Netgear RAX120 Firmware

[Killhippie]

I have been running 1.2.3.28 since early November 2021 with stable results. Speeds are still up there and no burps whatsoever. I still running over 25 devices and have 160Hz enabled using an ASUS PCE-AX58BT PCIE adapter. Download speeds remain in the 1.3 gig range. Don't know is QOS got touched for Killhippie, but it would be great if they would pay it some attention.

Not sure what you mean by "Don't know is QOS got touched for Killhippie" there was a bug in it way back and I hope they fixed it, but the router stats are still bugged, afrer a few weeks logs get deleted that are recent or you just dont have logs for maybe 5 days and then they start again, its a mess thats been happening for over a year (I use DHCP reservation) not sure if that mucks up the logging process but its frustrating. QoS is pathetic on this router, its so limited, and considering its price the lack of Dynamic QoS is a real shame, apart from that range and speed is great, its still up with one of the best routers I've had, the R7800 on Voxels firmware being the best, but current firmware is stable. I'm just not touching QoS again because when its on and you go to DSL reports the upstream graph looks like a demented buzzsaw rather than a nice smooth rise and plateau when its turned on. QoS really does need work but afer all this time I doubt they will do anything to it, I mean the router has been out a few years now. A great router with just to few features but the best Wi-Fi coverage and speeds I've ever had.

 

[CSM746]

Not sure what you mean by "Don't know is QOS got touched for Killhippie" there was a bug in it way back and I hope they fixed it, but the router stats are still bugged, afrer a few weeks logs get deleted that are recent or you just dont have logs for maybe 5 days and then they start again, its a mess thats been happening for over a year (I use DHCP reservation) not sure if that mucks up the logging process but its frustrating. QoS is pathetic on this router, its so limited, and considering its price the lack of Dynamic QoS is a real shame, apart from that range and speed is great, its still up with one of the best routers I've had, the R7800 on Voxels firmware being the best, but current firmware is stable. I'm just not touching QoS again because when its on and you go to DSL reports the upstream graph looks like a demented buzzsaw rather than a nice smooth rise and plateau when its turned on. QoS really does need work but afer all this time I doubt they will do anything to it, I mean the router has been out a few years now. A great router with just to few features but the best Wi-Fi coverage and speeds I've ever had

 

[CSM746]

I upgraded to Netgear firmware version 1.2.8.40 and have been running it for several days now. This version is stable in my environment and broadband speeds are 1.4 gig down and 50 meg up. I am running over 30+ devices and a mesh network based on EX8000 Extenders and also an Athena AC2600 Extender. So all is good if anyone is on the fence about upgrading.

 

[Killhippie]

So your point to quoting my post is?

 

[CSM746]

Replying to the thread? It automatically quoted? Or, since we spend several months of the year near Evanton Scotland I was subconsciously saying hallo? I have no defense.

 

[Killhippie]

I upgraded to Netgear firmware version 1.2.8.40 and have been running it for several days now. This version is stable in my environment and broadband speeds are 1.4 gig down and 50 meg up. I am running over 30+ devices and a mesh network based on EX8000 Extenders and also an Athena AC2600 Extender. So all is good if anyone is on the fence about upgrading.

I have moved on from the 120 now, it is an old router draft 3 AX, I am using a RAXE500 now, which with QoS seems more compatible and devices connect faster without the lag they had on the RAX120, I wonder if they have removed PMF as its not in the menu but I hope they have not, the menu stutters a bit in Firefox when you scroll but it logs in faster, I imagine the difference between 2.2Ghz and 1.8Ghz is not that great as the architecture between both SoC's may be different, so speed may not be so important.

The RAXE500 does not quite have the range of the 120 but its not far off. Also it has orange lights for when there is no internet, something lacking from my old RAX120. It would be good if Voxel could take the RAX120 under his wing I feel it never reached full potential under Netgears, but I know with the way of things he has enough I imagine to do and the world is crazy right now but the the R7800 is a masterpiece with his firmware.

I think the RAX120 is heading for EOL, it was ten months between updates, and the v2 reboot issue I think is hardware, not firmware for some. Maybe a bad batch of silicon and Netgear don t want a big recall. My v1 never had those issues thankfully, neither did the beta model after a few updates, but it always ran hot, the beta has a different mesh over it's fan more like the RAXE500's so the mesh looks less transparent. looking at my beta version the mesh was changed for release, I think for airflow reasons. I'm glad its fixed for you, though by looking on the forum the v2 is still rebooting badly for many people even after factory resets.

 

[CSM746]

I have moved on from the 120 now, it is an old router draft 3 AX, I am using a RAXE500 now, which with QoS seems more compatible and devices connect faster without the lag they had on the RAX120, I wonder if they have removed PMF as its not in the menu but I hope they have not, the menu stutters a bit in Firefox when you scroll but it logs in faster, I imagine the difference between 2.2Ghz and 1.8Ghz is not that great as the architecture between both SoC's may be different, so speed may not be so important.

The RAXE500 does not quite have the range of the 120 but its not far off. Also it has orange lights for when there is no internet, something lacking from my old RAX120. It would be good if Voxel could take the RAX120 under his wing I feel it never reached full potential under Netgears, but I know with the way of things he has enough I imagine to do and the world is crazy right now but the the R7800 is a masterpiece with his firmware.

I think the RAX120 is heading for EOL, it was ten months between updates, and the v2 reboot issue I think is hardware, not firmware for some. Maybe a bad batch of silicon and Netgear don t want a big recall. My v1 never had those issues thankfully, neither did the beta model after a few updates, but it always ran hot, the beta has a different mesh over it's fan more like the RAXE500's so the mesh looks less transparent. looking at my beta version the mesh was changed for release, I think for airflow reasons. I'm glad its fixed for you, though by looking on the forum the v2 is still rebooting badly for many people even after factory resets.

Regarding PMF in the RAX120, I followed the instructions from Netgear and cannot find it anywhere in the menus. Or it only shows when you have other options selected. There was a reference to it being defaulted to ON in the instructions. Perhaps it is? Interesting that you reference the R7800. I have that deployed in our "up north" cottage with Voxel and it has been there since 2018. Running along fine, although it is currently running version .96 and I see Voxel has released, .97. I have my older R9000 running at one of my daughters on Voxel .63. You're right, Voxel does some nice work. I wish he could pick up the 120 as well, but different architecture and now I see that on Netgear's site they have it discounted to $280. So, EOL is coming soon. It is interesting as well that the RAXE500 is now discounted down to $519. Perhaps, there is yet another Netgear model coming?

The 120 V1 is doing fine for what I need presently and it has always been stable here. I am caught in the psychological vortex of always wanting to move ahead with the latest technology. I have a 160mhz adapter on my office workstation and it is where I am pulling a full 1.4 gig down. I will keep my eye on the RAXE500 prices and when it starts falling precipitously I will jump in just to see how it does.

 

[RMinNJ]

I just can't bring myself to spend 500 on a netgear router only to have 90 days of support.. after 90 days can one even contact them to report a bug?

 

[CSM746]

I just can't bring myself to spend 500 on a netgear router only to have 90 days of support.. after 90 days can one even contact them to report a bug?

 

[CSM746]

Yes, I get it. Fortunately, I haven't encountered problems that required support through a series of Netgear routers. I've, through the years, had some Linksys, D-Link, and a Zyxel that was over complicated for home use. But, when you are listing a device for $600 and 90 days of support is obviously a model Netgear knows they can get away with.

 

[bob123456]

I just can't bring myself to spend 500 on a netgear router only to have 90 days of support.. after 90 days can one even contact them to report a bug?

No, they are terrible. I have the RAX200, with reproducible issues and they are an absolute mess. On one case, the usb mount path changes at every reboot (N:/, M:/, L:/, K:/.....).
I'm basically doing their support, every time they call they ask me to take debug logs, etc... it's a massive waste of time..
They even tell dumb steps like fw reset, redo the config "out of the blue" without any evidence. Of course issues remain.
I don't even remember how I manage to get them, but certainly it's ridiculous.
PS: I'm IT Engineer, with a nicely buggy rax200.

 

[bob123456]

Yes, I get it. Fortunately, I haven't encountered problems that required support through a series of Netgear routers. I've, through the years, had some Linksys, D-Link, and a Zyxel that was over complicated for home use. But, when you are listing a device for $600 and 90 days of support is obviously a model Netgear knows they can get away with.

Frankly, they can get away until you realise that. From then, probably many will cease to be customers of Netgear, especially as there are bugs and problems that will remain unfixed.

 

[blondeboyzz]

Probably not till the end of this year in terms of ATH11K WiFI drivers according some on OpenWRT forums. Even then it will probably take another 6 months to a year before it’s stable. Probably some time next year for a workable OpenWRT and I’m guessing DD-WRT.

Wow...sounds like a lot of work has to go into making these firmwares!! I bet Netgear doesn't help out any do they?

 

[bob123456]

Wow...sounds like a lot of work has to go into making these firmwares!! I bet Netgear doesn't help out any do they?

No, they were trying to make me doing all the debugging, and log capturing. I don't call that help. Especially on their side nothing moved for months (meaning they did not come with any investigation progress).

 

[RMinNJ]

No, they were trying to make me doing all the debugging, and log capturing. I don't call that help. Especially on their side nothing moved for months (meaning they did not come with any investigation progress).

Yeah I recall doing a lot of debugging and sending logs..got a minor bug fixed that way with the netgear folks..but when a firmware release broke the 5ghz it was impossible even with logs etc to prove to them it was not my env or hundreds of other people's environment causimg the issue. After that support ended..one gets 90 days. Seeing people begging and ignored by netgear on the customer forum.. i then went to voxel firmware which just works ..

 

[Steve 22]

how is

Dont use QoS avoid 160Mhz as well. make sure WMM is on. Turn off MU-MIMO and see how it goes. I hot 600Mbps to a AC iPad a good 20ft away on 80Mhz on 5Ghz I stick to 20Mhz on 2.4Ghz and my iPhone 12 hits over 1Gig on 5. At some point you also have to ask am I even going to use all this! My iPhone 12 certainly does not, not even the 5G kind either. I find the strengths of the 120 are great long distance speeds, a very good spread of signal and a SoC that can cope with pretty much anything apart from UL OFDMA which tbh you also may as well experiment with turning off DL OFDMA.

how is it possible to hit 1g plus with a iphone? any special setting?

 

[avtella]

No, max link rate is 1200 (80 MHz width) which means real world you will get maybe 800 ish in speed tests. iPhones don’t do 160 MHz. On tablets and phones it shouldn’t really matter, I doubt one would saturate the connection on these types of devices even at HT80. Streaming, browsing etc all take very little bandwidth relatively. Unless you are constantly transferring large files or doing huge backups would you really miss HT160.

 

[Newfie]

how is


how is it possible to hit 1g plus with a iphone? any special setting?

I’ve hit 856 on iPerf3 tests with a 2021 iPad Pro. That’s in the same room not that I need it but I was looking at various routers. What hogs it is VR but the RAX120 had very good coverage and kept a good throughput no matter where in my property I tested it compared the the other routers I have.
of course it changes daily and it’s not that important to me but was interesting to compare routers just as an experiment on throughput.
I just wish the software was just a bit more involving but hardware and performance were very good.