[dba-Tech] NetGear NightHawk Router

[Tina N Fields]

Here come the details:

The new device is a Netgear Nighthawk AC31750 R6400v2 smart router . 
Among other things, it comes with a recommended phone app for managing 
the device. My historical experience has always been setting routers up 
with a laptop, first via USB connection, then converting to WiFi.

I bought this new device to replace an ASUS-RT-N66R router at the PPPOE 
portal to the Internet. That router already has two dead ports and it 
occasionally drops the signal - I get that dreaded message across the 
screen: "Your Internet connection is unstable."

Because virtually all my work is computer stuff over the Internet, I 
need a stable connection.

First try: I read the startup literature that came with the router, used 
the QR code to download the Nighthawk app. Plugged in the router to the 
yellow cable from the ISP moden and waited for the router to complete 
its power cycle. I had my laptop with me, but was sidetracked by the 
recommendation to use the phone app. Very quickly realized that I didn't 
understand how to use that app. I was pressed for time, because I had a 
paper to publish, minutes to complete for the planning commission, etc. 
So, I put it aside until I could spend the time. That was a couple 
months ago.

This time: Plugged in the new router to power and the ISP modem and 
waited for its power cycle.  Watched all the lights make their 
transition from amber to white, except the Internet light. Using the 
laptop, logged in to the routerlogin.net page, used the default 
credentials. Worked through the setup, step by individual step. At the 
Internet setup page is where it went awry. I gave it the login 
credentials for my ISP account and identified the type of connection, 
etc., every setting to match up to the current access protocols. And the 
connection failed. I used the old router and went searching online for 
solutions. The most common reason for failure to connect was forgetting 
to put the modem through its power cycle before starting the router. So, 
I did that - several times. But, no success.

I don't give up easily, so I tried working on the settings again, always 
looking for what possible setting I had missed. Nothing worked.

I called my ISP tech support and spoke with Jeremy, who informed me that 
there was also something they had to switch at their end. Okay, he said, 
that should take care of it - just wait about 15 minutes to give it time 
to get going. So, I did. Tried again - no success. Waited longer and 
tried again - no success. So, I called back. This time, tech support 
said they tried to "add" my new router, but couldn't. A tech was coming 
the next day to repair a cable, and he could look at the router for me. Ha!

Tech Sean did a fine job replacing the cable. But, the router was 
another thing all together. First of all, he didn't know he was supposed 
to be doing that (little communication failure, there). Second, he said 
he had dealt with a few of these routers and it seems they have to get 
registered in order to work properly. He looked through the settings, 
but couldn't remember what had actually worked on other routers like 
mine. So, he tried asking for help, but his boss told him they don't set 
up people's routers for them. Not knowing what else to do, we put the 
old router back in place. It's up to me - with help from my friends - to 
figure out how to get this new router going, or swap it out for a 
different one. That's why I turned to you guys.

Today, I tried using the phone app without the WiFi. No good, because 
the app requires connecting to the router via WiFi to do anything at 
all. I'm wondering, now, if there may be a defect in the router.

Jon, you have a Nighthawk and you like it. Can you think what you may 
have done to set it up that I have failed to do?

Thank you all for your help.

T


Tina Norris Fields
231-322-2787
tinanfields-at-torchlake-dot-com

On 8/7/2020 9:47 AM, Tina N Fields wrote:
> So, many thanks to each of you who has responded. Let me answer the 
> questions so far posed in this email.
>
> Rocky, at this time, we are still limping along with the older router 
> - it's an ASUS-RT-N66R. I have three of them - the one that is the 
> PPPOE and two that are AP routers for locations in the house and 
> garage apartment. Knowing the main one was dying, I went back to Best 
> Buy to get another, because I have liked them and did want to keep 
> some consistency in my equipment. Best Buy no longer carries them. The 
> Nighthawk looked like the best choice.  My friends at my ISP tolerate 
> the fact that I want my own equipment in my setup, but, they would 
> also like to rent me the equipment. And, yes, the cell phone itself 
> can reach the Internet.
>
> Jon, yes, I have heard that the router should work without 
> registration, although the tech who came said he had found it truly 
> did have to be registered. For setting it up, I did use the laptop and 
> accessed the router through the routerlogin.net. Aside: several times, 
> the browser said the routerlogin.net wasn't available, then opened it 
> after about three tries, or only upon my entering the IP address. I 
> was peeved because I wanted to add this router to my existing network 
> and it comes with its own network SSID and passcode. I did figure out 
> to get into it with its credetials and then change to mine.
>
> Gary, thanks for the thought on simply turning off the WiFi on the 
> phone while trying to register the router through the phone app. I 
> will try that.
>
> Peter, the modem is the one supplied by my ISP, not incorporated into 
> the router. Sorry if I wasn't clear about that.
>
> Ed, yes, I will try turning off the WiFi for the phone to make the 
> registration connection.
>
> All - because this is starting to be a long message, I am going to 
> write a new one with details that may make it easier to help sort 
> things out.
>
> T
>
> Tina Norris Fields
> 231-322-2787
> tinanfields-at-torchlake-dot-com
>
> On 8/6/2020 3:10 PM, Tina N Fields wrote:
>> I hope somebody on this list has figured this one out.
>>
>> Because my main router is starting to fail, I bought a new one to 
>> replace it. But, oh boy, am I having trouble.
>>
>> Monday - I have it all set up and I've power cycled my modem. Hook it 
>> up and everything cycles in except it never gets to the Internet. 
>> Called tech support at my ISP; they said they had to make an 
>> adjustment at their end, and that it should all work in about another 
>> fifteen minutes. No, it did not work. A tech was coming the next day 
>> to take care of a cable problem, so it was agreed he would take a 
>> look at the new router, too.
>>
>> When I told him what kind of router it is, he said he'd run into them 
>> before and that they are a little tricky because they require 
>> registration before they can access the Internet. We looked through 
>> the setup together and could not find any way to get this thing 
>> connected.
>>
>> I have the NightHawk app downloaded on my phone, but it can't get 
>> through to register the router, either - it finds no Internet.
>>
>> What the heck! Maybe, if I keep the old router connected, log into 
>> the new router, use the phone app to register, while there is an 
>> Internet connection through the old router - could that work?
>>
>> Has anybody here dealt with this thing? It seems like a device that 
>> requires a connection in order to register so that it can have a 
>> connection. That's goofy!
>>
>> Thanks for any help,
>>
>> T
>>
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