Do I need a new wireless router?

Point Blanch · 11-09-2009

So, for the past week or so, my D-Link, wireless router has been showing signs of being... dead. It keeps a connection for about five seconds before dropping out for two or three. I'm fairly certain of its dead condition, and here is as comprehensive a list as I can make of things I've tried doing to fix it, and reasons I think so:

1) I've unplugged all the cords overnight and checked in the morning. No good.

2) I've also reset the router, then did a hard reset. About five times each. No good.

3) I checked which channel it was on, and it was set to auto-detect. I tried each of the channels with equal lack of success.

4) I've pinged it 100 times in succession (-n 100 or whatever) and it returns one of three things:
a. Reply (~80 ms reply time)
b. Timeout (every ten or so pings)
c. Hardware error. (Wat)

5) Switching the LAN cable that goes from one box to the wireless router. Still no good!

6) Had the crap scared out of me when a bug that was half cockroach, half scorpion scrambled out of the router while I was opening it to see if any apparent problems were present inside. I doubt a bug would have survived an electrocution so he probably didn't do anything. He's still a jerk. No visible problems.

7) Adjusting its and my antennae.

8) This router is >five years old. The copyright is 2004.

These things I haven't tried but will after school:

1) Using another computer with wireless to see if it's just my card, both right next to the router and from my room.

2) Checking the big router.

So, based on my tests and assumptions, do you think I need a new wireless router? And if so, which one? I've got about $35 to spend but if there are none that you would suggest under or at that amount I could add a little more for longevity.

Thanks in advance.

goodnitesgirl · 11-09-2009

It might be worth a quick check with your computer on another wireless router to be sure but odds are good your router is dead. I replaced my 3 year old router a month ago it was dropping connections under moderate data transfer loads. New router worked like a charm. I bought a netgear wireless router which is the same brand just a little newer model of the one I replaced I find they work well and wal mart has them in the 40-50 dollar range I believe.

Valerye · 11-09-2009

:P my router is older XD

I need to go get another and replace it. It's on its last leg too. My non Wireless one has a better connection.

Oli44 · 12-09-2009

Are you living in a house or in an apartment? If the latter, try setting the router at another frequency. It could simply be a case of a conflict between two routers using roughly the same frequency. Also, have you moved a microwave oven close to either the card or the router? They are known for causing interference with the router. Finally, if it's neither, yes, it's surely a case of dead router.

ShippoFox · 19-09-2009

Make sure your modem is okay. Try connecting to the internet from a computer connected directly to the modem. Unhook the router so you can try that. This will make sure that it's probably a router problem and not a modem problem. Unless you have a wireless gateway thing that combines a router and modem in one device?

adaffme149 · 19-09-2009

I remember a house phone would cause my friend to drop his connection, before. Channels were the key there.

Point Blanch · 22-09-2009

2,183 Unread Posts since your last visit.
You last visited: 5 Days Ago

I NEEDED A NEW ONE

tenlet · 22-09-2009

I've never heard of a router going bad, but I suppose they do eventually. If it is getting flaky and you're sure it's not your computer's network card or even your Internet connection, go for it.

dcviper · 22-09-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by tenlet

I've never heard of a router going bad, but I suppose they do eventually. If it is getting flaky and you're sure it's not your computer's network card or even your Internet connection, go for it.

Everything electronic goes bad eventually. Especially consumer electronics; most of them have a built in service life, after which the manufacturer expects them to go bad. It's so you will upgrade to the latest and greatest. 4 years is pretty good. I had a Linksys WRT54G that has lasted for over 2 years now, Though not with the original firmware. But that shouldn't make a difference.

11-09-2009	#1 (permalink)
Point Blanch Regular Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Arizona, USA Posts: 1,942 Threads: 34 Gallery Uploads: 4 Wiki Edits: 134 Blog Entries: 12 Reputation: 65	Do I need a new wireless router? So, for the past week or so, my D-Link, wireless router has been showing signs of being... dead. It keeps a connection for about five seconds before dropping out for two or three. I'm fairly certain of its dead condition, and here is as comprehensive a list as I can make of things I've tried doing to fix it, and reasons I think so: 1) I've unplugged all the cords overnight and checked in the morning. No good. 2) I've also reset the router, then did a hard reset. About five times each. No good. 3) I checked which channel it was on, and it was set to auto-detect. I tried each of the channels with equal lack of success. 4) I've pinged it 100 times in succession (-n 100 or whatever) and it returns one of three things: a. Reply (~80 ms reply time) b. Timeout (every ten or so pings) c. Hardware error. (Wat) 5) Switching the LAN cable that goes from one box to the wireless router. Still no good! 6) Had the crap scared out of me when a bug that was half cockroach, half scorpion scrambled out of the router while I was opening it to see if any apparent problems were present inside. I doubt a bug would have survived an electrocution so he probably didn't do anything. He's still a jerk. No visible problems. 7) Adjusting its and my antennae. 8) This router is >five years old. The copyright is 2004. These things I haven't tried but will after school: 1) Using another computer with wireless to see if it's just my card, both right next to the router and from my room. 2) Checking the big router. So, based on my tests and assumptions, do you think I need a new wireless router? And if so, which one? I've got about $35 to spend but if there are none that you would suggest under or at that amount I could add a little more for longevity. Thanks in advance.

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11-09-2009	#2 (permalink)
goodnitesgirl Regular Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Illinois USA Posts: 131 Threads: 6 Reputation: 6	It might be worth a quick check with your computer on another wireless router to be sure but odds are good your router is dead. I replaced my 3 year old router a month ago it was dropping connections under moderate data transfer loads. New router worked like a charm. I bought a netgear wireless router which is the same brand just a little newer model of the one I replaced I find they work well and wal mart has them in the 40-50 dollar range I believe.

11-09-2009	#3 (permalink)
Valerye Regular Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Lafayette, Louisiana/ Carencro/ Scot/South lafayette louisiana. Age: 17 Posts: 2,085 Threads: 113 Gallery Uploads: 52 Wiki Edits: 15 Blog Entries: 44 Reputation: 17	:P my router is older XD I need to go get another and replace it. It's on its last leg too. My non Wireless one has a better connection.

12-09-2009	#4 (permalink)
Oli44 Regular Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Québec, Canada Posts: 24 Threads: 1 Gallery Uploads: 2 Wiki Edits: 1 Reputation: 2	Are you living in a house or in an apartment? If the latter, try setting the router at another frequency. It could simply be a case of a conflict between two routers using roughly the same frequency. Also, have you moved a microwave oven close to either the card or the router? They are known for causing interference with the router. Finally, if it's neither, yes, it's surely a case of dead router.

19-09-2009	#5 (permalink)
ShippoFox foxfoxfoxfoxfox Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: PA Age: 23 Posts: 1,330 Threads: 21 Gallery Uploads: 7 Wiki Edits: 2 Blog Entries: 34 Reputation: 23	Make sure your modem is okay. Try connecting to the internet from a computer connected directly to the modem. Unhook the router so you can try that. This will make sure that it's probably a router problem and not a modem problem. Unless you have a wireless gateway thing that combines a router and modem in one device?

19-09-2009	#6 (permalink)
adaffme149 Yeah? Donor Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: USA Age: 18 Posts: 477 Threads: 33 Wiki Edits: 33 Reputation: 24	I remember a house phone would cause my friend to drop his connection, before. Channels were the key there.

22-09-2009	#7 (permalink)
Point Blanch Regular Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Arizona, USA Posts: 1,942 Threads: 34 Gallery Uploads: 4 Wiki Edits: 134 Blog Entries: 12 Reputation: 65	2,183 Unread Posts since your last visit. You last visited: 5 Days Ago I NEEDED A NEW ONE

22-09-2009	#8 (permalink)
tenlet Regular Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: USA Posts: 66 Threads: 1 Reputation: 2	I've never heard of a router going bad, but I suppose they do eventually. If it is getting flaky and you're sure it's not your computer's network card or even your Internet connection, go for it.