RAX200 keeps dropping WAN connection

[Vyk]

Hi,

I recently bought RAX200 and it appeared working fine for 5 days until yesterday when random disconnects on WAN started happening. Following messages appear in logs repeatedly:

[Internet connected] IP address: 192.168.0.30, Wednesday, Dec 02,2020 06:34:07
[Time synchronized with NTP server] Wednesday, Dec 02,2020 06:34:06

Firmware version: V1.0.3.102_1.0.56

I was running my cable modem (Hitron CODA-4582) in bridge mode until yesterday when I noticed WAN disconnects on AX200. Just to rule out any DHCP issues between AX200 and my ISP Rogers I configured modem into router mode as well. Currently I am running double NAT in my network, which is not ideal but this helped me figure out that there could be something wrong with the RAX200 and its not my ISP Rogers. Modem's logs are absolutely clean and there is no error visible on ISP side.

Anyone faced a similar issue? Also, is there a way to turn on more logging to find out what could have led to the restart of WAN in first place?

Thanks!

[plemans]

when you were putting the hiltron back in router mode, did you ever try the RAX200 in AP (access point) mode to rule out the double nat causing issues?

[Vyk]

No, I didn't try RAX200 in AP mode yet. That is next on my list.

Can double NAT cause a drop like this? I understand it will increase latency, but a bump of 3-5 ms doesn't impact me much. I have had double NAT configuration run absolutely fine for several years using a Linksys router. It wasn't a delibrate configuration, but I just happen to discover it when I got a new router to replace my 5 years old Linksys.

[plemans]

it can. 

Another thing to try is the RAX devices have been fairly responsive to factory resets and clean installs (not from backup) with firmware changes. If one hasn't been done since a firmare update, its another reasonable step to try. 

[Vyk]

Thanks for the tips. I'll try both of your suggestions.

[Vyk]

@plemans 

So I tried the AP mode and the results appears similar. I didn't do a factory reset though, that is next on my to-do list. I remember doing it on the day I had installed this router so I thought I'd try without it first. Here is a snapshot from router status page (note WAN up time is much lower than system up time and DHCP lease from router/modem is 24 hours):

I also noticed following entries in the log file (corresponding time interval in modem is clean):

[Admin login] from source 192.168.1.118, Friday, Dec 04,2020 08:28:43
[Time synchronized with NTP server] Friday, Dec 04,2020 04:26:46
[Internet connected] IP address: 192.168.1.113, Friday, Dec 04,2020 04:26:45
[Time synchronized with NTP server] Friday, Dec 04,2020 00:58:24
[Internet connected] IP address: 192.168.1.113, Friday, Dec 04,2020 00:58:24
[Log Cleared] Thursday, Dec 03,2020 22:30:07

Any idea what else could I check or try?

[plemans]

I'd check with your hiltron for its lease time period. Maybe you can set it for a longer period of time 

[Vyk]

My current setup is:

Hitron CODA (in bridged mode) <---> Linksys EA7500 (router mode with WiFi turned off) <---> RAX200 in AP mode.

Lease time between Linksys router and Netgear RAX200 is 24 hours. I suspected DHCP lease time and that I why I made sure that the lease time was set to 24 hours. I can see that lease time in RAX200 router status page as well. I think something happened after 6 hours of start of RAX200 (done roughly 12 hours ago) due to which WAN interface got reset.

I have noticed this exact same behaviour in all the following configuration:

- Hitron in bridge + RAX200 in router mode

- Hitron in router + RAX200 in router mode

- Hitron in bridge + Linksys Router + RAX200 AP mode

As a next step, I'll reflash the firmware followed by reset to factory defaults and then observe it for a day or two.

[plemans]

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@Vyk wr

I have noticed this exact same behaviour in all the following configuration:

- Hitron in bridge + RAX200 in router mode

- Hitron in router + RAX200 in router mode

- Hitron in bridge + Linksys Router + RAX200 AP mode

As a next step, I'll reflash the firmware followed by reset to factory defaults and then observe it for a day or two.

---

Try going hiltron (router mode)-----linksys (ap)----rax (ap).