I know threads have been done on this before, but I cant find any help anywhere with this issue.

Ive got a Netgear N600 router. This thing has worked great for about 1.5 years, until yesterday it all of the sudden quit broadcasting internet. The internet is still working, I can plug it strait into my computer and it works. And the router is still broadcasting out a signal, it doesnt seem to broadcast out internet(IPv4 Connectivity just says local). Weird thing is the light on the front for internet is on. I did a factory reset on it several times, and still nothing. Right now i've got my old router from back in college hooked up, but i'd love to get the netgear working again.

Anyone have any ideas? It is updated with the latest firmware and everything, it just doesnt want to put out a internet.

10/17/2012 8:37:32 PM

It of course could be dying but have you tried flashing an older bios on it and then doing a factory reset? I have the WNDR4500 and after three weeks it completely died on me. I reflashed an older bios on it, did a factory reset and then did the bios upgrade through the router and have had zero problems ever since.

10/17/2012 9:49:31 PM

Saying that it doesn't broadcast Internet isn't a thing. If you can clarify what you mean, it will help. What i thnk you're saying is that you can still connect to the local network, but can't get out to the Internet.

A few questions to start discussion:

1. Can you ping the IP of a wireless client from a wired one?


2. What about the other way around?


3. Do other wireless client devices work? (Phones, laptops, etc.)


4. The things ^ said?

10/17/2012 10:04:14 PM

I have a similar problem, like on occasion the wireless transmitter just stops working on my old factory-refurb Linksys E2000 with the latest non-testing DD-WRT build

It never worked exceptionally well to begin with (esp. with a shitty power connector that cuts out if you jiggle it ever-so-slightly) so methinks it's just dying
and imago replace it with a factory-refurb E900 because it's the cheapest replacement router that DD-WRT works well on

10/18/2012 12:16:26 PM

Can you ping the IP of a wireless client from a wired one?
Im not sure how to do this. It connects to the router, but says no internet (local only). When I try and go to a webpage, it says DNS lookup failed, etc.

What about the other way around?
Now sure how to check.

Do other wireless client devices work? (Phones, laptops, etc.)
No, nothing receives internet when connected to it.

I've done several factory resets. After I do one, or simple just power cycle it, sometimes it will work, but after 10 or 20 min it goes back to no internet. I'd say about half of the time it will briefly work, other half not at all.

[Edited on October 19, 2012 at 5:30 PM. Reason : ]

10/19/2012 5:28:50 PM

It's dead and time to get a new (and non-netgear) router.

Fuck Netgear. This story is a mirror of almost every Netgear product I've ever owned or used. And they have fought me every time on warranty claims and RMA requests too.

I've had 3 netgear routers, and they all fucking blow. Not one has lasted more than 2 years. My parent's netgear router has to be manually hard reset 1-2 times per day.

Get an Asus RT-N56U router and never look back

10/19/2012 7:43:02 PM

Not the news I wanted to hear. But, on a positive note, black Friday is right around the corner.

Any other recommendations? Or 2nds to the Asus?

10/19/2012 8:21:56 PM

I've had two Netgear routers and one lasted six years. I wouldn't discount Netgear.

10/19/2012 8:47:18 PM

Just saw this where they cover it with a lifetime warranty. However I bought mine black friday '10, an it says it has to be purchased after Jan '11

http://kb.netgear.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/18296



could installing dd-wrt possibly do anything?

[Edited on October 19, 2012 at 9:04 PM. Reason : ]

10/19/2012 9:01:56 PM

^^ 50/50 odds of a critical piece of hardware lasting longer than it's warranty period is a huge reason to discount netgear.

Compared to the 2 Linksys WRT54G routers I owned for nearly a decade (9 and 7 years respectively) that not only worked great when I sold them, but one lived outside in a cooler up in a tree for a couple of years, Netgear's networking products are garbage.

And beyond those, I installed upwards of 25 WRT54G models for customers and NEVER had a single one fail, fuck up or give them any problems, ever. Since moving on from that router (mostly due to the introduction of 802.11N) I have had a hell of time finding a reliable replacement. I've been through several Netgear, D-Link and Linksys routers in the past 3-4 years and they have all had problems. The Asus is the first one since the WRT54G that I would wholeheartedly recommend to people again.

Quote :

"Just saw this where they cover it with a lifetime warranty. "

It's a limited lifetime warranty, and they will run you through hoops to get a RMA number. And if you make it that far, guess what? YOU HAVE TO PAY THE SHIPPING COSTS, which will run 12-15 bucks. So it's not really a "free replacement" now is it?

[Edited on October 19, 2012 at 9:11 PM. Reason : .]

10/19/2012 9:09:11 PM

^what's the ASUS one you recommend?

10/20/2012 12:25:29 AM

Quote :

"Get an Asus RT-N56U router and never look back"

10/20/2012 2:24:49 AM

if it's not blue with a metal casing, it's not a real netgear and just them selling their brand to someone else. i have a belkin N+ that was ok at best with stock firmware but screams with ddwrt (mimo dual band simultaneous, usb host, gigE back end). consumer grade stuff is just that and I wouldn't spend a whole lot on it, because it call comes from mostly the same places and is all mostly shitty in terms of longevity.

if you want something good that will last, buy a nice wired only router and then some cheap wireless routers (tp-link are great for this) that support dd-wrt. use the cheap wireless routers and wireless access points and let the wired router handle dhcp, dns, and gateway duties



[Edited on October 20, 2012 at 2:54 AM. Reason : and buy nice i mean something like a ssg5]

10/20/2012 2:51:27 AM

Update: I found a good online tutorial for putting dd-wrt on this router, so I figured what the heck, nothing to lose. Installed it, and to my surprise, it started working again. 4 days so far, and no problems at all. So glad this worked.

Any tips on maximizing dd-wrt?

10/29/2012 12:08:07 AM

It depends on which build you used; I personally try to ensure that I can run a build with IPv6, JFFS2, and enough space to do this with: https://code.google.com/p/jansal/wiki/HostsFile#Advanced_Recommendations

If your model has 8MB of Flash, I recommend STD-USB-NAS (although Mini works too if you're okay with no IPv6 support); if your model is one of the few with 16MB of Flash, go ahead with the Big, Mega, or (in future) Giga builds.

Anyway, blocking ads at the router level and sending up a 1x1-pixel blank GIF instead is most excellent.

10/29/2012 1:01:23 AM

Quote :

"Get an Asus RT-N56U router and never look back"

Funny you mention this. I came to tech about this very router.

Brother-in-law asked for a top of the line router that he could set up and never worry about issues. I suggested the Asus.

6 months later he's already having to reset the router every single night because the router is hanging. Can hardwire fine into the modem, and the router will work shortly after resetting.

Could this be a warranty issue? I couldn't imagine that a good router like this one should be having these kinds of issues within 6 months.

I'm having to try and troubleshoot over the phone, and he's not very tech savvy when it comes to solving computer problems.

11/15/2012 9:14:12 PM

It had one pretty serious bug with one class of wireless Ethernet adapters, Realtek I believe, that causes it to leak memory.

It affected me, but they released a firmware update almost 9 months ago to address this. I'd bet that's the culprit. Just download the latest firmware and update the router. It's the only issue I've had with it, and since it was fixed a while ago, that's why I wholeheartedly recommend it now.

Sounds like your bro still has the original firmware.

[Edited on November 15, 2012 at 10:39 PM. Reason : Wireless]

11/15/2012 10:38:47 PM

^ I would absolutely believe he doesn't even know what firmware is, so I'm betting you are right.

I'll try and walk him through that process to see if it works. Thanks!

11/16/2012 8:43:49 AM