I've just moved back home with my computer after uni and the internet here is shocking, getting disconnects once every half an hour or so that only fix after a router reboot. I'm guessing the reason is because its an old router (The netgear WGR... whatever the serial was, that everyone bought years ago) it just can't cope with having so many devices attached. Currently there are 2 computers, an XBOX 360, and a Popcorn Hour wired in, and a laptop, smart phone and DS competing over wifi (ideally the currently wired in Acer Revo would be wifi too, and I've read that means I could do with a dual-band N router). I'm also a member of a few private tracker torrent sites, and have a few hundred torrents that have had to remain inactive since moving back, as opening any decent number of them in uTorrent kills the whole network. So my question is, have routers improved to handle so many devices, or are the improvements just in range etc.? Which routers ought I be looking at? (nb I'm on cable) I wouldn't want to spend £100 on a new one just to have the same problems, but in a wider area.
Even with a router fully loaded, it shouldn't disconnect, it should just slow to a crawl. Diagnose the problem before spending money, just in case it is a) a line problem, b) a firmware or router config problem or c) a local cabling problem. Can you post the exact router model you are using and the firmware version? Are you connecting everything via wireless or wired or a mixture? Which things are disconnecting? The wireless devices or the wired or both? Is it a disconnection between the devices and the router or between the router and the net? What do the lights on the router do when it disconnects?
actually if its an older router, it probably cant handle the bandwith of todays broadband, and maybe overheating, causing it to drop off. what speed are you on, with your cable broadband?
It's a WGR614 v6, and we're on the 10mb broadband. I'm not sure on the firmware, I assume just stock as I can't get in to the routerlogin panel until my parents find their login info. The config is: Wired: 2x desktop PCs, XBOX 360, Popcorn Hour Wireless: Laptop, Nintendo DS, Smartphone When the main problem occurs all devices on the network lose internet access forever, until the router is rebooted. There is also another slightly less serious problem in that most mornings the laptop can't get an internet connection (though it can connect to the network) until the router is again rebooted. I haven't paid much attention to the lights on this router, as its unfamiliar to me, but the lights on the cable modem are the same as ever, showing a good connection.
i love netgears publications of specification for home routers, very informative, not. oh and by the way, have you checked the temperature of the router when it stops working, they do get warm, but if its hot enough to burn, then its overheating, and thats causing it to hang. this can be due to very heavy traffic.
I think you could be right, I've just felt the router and it's extremely hot on the underside. I've moved it from the carpet and on to a surface where it should get plenty air on to each surface - so I'll see if it stays any more stable this next day.
If it's Virgin cable, you should be able to get into the logs of the cable modem without having to log into the router. This will tell you if the cable connection is dropping. If it is not then it is your router at fault, not the cable connection itself. I can't remember the standard IP address for the Virgin cable modems (it's been years since I was on cable), can anyone else remember?
