Netgear Nighthawk R6700 internet performance drops out

[Eleftharios]

I have a Netgear Nighthawk R6700 router and the performance intermittently drops out. I have upgraded the FW to the latest V1.0.0.24_10.0.18 and unfortunately the problem was not fixed.

Running a tracerout to my ISP I see the rout between my router and cable modem go to > 500 ms. When performance is normal the routs are all 50 ms or less. Ping tests show the same thing.

When I connect my PC to the modem directly I have never seen slow performance. Resetting the router can make things better for a few minutes, but then it reverts back to slow performance. If I do nothing and just run the test later the performance could be good or could be bad. It is not predictable.

I discovered the problem by streaming videos. Videos fuzz out or freeze completely.

Any help is much appreciated.

 

[Ralston18]

Router overheating maybe.... How old is the router? Has it been subject to any bumps, falls, bangs, etc.. New or refurbished maybe?

First:

Try swapping the ethernet cable between the modem and router.

Also make sure that the connection is tight and solid.

If that does not help then look into the possibility of the router overheating.

Is the router in the open where there is enough airflow to keep it cool? Clean off any dust and debris that may be accumulating.

Try a small fan to provide some added airflow. Just long enough to determine that under cooler conditions the router stays functional meaning no performance loss.

 

[Eleftharios]

I changed Ethernet cables and there is no difference. The router is only 6 months old and it has never been dropped bumped or other. I is in the open in my garage. This time of the year my garage is in the 50s and the router is well ventilated. It is on 24/7 so I would doubt that it is over heating.

Thanks for the suggestions though.

 

[Ralston18]

I believe that the router can still get hot when traffic is high as when streaming. Normal ventilation is enough when sitting idle but once temperatures increase then any airflow restrictions could create a problem.

Works for awhile after reset, then gets hot again, and slows down. Just enough heat to cause some expansion and subsequent transmission/reception errors.

The clue is still that performance is intermittent.

Any heavy loads (e.g., air compressors, saws, furnace, garage door opener) on the same circuit as the router?

Are the power connections to the router tight - both at the wall outlet and at the router?

Swapping ethernet cables is a common troubleshooting approach. Although I have learned to try a couple of different cables whenever possible and to even upgrade from 5 to 5e to 6 as warranted. No Cat 3 any more. Use known brand ethernet cables from sources where I can easily return the cable.

After that I would be wondering about other interference via wireless. Is wireless secure where no one else could be using, knowingly or unknowingly, your wireless service?

Pretty much boils down to identifying a cause - effect pattern or going with the problem as being a now defective router.

Especially since you do not see any performance problems when connected to ISP/internet directly via the modem.