Rif.: EX7000 Wifi Range Extender Dropping out after upgrade latest Firmware

[VS228]

It seems that NetGear has finally fixed the problem with firmware version 1.0.1.84_1.0.148.

Log on to your router and click update or download: EX7000 Latest Firmware 

My devices are not dropping the connection any more.

[Shyrage]

I was just wondering about this and there was the last response.  Can anyone else verify this?

[Photonutca]

I am afraid to even try, updates have been a nightmare and version 108 has worked flawlessly for me,

[GabrielW]

I've updted as well last week to V1.0.1.84_1.0.148 and results are good so far. For previous firmware I was using a python script to monitor  connection status and issue a reboot to the extender to force a reconnect in case of failure. For the last week it worked well without monitoring and reboots. I am planning to log the output of the script for one week to have some evidence.

[Shubhoz]

Great effort dude, thanks for letting us know. Will wait for your final confirmation in a week before i update. I second the other person, it's a nightmare.

[Shyrage]

Right on Gabriel!  If anyone else downloads it, surely let us know.  I'll update after a week if there are still no reported issues.

[168bill]

Hi All,

I worked for over 6 months with Netgear Engineering on beta testing/debugging  various FW versions, as I had very regular dropped connections, particularly on 2.4GHz channel. Eventually things stabilised with a test version of Firmware  V1.0.1.80_1.0.148 and I have been waiting ever since (August) for them to release a public version of it.

But I'm pleased to say that I have been running  that test version since July and have experienced no problems whatsoever  in that time.

  So I'm now going to upgrade to the just released public version of V1.0.1.84_1.0.148, which I believe (from the release notes) to be the release I have been waiting for that includes the fixes for the issues I was previously experiencing.

I will post further on here if I experience any issues or not.

Hope this is of help to others.

Cheers,

--

Bill.

[sgreene978]

Bill - Speaking for myself (and I’m sure many others) I want to express my sincere appreciation for your patience, dedication and your Herculean effort in working with not only NETGEAR, but with all of us, the users who had been bitxxin’ and moaning about our problems with the EX7000!
It could not have been easy, but you handled all those involved with grace & dignity. Hopefully, this new version will be exactly what we’ve all been waiting for. Thank you!

[Cheez75]

Not working for me unfortunately; still needs rebooting every day or so.

[Retired_Member]

My problem was that connection between ASUS RT-AC3200 and Netgear EX7000 were cut off every 1 hour. ASUS wifi "Group Key Rotation Interval" is exactly that 1 hour, too. Changing that interval to 0 ment that "WPA group key"(=Group Key) was solid and so was connection too.

I have used Netgear EX7000 test-Firmware version "V1.0.1.78_1.0.161_test" since (Group Key Rotation Interval=3600sec).

Now installed that new public fw-version:

(1) first installed new firmware and after that

(2) reset Extender and then

(3)configured it.
No connection droppings at all. 🙂 ...yes, and Group Key Rotation Interval is on (3600 sec).

It looks like if one still have connection droppings it is nice to know name and model of the router connected to EX7000.

[GabrielW]

As promised, a quick update. The extender had two disconnects that forced a reboot last week. I will keep the script running  to see if there is any pattern. For  now I am not going to downgrade the firmware (keep V1.0.1.84_1.0.148  )  as this level of service is acceptable for me.

2020-01-28 00:34:24 offline - restarting
2020-01-29 23:42:29 offline - restarting

Disclaimer, my script panicks when cameras (nest outdoor)  are detected offline for at least 60 seconds. I did not receive notifications from nest for the offline events, threfore I conclude that the events short and cameras re-connected once the extender rebooted.

[RandoCalrissian]

@GabrielW

Have you shared your script anywhere?  If not, would you be willing to?  Also where do you run it from?

Thank you

[GabrielW]

@ RandoCalrissian see attached . Prerequisites are selenium, pythonping and chromedriver.exe (https://chromedriver.chromium.org/downloads). I run the script from my windows computer on the same lan. The extender is located at ip .251, my cameras are at ip.22,26-28. I have the script in the same folder with chromedriver.exe to keep it simple.

[GabrielW]

 github link as well https://github.com/GabrielWN/RestartEX7000.git

[Zalmoxis_12000]

Ok. I installed the latest firmware but it has a issue and that is I cannot choose Fast Lane 5Ghz to 2.5Ghz and 5Ghz. I do not know what happened but I do not like the 2.4 Ghz band and it is annoying. Anyone has the same problem?

here is the picture with the settings I used to have.

[Zalmoxis_12000]

Sorry i uploaded the wrong picture. Here it is the one I was talking about. 

[168bill]

@Zalmoxis_12000  My understanding is that 'Fastlane' doesn't work the in the way that you want it to.

From the EX7000 Manual:

Boost Your Video Streaming

Get the most out of your HD entertainment with FastLane technology. With FastLane technology, the extender connects to your router using one band and connects to your devices using another band. Because a band is dedicated to each function, performance is enhanced.

If all your devices and your WiFi router support only the 2.4 GHz band, or all your devices and your WiFi router support only the 5 GHz band, do not enable FastLane Technology.

When you enable FastLane Technology, two options are available:

• Use the 2.4 GHz band to connect the extender to the WiFi devices and use the 5 GHz band to connect the extender to the WiFi router. Use this mode if your WiFi router supports the 5GHzband but the devices that you want to use for gaming and streaming support the 2.4 GHz band.
• Use the 5 GHz band to connect the extender to the WiFi devices and use the 2.4 GHz band to connect the extender to the WiFi router. Use this mode if the devices that you want to use for gaming and streaming support the 5 GHz band but your WiFi router supports the 2.4GHzband.

My setup is as follows using FastLane and it has worked without error ever since I installed the latest Firware version.

[JeroenVH]

Hi,

I'm new here and I just wanted to say thank you guys for all the invaluable information!
I have purchases an EX7000 a couple of days ago and updated to V1.0.1.84_1.0.148.
Now I'm experiencing dropouts over night with my router completely disconnecting making me have to reboot it before its willing to work again in the morning.
My main router is the Nighthawk X6 R8000.
Have you guys found any solution for this except for downgrading to a couple of firmware versions back since the last conversation?

Kind regards,
J

[Photonutca]

I have gone back to version .1008 and it has worked flawlessly.

[JeroenVH]

Hey Photonutca,

Thanks for the quick reply!
Do you mean v1.0.1.80? I tried looking for .1008 and couldn't find such a version, but maybe im looking in the wrong place?

Kind regards,
J

[Photonutca]

That should have been 108?  I had a hard time finding it but it was in the arcives.  I vave the file on my computer?  Not sure I could send it.

[Photonutca]

• Hardware Version: EX7000
• Firmware Version: V1.0.0.56_1.0.108

[JeroenVH]

Awesome that one is listed!
Thank you so much man, going to try it out.

Kind regards,
J

[Shyrage]

So i'm taking the fixes that had previosly been done arent working?

[Photonutca]

I am no expert.  I loaded an update and had reams of problems.  And new update was issued which I loaded and rteconfigured my extender.  It failed within hours.  I looked for and found the .108 version and loaded it, reconfigured my extender and have never had a problem.  More updates have been issued, and Nedtgear claim all the issues are fixed; but I have been unable to find out if this is reallt true, so have stayed with 108.

I like to keep everything up to date; but these updates I am afraid to load.  Netgear themselves never answer any questions!