for purpose but haven't had it accepted yet.
I would just break it & return it but this would mean I'd just get another one with exactly the same problems....doh...
Message 21 of 73
rugene
Guide

Re: WiFi 5G dropping on RAX80

I just talked to support

They have not been told by level 2 support that this is a known problem

so

He asked me to reflash the latest firmware to see if that clears up the problem.

 -You'll find it on the RAX support page under downloads. https://www.netgear.com/support/product/RAX80.aspx#Firmware%20Version%201.0.1.70

 -Download and unzip the file and then from the router, on the "Router Update" page, browse for RAX80-V1.0.1.70_1.0.30.chk and then upload it. It takes 2-3 minutes. All your setting will remain. Best to do the upload from a hard connected PC.

 

Now I'm in a wait and see mode - proving a negative if you will - If the 5GHz drops then they will send me a replacement unit.

 

 

 

Model: RAX80|Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream WiFi Router
Message 22 of 73
rugene
Guide

Re: WiFi 5G dropping on RAX80

Still struggling with this.

I got a replacement unit from netgear.

Supported promised that a highe level support person would call me.


Unfortunately the new router is experiencing a very similar problem.
The issue: After about a day the 5G Wifi has stopped accepting connection requests from any of my devices. The 5GHz signal is present per my wifi analyzer app. The wired and 2.4G wifi connections continue to work fine. Only the 5Ghz wifi has stopped accepting connections. I don't see anything in the logs that looks weird.
I have the latest firmware. The router is setup in a DMZ behind a Google fiber modem. 5Ghz wifi is set to channel 153 with 2400Mbps bandwidth

I think they've got a firmware bug....we'll see.

Model: RAX80|Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream WiFi Router
Message 23 of 73
Yanni74
Aspirant

Re: WiFi 5G dropping on RAX80

i have the same issue. wifi 5g keeps droping. 2.4g still works

 

Model: RAX80|Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream WiFi Router
Message 24 of 73
Jojjan67
Guide

Re: WiFi 5G dropping on RAX80

I have had the same problem.  Updated to latest (Europe 1.0.2.76) and made a factory reset. Now it has been working flawlessly a whole week.

/Johan

Model: RAX80|Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream WiFi Router
Message 25 of 73
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