Danged Wireless Routers

[Tubaryan12]

The first thing I would check is the a/c adapter. If the output on it is low this could be the problem. I had a D-link router that went bad on me and I found that the adapter was the only problem with it.

[Rick Denney]

Well, I have yet another dilemma that is befalling my wireless laptop web-brousing. I think my Lynksys wireless router is trying to go bad on me. I've dealt with the business of having to shut the router down and restart it so I could get back on the internet for years, but now the signal strength is beginning to fluctuate. There are times when my laptop will tell me that my signal is very weak when my normal distance from the router is easily within 15 feet. So I think I'm looking at buying a new router. I've heard that Lynksys is no longer as good as it once was and that Belkin is the way to go. Any suggestions?

Linksys is owned by Cisco, and Cisco still makes very solid commercial-grade routers. A Cisco-branded router that you can afford would have said "Linksys" a few years ago. I have had a Linksys/Cisco wireless access point in operation for several years at my house, and have never even had to restart it.

Just recently, after finally getting broadband at the house using Verizon Wireless Broadband, I bought an expensive Cradlepoint router for USB wireless broadband devices, and it works really well. The router is loaded with router-control features, and I suspect that's the higher price point coming into play. It has a high-end full-diversity (three-antenna Wireless-N) WiFi access point built into it, so I've put the Cisco WAP on the inactive reserve list for use as a backup when needed. When the Redhead and I work at home, we each have to establish a VPN to our respective offices and a reliable router connection is essential--that's why I went ahead and spent the money--and that's why having backup hardware is a good idea.

I also had a D-Link network-attached-storage device that had a wireless access point built into it. It sucked. I suspect that the wireless part of that device was the cheapest thing they could find. I bet the reason my Cisco WAP is reliable is because that's all it was designed to be--it's not the cheapest possible WAP attached to a router.

I don't know if my experiences will help illuminate anything for you, but I'm relaying them here just in case.

(I have never had warm fuzzy feelings about Belkin. Belkin is a (good-quality) wire supplier who got into the equipment game. Their stuff might be fine, but I still gravitate back to the guys who make routers and access points for their primary living.)

Rick "who no longer buys cheapie home networking stuff" Denney

[JCalkin]

Until last week, we had been experiencing a similar issue at our house and thought it was a problem with our hardware. Our signal strength would fluctuate and at times we would lose the internet altogether. We called our ISP, who is a national provider piggybacked onto our local cable company. The home office of the ISP assured us there was no problem on their end and after we bullied them with several phone calls, they put in a trouble ticket to our local cable folks to investigate their setup.

The cable company came to our house and changed the cables running into the house and the problem was instantly solved. We never noticed issues with television reception, BTW.

We also have a Linksys router, so I just wanted to pass along that you may have a problem with the cables OUTSIDE the house, and the issue may not be with your personal equipment at all.

[Dan Schultz]

A few evenings ago... at about 10pm... my Internet disconnected for no apparent reason. By 11pm... it was working fine again. The next morning, everything was dead. The phone, the TV, AND the Internet (since they are all on the same cable). I thought it was a widespread outage until spoke with a fellow who lives a short ways from me who is on the same system. His was fine. I called my cable company and to my surprise... a technician showed up within two hours. The problem was a simple connection where the service enters my house.