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Question

Dropped Connections with Nighthawk in AP Mode

Jun 28, 2019 7:37PM PDT

I'm looking for someone who can tell me the best way I should have my home network setup.

Hardware:
- Spectrum internet, with their Router/Modem (Technicolor TC8715D). WiFi is OFF, DHCP is ON
- Nighthawk R7800 set to AP mode (connected to Spectrum Modem via Cat5e). WiFi is ON, DHCP is OFF
- Nighthawk E8000 Extender in a different room, connecting to R7800 wirelessly

Basically my goal is that everything connects to one of the Nighthawk routers, and all traffic gets routed through the Spectrum to the internet. But I am getting occasional drops, or inability to connect at all, and I suspect it's a DHCP problem.

Questions:
- Which device should I have running DHCP? Is my current setup wrong?
- If I change it to have the Nighthawk run DHCP, how do I connect it to the Spectrum device?
- What else could I be missing?

The biggest problem seems to be with mobile devices - iPads and iPhones will connect perfectly fine for days on end, but then all of a sudden I can't seem to get them connected at all, OR, it takes literally 10-15 minutes to get connected.

Discussion is locked

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Answer
My advice is to never deploy extenders.
Jul 1, 2019 8:40AM PDT

Is you have an extender in the mix which in my years of networking has always meant callbacks and worse. The only fix I've seen is the new MESH NETWORKS. These extenders, at least to what I and other networkers see are not reliable.

Try it without the extenders.

Post was last edited on July 1, 2019 9:33 AM PDT

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These are already setup as MESH
Jul 1, 2019 10:36AM PDT

Sorry, I should have been more clear. The R7800 and E8000 are specifically setup as a MESH network. I agree, I don't like regular "extenders".

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Then you drop distance between links.
Jul 1, 2019 10:47AM PDT

I should have written it as well that the firmware SHALL be the version the maker tells you to use. This may not always be the latest. Only they know which version is best.

The tier 1 (the people that you get first on the call) will tell you to use the latest unless you get very lucky and they know that the latest is buggy.

1. DHCP. Your choice here but if I don't find any complaints I let the ISP moder+router do the work.
2. "Nighthawk E8000 Extender in a different room, connecting to R7800 wirelessly"

Item 2 is worth some discussion. First you work extender and now mesh. In either case the extender or mesh device does NOT go in the room that needs coverage. The extender/mesh or AP that is going wireless for the link home goes midway. That is if the target area is "different room" then the extender/mesh or AP is placed between "different room" and the home base unit.

I've seen that set up wrong so many times.

If it still drops out, you have a warranty issue or their firmware is not done (most are not done.) Best I've seen in the Mesh systems are by Google.