Nighthawk X8- R8500 Tri Band Quad Stream WiFi Router

[JB426]

I have one these on the way. We do a lot of online gaming on two Xbox Ones at the same time. I'm hoping the stock firmware has good implementation of UPnP, since there is no other open source firmware for this at the moment. Anyway we use a wired connection to the router. Should we plug one into port 1 and the other into port 2 or to port 3? I read in the manual it says ports 1 and 2 can be used aggregate or as just regular LAN ports. I was just wondering if there would any advantage either way? Thanks.

 

[thiggins]

You can use any port as a normal Gigabit Ethernet ports. You only need to care about which port used if you are using Link aggregation.

 

[JB426]

Thanks thiggins, that's what I thought.

I was going to get the R7000 or the RT-AC68U but then something came up and I was able to get any router regardless of price and thought I'd check this one out. I did read the review here and know what I'm getting into. I can always return it if it doesn't work out for my needs.

 

[superjet]

I returned my x8. Netgear support communicated well with me but ultimately could not solve the issues I had using the unit in even AP mode.

 

[Aznsniper911]

So anyone have issues where devices show that wifi is connected but internet doesn't work? All my devices show that they are connected to WiFi without any issue but the internet simply won't load on them. My X8 is on firmware V1.0.0.56_1.0.28.

 

[sm00thpapa]

So anyone have issues where devices show that wifi is connected but internet doesn't work? All my devices show that they are connected to WiFi without any issue but the internet simply won't load on them. My X8 is on firmware V1.0.0.56_1.0.28.

Did you check your modem? Devices will connect with no issues to a router even if there is no modem in the equation.

 

[superjet]

So anyone have issues where devices show that wifi is connected but internet doesn't work? All my devices show that they are connected to WiFi without any issue but the internet simply won't load on them. My X8 is on firmware V1.0.0.56_1.0.28.

That is one issue I also experienced and isolated to that specific access point. I never solved it but didn't really try too much either.

 

[Aznsniper911]

Did you check your modem? Devices will connect with no issues to a router even if there is no modem in the equation.

Forgot to mention that I am using the X8 as an AP. I have an Asus AC68U as a router and using the X8 as an AP.

That is one issue I also experienced and isolated to that specific access point. I never solved it but didn't really try too much either.

I'm scratching my head as to how to fix it. I disabled QOS, hard reset, even tried different ports on the X8 and still no dice. I'm definitely getting better Wifi signal with the X8 but it's useless if I can't surf the web!

 

[NightOwl326]

May I ask what influenced you to buy this router?

Sent from my LG-D850 using Tapatalk

Or a just as valid of a question is what influenced you to buy an 88u even more so after looking at its lack luster performance charts?

 

[System Error Message]

just saw the specs on this router, i do have some questions for @NETGEAR Guy , how are the ethernet ports connected on the 8500? I understand it uses the same broadcom CPU and switch for the 4 LAN ports with a standard 1Gb/s to the CPU but what about the 2 ports that support LAGG? is wifi connected to switch or CPU? I couldnt find a block diagram for the r8500

 

[thiggins]

just saw the specs on this router, i do have some questions for @NETGEAR Guy , how are the ethernet ports connected on the 8500? I understand it uses the same broadcom CPU and switch for the 4 LAN ports with a standard 1Gb/s to the CPU but what about the 2 ports that support LAGG? is wifi connected to switch or CPU? I couldnt find a block diagram for the r8500

I think I answered this in the review:

The WAN and LAN ports 1, 2 and 3 connect to the BCM47094's internal switch, while ports 4,5 and 6 connect to a Broadcom BCM53125 7 port Gigabit switch. The second switch chip connects to the CPU via an RGMII port, which basically provides a 1 Gbps uplink port between the two switches.

Radios connect to CPU via PCIe.

 

[System Error Message]

Thanks,
Although i still dont have the information on the internal switch if ports 2 and 3 have seperate links to the CPU.

 

[sm00thpapa]

I have one these on the way. We do a lot of online gaming on two Xbox Ones at the same time. I'm hoping the stock firmware has good implementation of UPnP, since there is no other open source firmware for this at the moment. Anyway we use a wired connection to the router. Should we plug one into port 1 and the other into port 2 or to port 3? I read in the manual it says ports 1 and 2 can be used aggregate or as just regular LAN ports. I was just wondering if there would any advantage either way? Thanks.

Good luck getting an open NAT on a Netgear router. I couldn't get open NAT on a Netgear or TP-Link router and had issues with all Linksys routers. The only routers that give me a constant open NAT is ASUS routers. That's one of the main reasons I stick with ASUS. Just my opinion in my application. I really hope that Netgear router works out for you good luck.

 

[sm00thpapa]

Mini review from an X8 owner.

 

[HawkFire]

I have been lucky enough to have beta tested this router since September and it has been rock solid. I have used it to wirelessly stream Netflix to my Sony Blu-ray while my kids were streaming on their iPads without one glitch. As far as range is concerned it a bit better than the R7500 I betaed last year but not by much. It's a breeze to setup and manage. The big test will be Christmas Eve when my family and friends will be here with their children in tow and multiple phones and tablets will be competing for a signal. I will see how this router handles the offloading to other SSIDs I set up on both bands.

 

[System Error Message]

i might actually get this if it means i can bond 4 ports (WAN, LAN 1-3). The question is if the firmware is capable or if it supports tomato and that tomato can do it.

 

[JB426]

Good luck getting an open NAT on a Netgear router. I couldn't get open NAT on a Netgear or TP-Link router and had issues with all Linksys routers. The only routers that give me a constant open NAT is ASUS routers. That's one of the main reasons I stick with ASUS. Just my opinion in my application. I really hope that Netgear router works out for you good luck.

I do get an open NAT on both Xboxes, so UPnP seems to work fine. I do not get an open NAT on both with Black Ops 3 only but might have a solution. See my other post about NAT Filtering. Thanks.

Also, the R8500 has been working great so far. Coverage is significantly improved over the Asus RT-N56U I had before, and it's been very stable.

 

[Ch1n0el]

Good evening all,

First post on here, I bought this router online on black friday since i've been stuck with a WNDR4000 for as long as it has been out and I wanted to upgrade to AC. A couple of days after I installed it, I started having connections issues, wifi dropping, dns erros etc.

Today I came home, turned on my main pc and noticed that I was not connected to the internet, i went to look at the router and it had restarted itself. I didn't think nothing of it, I started browsing and my pc disconnected again. I went to look at the router again, and I thought there might have been a loose power connection.

I unplugged everything and replugged, it kept doing it. I disconnected it from the extension cord and connected it straight into the wall, but it kept doing it, it just kept restarting itself every 20 seconds after coming up if not less.

Long story short, I just filed an RMA with the website I bought it from and I'm hoping it was an isolated incident.

Thanks,

 

[NightOwl326]

Good evening all,

First post on here, I bought this router online on black friday since i've been stuck with a WNDR4000 for as long as it has been out and I wanted to upgrade to AC. A couple of days after I installed it, I started having connections issues, wifi dropping, dns erros etc.

Today I came home, turned on my main pc and noticed that I was not connected to the internet, i went to look at the router and it had restarted itself. I didn't think nothing of it, I started browsing and my pc disconnected again. I went to look at the router again, and I thought there might have been a loose power connection.

I unplugged everything and replugged, it kept doing it. I disconnected it from the extension cord and connected it straight into the wall, but it kept doing it, it just kept restarting itself every 20 seconds after coming up if not less.

Long story short, I just filed an RMA with the website I bought it from and I'm hoping it was an isolated incident.

Thanks,

Every porduct made has a defect rate. Sorry you had to get a bad one. At least it was not an Asus rt-ac87u as everyone was a defect out of the box due to engineering, and everyone had to for the most part just eat it and buy the next generation Asus router. So in that regard Asus got additional sales by producing a defective product. Only in America....

 

[Luigi408]

Is this router compatible with jumbo frames? Thanks.