Problems w/ New WiFi 6 Nighthawk 8AX - EAX80 Range Extender w/ New WiFi 6 Nighthawk AX12 - RAX20

[carys4]

It's so terrible. I bit the bullet and sold both on eBay hopefully to someone who had the patience to deal with the issues. I have since moved on to the wifi6 Orbi mesh system and haven't looked back

[Clibert]

Same. The wifi6 mesh works great which is why these issues are so infuriating. I even listed when I sold it no refunds. Research the known issues and be sure you understand before bidding

[Bubbz85]

This is terrible 😞
Why don't they pick this up in beta testing and sort it before putting it on the market
It's scandalous that they release tech in this state it seems pretty much every person that has purchased these models are having the same problem not just a few 😡
And they are still releasing new routers aswell should concentrate on getting these ones right before!
Cant believe no netgear personel are reading there own threads and picking up on this stuff?!

[Reecey1001]

I have exactly the same issue as everyone else on this thread. I bought the EAX80 over a week ago and its very poor, it gives only 52% signal 6ft 5ghz away from the router setting up even next to the router you only get 83% 5ghz. I am on a bt 900/110Mbps package I've ran several tests and only get 260/100Mbps speedtest.net I bought this to upgrade from my EX8000 extender I have now reverted back to my EX8000 which is so much better I get 690/110Mbps on the same setup and same position for both extenders. Is Netgear goig to fix this issue in an update does anyone know thanks

---

@carys4 wrote:

I have an RAX80 Wifi6 router and just got the EAX80 in hopes of performing better than the EX8000 tri-band mesh extender. Boy was I wrong. After reading all of these complaints about the EAX80, I totally can relate to all the poor performance problems. After rebooting, it seems to be performing well but test after test shows that the wifi performance is actually poor despite it showing a high connection status. It cannot even perform as good as the EX8000 X6S that it was SUPPOSED to replace. The X6S is a solid rock compared to this over-priced EAX80. I will hold on to it and hope for a firmware update after seeing all of these complaints but will be using the X6S only for now. I'm really disappointed in Netgear for releasing this EAX80

---

[Clibert]

Just dump it. They have no interest in fixing it. I switched to their orbi WiFi 6 mesh and have been much happier.

[Reecey1001]

I cant just dump it I've just bought it! surely there must be a fix in the pipleline with netgear all these complanits about the same problem. I can't believe a big company like this would just ignore many users and an expensive product and not bother.

[Clibert]

I dumped mine nearly a year ago. It has been an issue since the ax6 was released. They are not going to Fox it. Return for a refund or exchange before you are forced to sell for a loss like I did.

[fg8]

After many months of trying with Netgear problems still exist after many firmware updates on their latest Wifi 6Router and Mesh Extender. Both products have become expensive black boxes gathering dust as they only delivered frustration, drop outs and lack of coverage. Netgear have been unable to fix their own products and will not take them back like other major tech suppliers. I cannot sell them as I'd be embarrased. The only way I can get back at Netgear is to not buy from them ever again. I have also cancelled my arlo camera subscription as they are linked with Netgear. I will also tell everyone I know to NOT buy Netgear products.  

[Reecey1001]

@Clibert Thanks I have took your advice I have sent it back to amazon today. You say you have the orbi wifi 6 mesh extenders are they these>

https://www.amazon.co.uk/NETGEAR-Satellite-Extenders-Coverage-Devices/dp/B08FT9BLQX/ref=sr_1_2?crid=...

how is the performance & stability like? what speeds do you get through these?

[Reecey1001]

I sent the AX80 back and bought a set of Orbi Wifi 6 RBK753. I set the Orbi package up and that was awful as well the speeds are dreadful again it didn't even come close to my AC Netgear EX8000 even in wifi6 connection and very annoying the orbi keeps dropping to 2.4ghz on devices even though you have 5ghz only selected in settings, one wifi name only no choice I sent those back as well!

I'm posting a private video below of a test from my EX8000 extender this is what speeds I get via wifi on a wifi5ac laptop, it's incredible nothing else comes close for an extender.

This video the Netgear EX8000 is "measuring" 13FT from the laptop and I still get test results like this I'm running a BT 900/110Mbps package. This is just a rough test I did to record, if I do several tests and really try I can get nearly 700Mbps Download via wifi 7FT away on just a Wifi5AC laptop. The AX80 & Orbi RBK753 with exactly the same setups could not even come close to these speeds even testing in Wifi6AX.

[carys4]

Yeah it's been months since I got rid of that crappy EAX80. This Orbi wifi 6 performs flawlessly. They should just stick to Orbi's designs and stop making those Nighthawks lol

[Reecey1001]

No I sent the Orbi wifi 6 back that was terrible as well! This speed test is coming from my EX8000 not the Orbi set up.

[carys4]

Oh that sucks! I'm sorry to hear. My Orbi RBK852 have been perfect.

[Reecey1001]

I set the Orbi RBK753 up properly and put the satellites out correctly but the problem was after a few hours the devices kept dropping to 2.4ghz and I kept having to disconnect and reconnect to pick up 5ghz again even though my orbi settings was only 5ghz I turned the 2.4ghz side off also my top speeds registered I could only get 440 - 520Mbps Download and that was using a wifi 6ax laptop just being only roughly 7FT away from the satellite with Wifi 5ac the speeds registered are even worse I tried the Telnet hack that splits the 2.4/5ghz bands to separete the network names but it makes performance on the 5ghz side even worse than just using the one wifi name mode. I was running 2xEX8000 in the house before but one fell of the shelf and broke so I decided to go with a new wifi 6 extender but the ones I have tried so far are no good AX80 and the Orbi RBK753. I have now gone back and ordered another EX8000.

[GFS66]

I have the R8000 router that has works flawlessly and unfortunately added EAX 80 extender and that’s when my nightmare started . It works nicely at 100mbs without any issues but eaither my router or the extender goes into power same mode an looses connection every night like clock work. Net gears help is no help repeating the same same things I have already tried several time and their very impatient trying to get you off the phone than a solution . I purchased a new unit will receive today. But what I gather from this post and many others this a bad product with zero positive support from netgear. I will try the new one tonight but if it drops out then it’s got to be issue with software router and extender that goes into sleep mode every night. A simple power cycle does not fix the issue after that. I have to cycle my router and then extender to get to show up in the nighthawk app and be functional. I will repost if the new one works . But I’m sure it will be more of the same. Shame on Netgear for selling something that did not go thru R and D testing and two poor support that can’t speak English . I’d gladly pay another 100 bucks for a product that was properly tested and worked without a reboot every night . I will be googling problems before ever buying net gear again and look for the same issue posts like this one

[Reecey1001]

If you bought it from Amazon.co.uk then report it as a bad product send it back get a refund and buy an EX8000 from Netgear Nighthawk they are fantastic before its too late!! I have bought an EAX80 and a set of Orbi 353 and they are both useless. The problem with the orbi setup it only works on one name so it keeps dropping devices too 2.4ghz from 5ghz at least with the EX8000 you can seperate everything to taste, check my video above for the speed test. I have two EX8000's running of a basic BT Ultrafast Home Hub and the network runs like a dream I can get upto nearly 700Mbps Down via speedtests being over 10-13ft away and thats very impressive I doubt you would get that via a wifi6 setup. Remember you might think wifi6 is the answer but its not, the problem is with wifi6 you might get fast speeds being directly next to the extender or router but soon as go say 3 - 7ft away the speeds dramatically drop and much faster than a wifi5 setup my opinion stick with a wifi5 network so much more stable. The EAX80 Extender has obviously got an eternal product probelm which I assume without recalling every product it will never get fixed. Like everyone says in this thread ditch it.

[LaceyForever]

Yes! I replaced my EAX80 with the EAX20 and the later did what the EAX80 was supposed to do minus it's gimped specs.