Topic: Router problems, maybe

[JaWiB]

I've been having intermittent disconnects from my router recently. I though it was my network card acting up, but now I'm not sure what is going on. Sometimes, the router disappears for a minute, sometimes 5, and it recurs sometimes every few minutes, sometimes not for hours. The weird thing is that when it disappears from my list of wireless access points, all my neighbor's wifi disappears too.

So that had me thinking my network card was the problem, but since my roommates have this issue, maybe it's Comcast's problem. On the other hand, I also have had issues where I'm still connected to the router but I have no internet access. In those cases, not only can I not access the internet, but even the router's internal web interface is unreachable. Resetting the router has fixed the former problem, but not always the latter...Any ideas?

It's a Linksys WRT54G with the most recent firmware by the way

[KnuckleBuckett]

NIC would be my guess. 

[Steve]

I would say its a NIC but your roomates are having the same problem. A bad router can drop causing Windows to become confused. My guess is the router is the main issue and the other stuff is software reaction to router confusion.

[JaWiB]

Perhaps it's just time to buy a new router then. Any suggestions? It seems like 90% of the routers these days have issues

[Steve]

Linksys. WRT models

[KnuckleBuckett]

I think they all suck more or less equally.

[ober]

Linksys. WRT models

+1  You can find one on Ebay with DD-WRT already installed for pretty cheap.

I've had bad luck with the N protocol but that was over a year ago.  G seems sufficient for me.

[charlie]

It's a Linksys WRT54G with the most recent firmware by the way

Linksys. WRT models

Linksys. WRT models

+1  You can find one on Ebay with DD-WRT already installed for pretty cheap.

I've had bad luck with the N protocol but that was over a year ago.  G seems sufficient for me.

[Mike]

It's a Linksys WRT54G with the most recent firmware by the way

Linksys. WRT models

Linksys. WRT models

+1  You can find one on Ebay with DD-WRT already installed for pretty cheap.

I've had bad luck with the N protocol but that was over a year ago.  G seems sufficient for me.

http://www.dd-wrt.com/site/index  Basically the most kick ass router software for those that can actually configure a router.

I have http://www.amazon.com/RT-N16-Wireless-N-Maximum-Performance-single/dp/B00387G6R8 with DD-WRT and I LOVE it.

[Steve]

It's a Linksys WRT54G with the most recent firmware by the way

Linksys. WRT models

Linksys. WRT models

+1  You can find one on Ebay with DD-WRT already installed for pretty cheap.

I've had bad luck with the N protocol but that was over a year ago.  G seems sufficient for me.

Sometimes you get a dud. Besides me and obes always DD-WRT them.

[hans]

I'd say first try to flash the firmware. I highly recommend tomato. I used to have strange connection issues with my old Linksys as well but it just kind of went away on its own. It could also be interference with microwaves, phones or whatever. Perhaps also try changing the signal channel. Use the tools to see what other networks might also be in range.

[Steve]

Changing the settings / firmware shouldn't do much since it sounds like a hardware issue.

[KnuckleBuckett]

NIC would be my guess.

Is your NIC wireless or wired.  They can fail in a way (if hard wired) that the NIC can mess the router up.  I don't know what happens, only that I have seen this.

Otherwise I agree that it is probably the router.

[Steve]

The weird thing is that when it disappears from my list of wireless access points, all my neighbor's wifi disappears too.

[KnuckleBuckett]

So....wear a tin foil hat?