NETGEAR is aware of a growing number of phone and online scams. To learn how to stay safe click here.
Forum Discussion
Solved
RAX120 V2 Constant Random Reboots
The router reboots frequently sometimes every 30 minutes. I have noticed that the router reboots under heavy system load of +50% on the processor. The only way I have been able to drastically lesse...
- Installed beta firmware 1.2.3.33 on it and then turn fan on in debug.htm. Just check mark it , don’t click on apply.
And bought a cool pad from amazon $10 . 4 days in a row no restart and router works perfect.
Laptop Cooling Pad，ESGAMING Laptop Cooling Stand Laptop Cooler 10-15.6 Inch 2 USB Ports 2 Fans with Blue LEDs https://a.co/d/dXVVnxw
Sure DarrenM and ChristineT - as this forum moderator and admin respectively - the only official links to Netgear form here, are you able to provide an official reply on the matter of random reboots with RAX120 V2 and timeline for it to be resolved?
Thank you in advance.
PS I just also emailed mark.merrill@netgear.com - the Chief Technology Officer
Not to side track this but just got the RAX200 up and running. the fans on the top of that router you can feel the air being pushed. the RAX120 you could not even feel the air coming out if it or hear it working. At lease for my setup. Returning the RAX120 now.
Ya, i think one of many problems with the 120v2 is that the fan isn't being triggered by default when the heat gets high.
Glad the 200 is working.
FURRYe38 wrote:
Ya, i think one of many problems with the 120v2 is that the fan isn't being triggered by default when the heat gets high.
Nope. This is yet again another deflection. The fan is working perfectly fine on my RAX120v2, however it is still rebooting randomly. Plus, quite a few people, including muniz_ri recently, reported the router rebooting even with the fan switched permanently on through the debug page in the GUI. You have seen and even replied to these posts. Being an 'experienced user' it should be blatantly obvious to you that the fan is not the root cause and cooling is not a solution. We all should know this by now.
If the was a problem with a fan on the RAX120 there would be a thread "I can never hear my RAX120 fan - is it broken?". No such thread.
Why post something that has no relevance?
Bladestorm wrote:
Not to side track this but just got the RAX200 up and running. the fans on the top of that router you can feel the air being pushed. the RAX120 you could not even feel the air coming out if it or hear it working. At lease for my setup. Returning the RAX120 now.
Returning the RAX120 was definitely the right thing to do.
Bringing up the point about not hearing the fan is. Did you RAX120 feel very hot to touch? It's fan has a temperature sensor and is triggered when the temperature of the CPU reaches certain threshold. It should come on only from time to time and stay most of the time off, allowing for passive cooling of the router.
Yes at one point I used my surface temp to see what the top of the router was it was 55 Celsius.
Well update the RAX200 has not had the reboot issue. mounted on wall working without issue.
I did notice one thing the below differences.
RAX 200 1.8gig processor
RAX120 2.2gig processor
Also the RAX200 has larger power supply wall converter.
Not sure but wonder if the RAX120 is way under powered for the job?
Just my 2 cents not worth much but had to get it out there 🙂
Decided ti give support one more try before dropping another $300 for a replacement. I am over the 90 days so I put in a hardware ticket. Working through all the steps they are asking me to do even though I have already done them.
Last request was to download the firmware, update manually and reset using the reset button. Just did this now.
Curious where this will end up.
I know I know It will end up rebooting again randomly... Sorry to say but they are just pulling your chain.
- I know. It has already rebooted twice since I did the manual update and reset. Not expecting much. Even if they did send a replacement chances are it will have the same problem.
They requested pictures of the unit and proof of purchase mentioned an RMA
RMA approved.Just Entered the shipping information.
Let you all know when I receive the replacement and if there is any change.
Then that's it? Will there be no further investigation or fixes from Netgear?
I guess my question is: is there still hope or that's it?
I find it absurd that this issue is still marked as resolved - it shows that Netgear does not care. "Just get a RAX200" is not an answer - it's an investment of +200 euros where I live. Would you give me a free RAX200 in exchange for my RAX120v2, Netgear? If not, then this is not an option.
FURRYe38 asked me to install new firmware with debug options, but I wasn't able to get to it yet. Also, the lack of contact from someone at Netgear is quite disconcerting. This is my first time buying a Netgear product and I couldn't be more dissatisfied with the experience.
Today it's pretty cold in my house (12 degrees C) and my router has restarted 3 times in 30 minutes - when it happened the unit was not hot at all. I was not streaming any kind of video and I was not in a video meeting.
So this is till under investigation at NG. Debug logging we asked about would be helpful in there investigation.
Not every mfr has to comment on problems seen on there products. If your not happy with the 120 or willing to help capture logs, then I recommend you return the 120 and find something else.
I see that the threads re: the RAX120v2 random reboots are closed and no longer allowing replies. So I will post the following in this thread...
I turned down the 2.4GHz transmit power to 25% and the 5GHz transmit power to 50% and the router has not rebooted for the past two days. Even at 25% transmit power the 2.4GHz band signal strength is excellent. At 50% transmit power the 5GHz band signal strength remains adequate with no noticeable drop in speed so all good so far.
Fingers crossed this approach turns out to be a viable workaround.
- Still working for you?
I have retired my V1 I got in late 2019, I beta tested the original which was even bigger (you can fit the current RAX120 inside the space for the wings and body on the beta RAX120 hardware), anyway I digress the RAXV120 (V1) never once had this reboot issue issue, and the only main difference is the chipset which has the same features and is only a small bump in numbers , I wonder if its a bad batch of silicon maybe? Just throwing out ideas, as only Netgear know the true number of complaints and forums only show those who have issues of course. Nobody comes online to say 'all working well' do they.
With all the issues recently with getting new SoC's the RAX120v2 should have been capable of UL and DL OFDMA but that was never added with the updated Hawkeye, it is identical in specs to the the version 1 in pretty much every other way except the original IPQ8074 was a 2Ghz CPU not 2.2 and didnt have WPA3, its almost like this was a customised chip for Netgear. In the UK it comes (or did) with a massive power brick, mine for the RAXE500 is the same size (huge) Earlier RAX120 v1's had coil whine until you turned on the router weirdly enough. My PSU for the RAX120 version 1 is a 'ADS-65MIA-19 19060-H' if that helps anyone.It's very possible that the reboots could be caused by a hardware issue and that would be bad news for those of us still hoping for a solution.
Hey all, I received the RMA replacement. Fully expecting to have the same reboot issue. I was quite surprised and pleased when after unit booted and I entered setup with the browser to see I had been sent a v1 unit.
Set it up with my wifi network names and passwords. Been up for just 4 days now with no reboots.
I have seen a lot of negative comments on here regarding the support and I will say I was skeptical but I was just patient, replied with the information they requested and performed every step that asked me to take.Took about a week of going back and forth(mostly because I was busy with work and couldn't respond for a few days). I have to say I am pleased with how they handled the issue and the outcome.
Also I was expecting a brown box replacement but this appeared to be a new unit in full retail packaging including shrink wrap with all accessories. Also the power supply is the same as I received with the v2 that I returned.
What is the first 3 characters of the routers serial number?
Tiberius675a wrote:
Hey all, I received the RMA replacement. Fully expecting to have the same reboot issue. I was quite surprised and pleased when after unit booted and I entered setup with the browser to see I had been sent a v1 unit.
Set it up with my wifi network names and passwords. Been up for just 4 days now with no reboots.
I have seen a lot of negative comments on here regarding the support and I will say I was skeptical but I was just patient, replied with the information they requested and performed every step that asked me to take.Took about a week of going back and forth(mostly because I was busy with work and couldn't respond for a few days). I have to say I am pleased with how they handled the issue and the outcome.
Also I was expecting a brown box replacement but this appeared to be a new unit in full retail packaging including shrink wrap with all accessories. Also the power supply is the same as I received with the v2 that I returned.
v1 is 5VE
v2 was 6JY
Thank you. Yes, There are 3 sets of SNs for v2s, all others are v1s.
Thanks for confirming.
Tiberius675a wrote:
v1 is 5VE
v2 was 6JY
Looks like another month down the line and still no resolution from NG on the random reboot issue. Those in the USA with the router within warranty - have your requested hardware support to exchange for RAX120V1?
I was inspired to finally give do an RMA for my paperweight v2. Behold, like others I received a brand spanking new v1 unit. Set it up just like the v2 and 2 days no drops so far.
Couple of Notes. Power supply units are IDENTICAL. same model number and specs. Routers are also identical in size and shape, actually v1 seems a touch heavier. Left photos is the v1 and right photos v2. I'm hopeful the stability of the v1 will behave like the other v1 in our family.
How long is the warranty period? I purchased mine in April 2022.
