Intermittent Connectivity Drops on Netgear XR1000v2 – Need Help!

[LokiD]

Main Router: Technicolor CGA4233 (connected to ISP)

• Secondary Router: Netgear XR1000v2 (WAN port connected to Technicolor LAN port, not in AP mode)
• Devices Affected: PC (wired to Netgear), Phone (WiFi on Netgear)

Issue:

• Several times a day, for a few seconds, websites (YouTube, social media, etc.) stop loading.
• However, PingPlotter still shows normal ping, and Speedtest reports full speed even during the drop.
• The problem only happens on devices connected to the Netgear (both wired and wireless).
• Devices connected directly to the Technicolor router work fine.
• The issue started after I powered off the Netgear using the hard button and restarted it. That's the only interaction I had in a month with the netgear, so it might just be a coincidence.

What I’ve Tried:
✔ Testing the Technicolor router directly – works fine
✔ Restarting both routers – no fix
✔ Factory resetting both the Netgear and Technicolor – no fix
✔ Setting a static IP for Netgear on Technicolor – no fix
✔ Disabling Double NAT by putting Netgear in DMZ on Technicolor – no fix
✔ Changing DNS settings (Google 8.8.8.8 / Cloudflare 1.1.1.1) – no fix
✔ Tried upgrading Netgear firmware to XR1000v2-V1.1.0.22_2.1.34_HOTFIX, but the file is .CHK, and the user manual says it needs an .IMG file, so I didnt risk bricking the rooter.

I don’t want to use Bridge Mode on the Technicolor (I need its WiFi), and I don’t want to enable AP Mode on the Netgear (I need its gaming features).

Looking for Suggestions:

• Could this be a routing issue on the Netgear?
• Any other settings I should check?
• How do I install the firmware update if the router expects a .IMG file but the update is a .CHK file?
• Should I try rolling back to an older Netgear firmware version?

Any help would be greatly appreciated! 😊

[LokiD]

Currently testing AP mode to see if the issue persists. So far, everything is stable, but I’ve lost access to DumaOS features, which I need.

[Netduma Fraser]

The firmware for the XR1000 is .chk so you're fine to upgrade. I don't think you'll have the issue in AP mode but go back to router mode, In LAN Settings, set the DHCP range to start at .50, then assign reserved IP addresses to devices between .2 & .49 so they're out of the DHCP range, apply, reboot from the interface, wait 4 minutes and see if that stops the disconnects.

[LokiD]

16 hours ago, Netduma Fraser said:

The firmware for the XR1000 is .chk so you're fine to upgrade. I don't think you'll have the issue in AP mode but go back to router mode, In LAN Settings, set the DHCP range to start at .50, then assign reserved IP addresses to devices between .2 & .49 so they're out of the DHCP range, apply, reboot from the interface, wait 4 minutes and see if that stops the disconnects.

I just did that, but I'm still having the same issue. The connection drops, but PingPlotter can still ping Google just fine. However, if I try to access Google via a browser during the disconnection, it doesn’t work. And no problem with AP mode 

[Netduma Fraser]

Please provide the logs from the System Information page when you next get the disconnect

[LokiD]

I've already checked, and no events are shown during the disconnection. However, I found log entries from my ISP's main router that coincide with the disconnection, but similar entries also appear when everything is working fine. here they are 

[Netduma Fraser]

If you put the XR in its DMZ then that shouldn't be affecting you at all as it would bypass the firewall. If their implementation isn't great then potentially it could still affect you. 

To test, I know you don't want to use bridge mode but perhaps for a day check it with that and see if the problem persists or disconnect all the devices from the main router/disable its WiFi to prevent devices reconnecting and then disable its firewall. The XR has its own firewall so it'll be safe to do so as long as nothing else is connected to the main router.

[LokiD]

Thanks for your response again, I already put the IP address of the XR in the DMZ tab on my main ISP router. There's also a DMZ setting in the WAN setup on the XR—do I need to touch this? Because I tried adding the IP of the XR, but it says, "DMZ Server is not on the LAN subnet." And I was about to try in bridge mode 

[Netduma Fraser]

No you don't need to do anything with the DMZ option on the XR. Let us know how you get on with the bridge mode

[LokiD]

On 2/7/2025 at 7:44 PM, Netduma Fraser said:

No you don't need to do anything with the DMZ option on the XR. Let us know how you get on with the bridge mode

Finally had time to test with my ISP router in bridge mode, and it's still happening... What should I try next ? 

[Netduma Fraser]

Could you provide the log again when it happens please?

[LokiD]

 

One disconnection occurred from 21:06 to 21:08. Here are the logs after I cleared them at 20:41:01. Should I try to roll back to a previous update? Before I updated to the latest version, I was on V1.1.0.16, and I also had those disconnections, so maybe I should try one version before that.

[Netduma Fraser]

6 minutes ago, LokiD said:

One disconnection occurred from 21:06 to 21:08. Here are the logs after I cleared them at 20:41:01. 

Logs from the System Information page please

[LokiD]

My bad man ahaha @Netduma Fraser

[LokiD]

@Netduma Fraser It still happens when "Disable Port Scan and DoS Protection" is enabled.

[Netduma Fraser]

Thank you, disable the router as a DHCP server option in LAN Settings, reboot from the interface then monitor it please

[LokiD]

5 minutes ago, Netduma Fraser said:

Thank you, disable the router as a DHCP server option in LAN Settings, reboot from the interface then monitor it please

I already tried this, but the issue remains. I also set up IP reservation for all my devices but the issue still remains. 

[Netduma Fraser]

That's the only thing the log indicates, just to double check, if you try to connect a new device to the router/one you haven't reserved an IP for does it connect and use the internet normally?

[LokiD]

1 minute ago, Netduma Fraser said:

That's the only thing the log indicates, just to double check, if you try to connect a new device to the router/one you haven't reserved an IP for does it connect and use the internet normally?

No

[LokiD]

I just had another disconnection, and the DHCP server was disabled. My phone and PC IPs were reserved with the correct MAC address, but it still disconnected for a minute. It’s a mystery—out of nowhere, it does this. Nothing has changed in my setup since I bought that router a few months ago, and I haven’t had any problems until now. Do you have a recommendation on which version I should downgrade to as a last resort? And maybe a link to it, please? 

[Netduma Fraser]

There are only two firmware versions available for the V2 so your options are limited but they can both be found here: https://www.netgear.com/support/product/xr1000v2/#download

I'd suggest reupgrading the firmware using the TFTP method, this bypasses the boot process and any issues there then once done do a factory reset for the freshest install possible: https://forum.netduma.com/topic/54949-dumaos-is-not-running/?do=findComment&comment=407569 then see if it continues. Without log information it's very hard though to determine the cause. I know you said devices connected to the NG, your PC and phone, are there any other devices connected to it that have the issue or have you tried connecting other devices to the NG that then do get the same issue?

Is there any pattern emerging as to what you're doing on the network etc as to when the disconnect occurs? Time of day, amount of people/devices online, the type of network traffic etc.

[LokiD]

31 minutes ago, Netduma Fraser said:

There are only two firmware versions available for the V2 so your options are limited but they can both be found here: https://www.netgear.com/support/product/xr1000v2/#download

I'd suggest reupgrading the firmware using the TFTP method, this bypasses the boot process and any issues there then once done do a factory reset for the freshest install possible: https://forum.netduma.com/topic/54949-dumaos-is-not-running/?do=findComment&comment=407569 then see if it continues. Without log information it's very hard though to determine the cause. I know you said devices connected to the NG, your PC and phone, are there any other devices connected to it that have the issue or have you tried connecting other devices to the NG that then do get the same issue?

Is there any pattern emerging as to what you're doing on the network etc as to when the disconnect occurs? Time of day, amount of people/devices online, the type of network traffic etc.

I mean, I’ve tried everything—different RJ45 cables, timing every disconnection (no pattern), another phone, a laptop. I tried plugging the router into a different wall socket, resetting the NG, resetting my main ISP router, changing DNS, and everything you suggested.  

 

What’s weird is that during the disconnections, I still get a ping with PingPlotter to Google.com. I’m so desperate I even tried a specialized version of ChatGPT in networking lol

[Netduma Fraser]

Given the disconnect doesn't last long and there isn't any other reason for it I think it must be DHCP and it's still renewing the lease when it should be disabled. I think it's worth doing the TFTP method just in case there is an issue in boot. If it continues I'd try it with AP mode, I know you don't want it in that configuration but it would at least rule out the hardware being the issue.

[LokiD]

2 hours ago, Netduma Fraser said:

Given the disconnect doesn't last long and there isn't any other reason for it I think it must be DHCP and it's still renewing the lease when it should be disabled. I think it's worth doing the TFTP method just in case there is an issue in boot. If it continues I'd try it with AP mode, I know you don't want it in that configuration but it would at least rule out the hardware being the issue.

I don't want to talk too fast, but I might have found the issue. It's this little adapter that I've been using with my router for about 2 months. I've had this adapter (https://amzn.eu/d/7LInO1C) on my smart TV , but I decided to put it on my PC about a month ago. Everything seemed to work well for those 4 weeks, or I might not have noticed the disconnections, to be honest. But like two weeks ago, I turned off/on the XR1000V2, and that probably messed something up. 

 

Naive me would have never thought that a small adapter could mess with the entire router and all the devices connected to it. But since I removed it, there have been no disconnections. I don't know if you have any explanation for this, but my theory is that the USB (maybe some sort of power saving mode) lost connection , and the router thought the WAN was disconnected somehow. That also explain the lack of logs on both the main isp and the XR router

 

I have a 1Gbps connection, and with the XR1000V2, I only get around 500 to 600 Mbps max wich is normal I believe. But with that USB adapter, I had 800 to 900 Mbps, even with all DumaOS features on. So, yeah I'm about 80% sure that was the problem. Thanks for your help, man!

[Netduma Fraser]

Well done for figuring out the cause! I wouldn't have thought it'd cause any issues like that but it may well be trying to port forward on the upstream routers for you for example which could be causing it. You're very welcome!