ARRIS SURFboard mAX™ Manager 4+

I’ve had this WiFi system set up for a week and a half, and been on the phone with Arris mAX support two different days trying to help them troubleshoot my problems. First off, I usually have a WiFi signal and the app occasionally works as it should. Most of the time though the app only shows one Arris unit and no connected devices. The base router LED lights do not work, so I don’t know if that unit functions or not. I’m not convinced that I’m getting any mesh WiFi signal, as my furthest devices are sometimes very slow or unresponsive. To be honest, I don’t know if this WiFi 6 system works or not, but as of now it’s no better than my old router! I’m very frustrated since I paid big $$$ for [nothing] and didn’t sign up to be a beta tester! They haven’t followed up with me in several days, but the system hasn’t improved since I first plugged it in, so I don’t know if they’re even working on fixing it. Hey Arris - how about a refund - or a salary.

Dear MyNick1, We apologize for your negative experience with our app. We can understand how frustrating this is for you. We want to make things right, so we request you to get in touch with ARRIS Technical Support by calling us at 1-866-757-3598 for live support and we’ll make sure that your issue is resolved

Update #2: Received another Dev response stating the Location Services are “required” for setup and function. So everyone is clear, I had this app and router prior to this “requirement” and it was able to connect, setup & function properly without the Location Services turned on. As a side, there new app also “requires” location services. No change in star rating.

Update: Developer response states they aren’t sharing my info. I take them at their word, however there is still NO reason to REQUIRE location data. This app worked most of the time prior to the update and that has not changed. To REQUIRE the location data now just doesn’t sit well with privacy conscious users like me. I get no benefit from the sharing of info that I never shared before. Still looking for a new router since this still just ‘feels’ a bit off.

Original Post: I really have enjoyed this router until the App required my location services to work. Worked fine without it before. Seems like they are wanting to cash in on my personal information. Now I’m looking for a new router.

Dear Customer,
The location services is specifically required to retrieve to retrieve the BSSID and SSID information ( which is an essential part in setting up the units correctly). Arris values customer's privacy and we don't store customer's sensitive information like house address etc. within the app
Thanks,
Arris Customer Support

Arris has built the best WiFi 6 hardware available, and saddled it with the worst firmware. It does not support bridge mode, so if you have the sort of high end internet connection you need to really take advantage of the speed, you’re going to be stuck with Double NAT. Eero does not have this problem. I also have had a lot of problems with devices staying connected, or being able to talk to one another. For example, if my iPhone is connected to the satellite, connectivity to my Sonos (connected to the main router) becomes spotty.

It is super fast, but the limitations are very frustrating. I have reinstalled my Eero Pro setup while I hope the firmware for Arris matures.

Thank you for your feedback.
We’ve been able to identify stability fixes that address some of the issues you reported. An updated SW has been pushed out as of last week. Other advanced networking features are under review. Kindly update your review to let us know if you experience an improved experience. 
-ARRIS SURFboard team