Ever had your wireless router just stop working?

[npmommie]

mine stopped working last night. its a netgear, and it started losing the signal, then it would come back, every minute it kept doing this.
I checked all connections and they were ok, tried to reset it by unplugging it, then when I plugged it back only the power light comes on.
nothing else.
the router is a few years old.
wondering if I need a new one. or if there is something with this one I am missing.
never had any issues before this.

 

[Geoff_M]

I've never dealt with one that worked intermittently, but I had one just "stop" that I resurrected by re-flashing the firmware.

 

[PigletsPal2]

Don't know if you've tried this highly technical "fix" - find the button next to the power cord on the back of the router, turn it off, wait 10 seconds, turn it back on. This worked for about a year until router truly died at age 4. Geek who replaced it said they're good for 3-4 years, so we felt it didn't owe us anything.

Queen Colleen

 

[Conservative Hippie]

We had a Netgear do that - it was about 3 years old. Just replaced it with another Netgear about a year ago.

 

[aprilgail2]

mine stopped working last night. its a netgear, and it started losing the signal, then it would come back, every minute it kept doing this.
I checked all connections and they were ok, tried to reset it by unplugging it, then when I plugged it back only the power light comes on.
nothing else.
the router is a few years old.
wondering if I need a new one. or if there is something with this one I am missing.
never had any issues before this.

Mine was doing that right before it died for good- at the same time I switched to Verizon FIOS and they supply the wireless router so I didn't have to buy a new one!

 

[NCRedding]

Yep, our old Netgear did just that.

 

[ford family]

Mine was doing that right before it died for good- at the same time I switched to Verizon FIOS and they supply the wireless router so I didn't have to buy a new one!

And when our FIOS wireless router failed after about four years they came out and replaced it the same day!!
At no cost!!

ford family

 

[tjevans]

I guess it's just us, but we've never had a wireless router make it a year. We've tried Belkin, D-Link, Netgear, Linksys/Cisco. The only one I've ever had last is the Apple Airport Basestation I have a work.

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

Yeah, our cat keeps stepping on the button on the surge protector it takes out the phone, the modem and our router.

We have a T-mobile@home router and it has been wonderful, it is almost 3 years old and never had a minutes trouble with it. We have had to have th AT&T modem replaced.

Suzanne

 

[npmommie]

I've never dealt with one that worked intermittently, but I had one just "stop" that I resurrected by re-flashing the firmware.

I don't know what it means to re-flash the firmware LOL
but if I need the installation cd to do it, I am out of luck, I went looking for it and can't find it.

Don't know if you've tried this highly technical "fix" - find the button next to the power cord on the back of the router, turn it off, wait 10 seconds, turn it back on. This worked for about a year until router truly died at age 4. Geek who replaced it said they're good for 3-4 years, so we felt it didn't owe us anything.

Queen Colleen

yes, I tried that , didn't work
I think this router is about 3 years old

Yeah, our cat keeps stepping on the button on the surge protector it takes out the phone, the modem and our router.

We have a T-mobile@home router and it has been wonderful, it is almost 3 years old and never had a minutes trouble with it. We have had to have th AT&T modem replaced.

Suzanne

hmmm, it was plugged into a surge protector, I wonder if the cat stepped on it, but nothing else plugged into the surge protector was affected if that did happen.
something I read when I was looking at troubleshooting was not to plug it into a surge protector. but I didn't see the reason behind that

I think I will just have to get a new one, seems like this one must have been on its last legs

 

[Barbossa]

Home-use routers are notoriously unreliable. I've used Linksys routers in the past. They hang up occasionally, cycling power usually brings them back. I usually replace them every 4 years or so (after they die). I've considered using other brands, but am not convinced that they'd be any more reliable.

 

[Geoff_M]

I don't know what it means to re-flash the firmware LOL
but if I need the installation cd to do it, I am out of luck, I went looking for it and can't find it.

Sorry, "re-flash" means to re-install the firmware program on the router that makes it work. Check the manufacturer's web site and look in the "downloads" (or similar) section for your model router for the latest firmware. Follow their instructions, but you can expect that you'll need to be connected to the router by a LAN cable to perform the re-install.

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

hmmm, it was plugged into a surge protector, I wonder if the cat stepped on it, but nothing else plugged into the surge protector was affected if that did happen.
something I read when I was looking at troubleshooting was not to plug it into a surge protector. but I didn't see the reason behind that

When the cat stepped on the surge protector, everything that was plugged into it lost power, that includes the phone, the modem, and the router. DH deals with most of the electronics around here, so I don't know if it should be plugged into a surge protector or not, but ours is.

Suzanne

 

[SookieStackhouse]

Yes ours broke sometime around Thanksgiving. It just quit working. No matter how many resets of both the router and computers... nothing. We hooked a computer directly into the modem thing, it worked fine, so the problem was obviously the router. Went and bouth a new router, hooked it up and we were back in business.

 

[westom]

Home-use routers are notoriously unreliable. I've used Linksys routers in the past. They hang up occasionally, cycling power usually brings them back. I usually replace them every 4 years or so (after they die).

We usually learn first what has failed. Then correct reasons for that router failure.

For example, if you have a router plugged into a power strip protector, then router damage was made easier. Most assume surge protector also means surge protection. The two are completely different. Either a protector connects a surge to protection]. Or it earths a surge destructively via a nearby router.

Other reasons also explain those failures. But most do not, for example, view the indicator lights to first learn what causes problems; what has failed.

Does not matter that you don't know what anything means. First get facts. Then either know what is wrong. Or have answers from others who better know this stuff. Only possible if facts and numbers (ie indicator lights, server status) are also provided.

One important fact is the internet. Is it cable or DSL? Not providing that fact means those who better now this stuff can only remain silent. Also important. Many (if not most) router failures are due to a larger circuit that includes other parts of the house. Router is more often the victim; not the reason for failure.

A router typically has three parts: wireless, Ethernet, and internet interface. Analysis starts by defining which failed. That includes status numbers from a router's internal server.

Routers working fine even ten years later is expected. Three year failures is completely unacceptable. And would occur when one just replaces defective parts without first learning why failures happen.

 

[mckryan]

I had a router that wasn't too old doing exactly this, OP. Since it wasn't more than a year old, I thought it was my cable modem, so I had the company come out and replace it because it was over 6 years old. It was still cutting in and out, so I replaced the modem. No issues since then!! So, since yours is 3 years old, you've gotten your money's worth out of it. Go grab a new one and you'll be up and running in no time!

 

[Barbossa]

We usually learn first what has failed. Then correct reasons for that router failure.

For example, if you have a router plugged into a power strip protector, then router damage was made easier. Most assume surge protector also means surge protection. The two are completely different. Either a protector connects a surge to protection]. Or it earths a surge destructively via a nearby router.

Other reasons also explain those failures. But most do not, for example, view the indicator lights to first learn what causes problems; what has failed.

Does not matter that you don't know what anything means. First get facts. Then either know what is wrong. Or have answers from others who better know this stuff. Only possible if facts and numbers (ie indicator lights, server status) are also provided.

One important fact is the internet. Is it cable or DSL? Not providing that fact means those who better now this stuff can only remain silent. Also important. Many (if not most) router failures are due to a larger circuit that includes other parts of the house. Router is more often the victim; not the reason for failure.

A router typically has three parts: wireless, Ethernet, and internet interface. Analysis starts by defining which failed. That includes status numbers from a router's internal server.

Routers working fine even ten years later is expected. Three year failures is completely unacceptable. And would occur when one just replaces defective parts without first learning why failures happen.

Ahhh, no. I've been an electrical engineer for almost 30 years, I know when computer equipment fails. And I've probably forgotten more about troubleshooting electronics than you'll ever know. I'll say it again, most home routers are poorly designed and unreliable. I'm sure the designers had to make compromises to the design to keep costs down. If you had a low priced home router that lasted 10 years, you've either got a fluke or you're lying.

 

[westom]

Ahhh, no. I've been an electrical engineer for almost 30 years, I know when computer equipment fails. And I've probably forgotten more about troubleshooting electronics than you'll ever know.

Hardly. Your numbers suggest I was designing digital electronics before you even existed.

Well, your attitude is understandable because so many who reply do not even know how electricity works. An A+ Certified computer tech typically knows nothing about electricity or hardware. Will often post insults because he *knows* how to swap parts. So your reply is appropriate in most cases. But not this time. How much time did you spend with vacuum tubes? How many microprocessors did you design by soldering wires?

Nobody said anything about only identifying failed hardware. Solutions start by defining what has failed - AND why. Most routers are more than sufficiently robust. But most buildings are still designed to make electronics damage routine and easy. Most will foolishly replace a router (shotgun) rather than fix the reason for damage or intermittent operation.

Troubleshooting experience means you know best evidence is a dead body. If a router is dead, one can also identify what causes that unacceptable failure. True engineers do not just fix things. Identifying a defect that causes a failure is also routine. Many foolishly assume replacing a router every three years is acceptable because the actual problem is a human.

Most home router ports are designed to withstand 2000 volts without damage. A router covered in dust and still working is normal.

A router dead in six years is normal? Nonsense. That demonstrates why hearsay and junk science reasoning is still alive and well in an economy where experts are A+ Certifed techs or ‘geek squad’. Many routers routinely replaced on speculation are not defective. A harmed router means the informed also eliminated reasons for that failure.

One failed router is likely a manufacturing defect. Two in three years suggests problems traceable to a human failure.

 

[CruiserMom]

I have never had a wireless router last more than 2 years. In fact, I just replaced mine again (had the previous one for one year). I just figured they were poorly made and not designed to last very long. I didn't know anything about "flashing" the firmware, I will have to try that next time I have a router failure, which should be in about 11 1/2 months!

 

[DrCavin]

Hardly. Your numbers suggest I was designing digital electronics before you even existed.

Well, your attitude is understandable because so many who reply do not even know how electricity works. An A+ Certified computer tech typically knows nothing about electricity or hardware. Will often post insults because he *knows* how to swap parts. So your reply is appropriate in most cases. But not this time. How much time did you spend with vacuum tubes? How many microprocessors did you design by soldering wires?

Nobody said anything about only identifying failed hardware. Solutions start by defining what has failed - AND why. Most routers are more than sufficiently robust. But most buildings are still designed to make electronics damage routine and easy. Most will foolishly replace a router (shotgun) rather than fix the reason for damage or intermittent operation.

Troubleshooting experience means you know best evidence is a dead body. If a router is dead, one can also identify what causes that unacceptable failure. True engineers do not just fix things. Identifying a defect that causes a failure is also routine. Many foolishly assume replacing a router every three years is acceptable because the actual problem is a human.

Most home router ports are designed to withstand 2000 volts without damage. A router covered in dust and still working is normal.

A router dead in six years is normal? Nonsense. That demonstrates why hearsay and junk science reasoning is still alive and well in an economy where experts are A+ Certifed techs or ‘geek squad’. Many routers routinely replaced on speculation are not defective. A harmed router means the informed also eliminated reasons for that failure.

One failed router is likely a manufacturing defect. Two in three years suggests problems traceable to a human failure.

Wow are you Sheldon Cooper - bazinga