Author Topic: WZR-HP-G300NH problems - my unit defective?  (Read 5573 times)

Slax

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WZR-HP-G300NH problems - my unit defective?
« on: October 27, 2009, 06:15:15 PM »
   

I recently bought WZR-HP-G300NH thinking my old modem/router needs replacement. But after trying to set it up for hours, i am thinking maybe i got a bad one. Here are some of the problems i have encountered so far. Btw the first thing i did after receving the router was upgrade the FW to 1.65.

 

1) It requires a restart for everything. Even changing admin pwd requires a restart.

 

2) Channel 6 is the only channel that works. As soon i change the channel, i can't connect anymore.

 

3) Encryption/authentication doesn't work. I can only connect when it's set to no authentication. If i change the encryption, none of laptops connect.

 

4) My WLAN to LAN speed is between 8-9 MB/sec which i think is kinda slow. My old speedstream 6520 could manage 4 MB/sec. What speed is everyone else getting? This is all without any type of security. I expect it to fall once there is security overhead.

 

5) This is not important but any news of dd-wrt port? Sorry but the original firmware is awful.

 

Thanks


Slax

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Re: WZR-HP-G300NH problems - my unit defective?
« Reply #1 on: October 29, 2009, 06:20:53 AM »
   

Anybody?

 

Just confirm a few things few for me. Does changing every option require a restart? I have around 20 wifi networks in my area, could it be that the interference is form them. I don't understand why channel 6 is the only one working. The security issue bothers me as well. I am thinking this is all a firmware issue.


Twisted_Pear

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Re: WZR-HP-G300NH problems - my unit defective?
« Reply #2 on: October 31, 2009, 03:24:28 PM »
   

Yes, generally everything requires a "restart".

 

The wireless portion of the router is terrible IMO. I have it disabled. Regardless of what channel I use or other options suggested on here I cannot maintain a connection comparable to my old wireless router. Encryption works fine though. It's pretty sad that there's excellent hardware in the unit but the software is poorly built.


Aveyer

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Re: WZR-HP-G300NH problems - my unit defective?
« Reply #3 on: October 31, 2009, 04:37:14 PM »
   

Try resetting the router and setting it up from scratch again, as for channels not working...interference can play havoc with wireless connections...are you sure there isn't alot of inteference from neighbouring routers?

 

@ Twisted_Pear, are you sure there's not alot of interference either?

 

I just got this router myself and it's working fine, no channel problems etc.


hkopium

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Re: WZR-HP-G300NH problems - my unit defective?
« Reply #4 on: October 31, 2009, 08:25:32 PM »
   

Sam here, v1.6 upgraded to v1.65.

 

ONLY channel 1 works for me.

 

My house is pretty "clean" and free of interference. So theoretically, all channel should work.

 

 


Slax

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Re: WZR-HP-G300NH problems - my unit defective?
« Reply #5 on: November 01, 2009, 01:16:30 AM »
   

So i reset the router, i also reinstalled the fw 1.65 thinking i might have had a bad flash. But those things didn't solve the problem.

 

I can believe the interference part. I can see around 15-20 wifis at any given time. But my old crappy modem/router speedstream 6520 worked on all channels without any problems. Plus i still have the security problem. As soon as i turn on any type of security, the router doesn't let any clients connect. Any idea?

 

Thanks for replying.

 

@hkopium

 

is authentication/encryption working for you?


zaphod777

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Re: WZR-HP-G300NH problems - my unit defective?
« Reply #6 on: November 01, 2009, 09:33:02 AM »
   

what encryption are you using that doesn't work and what are your clients? 


Twisted_Pear

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Re: WZR-HP-G300NH problems - my unit defective?
« Reply #7 on: November 01, 2009, 04:22:47 PM »
   

 


Aveyer wrote:

 

@ Twisted_Pear, are you sure there's not alot of interference either?

 


 

I didn't realize 1.65 US ver had been released. So I take back my comments on the wireless portion; we'll see how 1.65 goes

 


awardblvr

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Re: WZR-HP-G300NH problems - my unit defective?
« Reply #8 on: November 07, 2009, 07:54:28 PM »
   

Yep... lots of problems here also...  (BTW.. I'm not a novice at this... 11 years @ Cisco developing SW for routers, now developing SW for Routers at Juniper Networks..)


First upgraded to 1.65. now...

 

1. Unit, even in dedicated Router mode (DHCP and NAT server), FAILS to connect to my upstream Comcast cable modem... Even after the CM has been left OFF, forcing a new Comcast DHCP session, Buffalo will only 1 out of 10 times actually successfully negotiate a WAN DHCP connection.

 

2. Unit will not serve up DHCP addresses to clients, even AFTER the unit has successfully established a connection to the CM.   Sometimes it serves up a foreign address which is NOT in the range of the DHCP configuration.  And this is NOT the Windows PC APIPA or "alternate address".  Of course, the unit will NOT pass traffic to the WAN side.

 

3. Even if manually configured with static IP address, DNS servers, and gateway,  clients will not get traffic through to the WAN.

 

After each configuration step router was allowed to reset and in many cases, after allowing the config to be taken, I power-cycled the router for a clean boot... This did NOT help. All the problems continued.

 

Cmmon, Buffalo... What the heck is up with this?

 

I'll wait for a couple days to see if they respond with a committment to ack these issues and come up with a firmware fix. Otherwise I'll return it and give it a very negative review on my networking blog.

 

Otherwise, I would caution everyone to steer clear of this router. 

 

-Andrew


 

 


nonwired

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Re: WZR-HP-G300NH problems - my unit defective?
« Reply #9 on: November 08, 2009, 11:52:47 AM »
   

I had the same Comcast issue that was fixed by following the directions in this post:

 

http://forums.buffalotech.com/t5/Wireless/WZR-HP-G300NH-problem-with-DHCP-Comcast/td-p/18928;jsessionid=34A41E0A40CAEF67C39AE3131B8AABB4

 

If your cable modem has a battery backup, make sure to disconnect so the unit will be totally powered down.


Slax

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Re: WZR-HP-G300NH problems - my unit defective?
« Reply #10 on: November 10, 2009, 09:18:54 AM »
   

Yes, make sure you removed the backup battery. It works fine after that.

 

So after my thorough testing, i have concluded that this router is very sensitive to interference.  Sure, it delivers better signal where dir-655 and others fail but that is pretty much useless if you encounter interference. My connection is very inconsistent. I don't know if that is a firmware or hardware problem. I looks like it might be hardware but you never know.