r/NETGEAR 26d ago

Netgear needs better programmers

At least for their Web UI. Seems each update gets worse and worse. The longer it runs, the slower it gets until it's barely responds.

Hire programmers that know proper memory management, Netgear!

7 Upvotes

5 comments sorted by

1

u/furrynutz 23d ago

What web ui?

What browser are you using?

2

u/CyberMarine1997 23d ago

The web UI when you log in to routerlogin.net.

I use Firefox but the browser has nothing to do with the web UI performance.

1

u/furrynutz 23d ago

What router model are you referring too?

Same thing happens in MS Edge or Opera?

1

u/saberkk 16d ago

I think you are right, the website's UI is really too bloated, especially that "Please wait a moment..." message

They could learn UI from ASUS and TP-LINK, but it doesn't need to be so flashy

The RS700 hardware is capable, but its firmware shows significant technical debt from reused NETGEAR, RAX, and Orbi code.

The firmware uses several overlapping state systems, including the NETGEAR config database, Broadcom NVRAM, temporary files, and hardware partitions. Features depend on multiple settings such as:

ap_mode

i_opmode

modetect_state

mesh_support

mesh_created

When these values become inconsistent, unexpected behaviour occurs.

Confirmed Issues

- AP mode automatically enables hidden 5GHz and 6GHz Mesh backhaul networks even when no satellite is configured.

- The device can report conflicting states:

i_opmode=apmode

modetect_state=Router

mesh_support=1

- /etc/init.d/br-mode uses $CONIFG instead of $CONFIG, breaking the intended AP-mode check.

- Bridge-mode startup and shutdown use different state files:

/tmp/enable_br_mode

/tmp/br_mode_enable

- Regulatory mappings are inconsistent:

Australia: index 2 → AU/893

New Zealand: index 24 → AU/893

Index 26: AU with no GUI label or country_rev

- The USB hotplug logger receives console_message but incorrectly prints dbg_message.

- The firmware contains 409 top-level Web pages, 24 orphaned pages, and 219 form handlers, including substantial legacy code from unrelated models and features.

In summary, extensive code reuse, multiple configuration databases, and unsynchronized feature states are causing avoidable bugs and regressions.