How long do wireless routers last?

I have had 2 wireless routers and I doubt either has lasted 12 months. The 'wired' connections work fine, but the wireless is sporadic. I thought is was the wireless card for my laptop, but a brand new wireless USB adapter does the same thing: it does not see my wireless router. The new card does find my neighbors wireless connection, but not the router sitting 2 feet away.

I had a Linksys and now a Dlink and the wireless parts have died while the wired ports are fine. Am I doing something wrong? Is there anyway to test the wireless connection to confirm that it is working?

Thanks for all helpful responses.

I used a wireless AP for about 4 years and replaced it so I didn't have to have both a wireless AP and separate router. These components are solid state (no moving parts) and should last longer than your hard drive. The most common defect should be firmware corruption and this would be caused by power surges. I would suggest getting a good power strip or if you are using one maybe try a power strip that has Power Conditioning.

Keep in mind all devices directly connected (lan cable not wirelessly connected) to the wireless router need to have power strips on them since a surge can still hit the router through another device.

EDIT: Also most people don't think about adding protection on the phone lines or cable lines. I ran a large coax/rj11 surge protector since those lines originate outside of the house and could produce slight surges.

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