Resetting wireless router. Workaround?

[atgcpaul]

Every day or every few days, I have to do a hard reset on my Netgear
wireless router--unplug it/plug it back in. This is because of three things:

1) Router is no longer trasmitting SSID and laptops don't see it

OR

2) Router is transmitting but not allowing laptops to connect

OR

3) Laptops are connecting to router but there's no Internet connection


I've heard this could be because the cable company routinely sends "bullets"
down the line to knock off cable thieves and this disrupts the connection.
I never have to reset my cable modem, though. Is there a router patch or
something that automatically resets the router at certain times so I don't have to?

Thanks, Paul

[LCHIEN]

Are you still able to connect using the wired ports? (try using an ethernet cable and disable the wireless temporarily on your laptop). My last wireless router developed an intermittent Wireless, you could see the laptops connecting and losing connection every minute or so. But the wired portion worked fine. So it was probably a fault in the wireless hardware portion.

If its not a hardware problem like mine, you might check for a firmware update from www.netgear.com, this can be downloaded to your computer and then downloaded into your router.
If your router is new you can contact Netgear and see if their support people can help.

If your router is older maybe its time to replace it. I don't seem to be able to get wireless routers to work more than 2 years regardless of who makes them... they get flakey on the wireless portion. In about 5 years been through 2 Linksys and one D-link, now on a Netgear. They all worked perfectly to start...

[LarryG]

We had a similar situation with a wired router here at the office. Unable to find another "cure," we put it on a lamp timer, to turn the power off for about 15 minutes an hour or so before everyone reported in the morning. That worked for a couple years and then the problem returned. All through this I periodically installed firmware updates, to no avail.

A few months ago we switched ISPs, going from DSL to cable, and now have a completely different setup that has so far worked flawlessly. But time will tell. I think there may be something to Loring's theory that routers need to be replaced every couple-few years.

[crokett]

I also have a Netgear router and have similar problems but there is no pattern to when mine will show up. Also most of the time it is the router stops responding to connection requests. I don't have mine configured to broadcast the SSID. I bought the Netgear because I had an older Netgear that worked for 6 years until it quit.

[radhak]

I had this exact problem with my earlier Netgear router, and unfortunately I never found the solution. Then I got to upgrade to a newer version of the router (my BIL moved, and gave me his), and the problem just went away.

So how old is your router?

[tseavoy]

I think the bearings in your router are going bad.

[crokett]

I was also thinking of getting rid of the router and using a WAP tied to my Linux box to do the routing for me.

[dbhost]

I'm old tech. I don't trust Wireless for anything. Drills, or routers... My network is fully cabled and proud of it. I have RJ-45 ports in each room except the bathrooms. So you can rest assured folks, I never check BT3Central on the commode... I don't know about you WiFi guys though...

[pelligrini]

We had a linksys that exhibited similar problems at our office. It worked well for the first 9 or so months. It's an older 902.11-B. It got down to every couple days I'd have to power cycle it. It's collecting dust now, and should just be tossed.

We upgraded to a Cisco, which I really hate messing with. Setup and configuration is about the most confusing thing I've ever had to do. I think that cisco does all their stuff that way to ensure a constant stream of large training fees.

[crokett]

So you can rest assured folks, I never check BT3Central on the commode... I don't know about you WiFi guys though...

Just once! I swear!

[cgallery]

I think the bearings in your router are going bad.

There is some truth in that humor.

I've had a substantial number of Netgear routers just wear out. They work fine for a couple of years, start getting flaky, and as soon as they show signs of dropping connections, etc., I simply replace them.

Routers w/ wireless are especially prone to these types of failures. I don't know if they drive 'em too hard, or what. I do know, from reading at the DD-WRT forums, that you have to be careful in setting wireless output on routers you install DD-WRT on, otherwise you can substantially shorten the lifespan of the unit.

[tfischer]

I had the exact same problem with my Netgear. It was maddening...

I finally replaced it with a Trendnet about 5 months ago and it's never been "rebooted" even once -- works flawlessly.

My wife had a Netgear card for her old laptop and it would cause the whole laptop to freeze up every few days. I'll never buy another Netgear product again.

-Tim

[Rand]

Interestingly enough I had an old Belkin router that would do the same thing (lockups requiring restart etc.).

When it died 2 years ago I replaced it with a Netgear and it's run flawlessly ever since...

[cgallery]

Interestingly enough I had an old Belkin router that would do the same thing (lockups requiring restart etc.).

When it died 2 years ago I replaced it with a Netgear and it's run flawlessly ever since...

I think the problem isn't so brand-specific. For example, there are a billion routers out there made with Broadcom chipsets. And for the most part, they share many idiosyncrasies.

Same goes for network cards. Netgear, for example, used a lot of DEC Tulip chipsets. But so did about twenty other manufacturers. Many of the Netgear FA310TX cards ultimately started acting flaky. But so did many other brands of cards that used the same DEC chip.

Fujitsu had gobs and gobs of hard drives go bad not because of anything Fujitsu did, but because the Cirrus Logic chipsets on those drives were poorly manufacturered (package problem) and the chips failed.

[mpc]

Hmmm... I know of a couple year old Buffalo wireless that is flakey too - needing full power-off-on hard resets and then it'll work fine for a day or two. It's a Broadcom chipset too.

I hope the laptop chipsets are better since that's what I have in my old Fujitsu. Doesn't really matter; I rarely use that laptop as it is, let alone use the wireless on it. It might be dead now for all I know.

mpc