Routers die.

[TomJones75]

I have quite the annoying problem and was hoping someone could give some insight.

I have had to replace my wireless router every 6 months to 1 year for the last 8 years. The router does not stop broadcasting the signal, just the ability to connect to the internet. I have owned Belkin, Linksys, and Netgear routers of varying quality (read price). You can imagine as a pattern emerged I started buying the cheapest I could find.

All I do is connect, configure, forget. I set the SSID, I set the router login password, and I set the wireless password. The router was always plugged into a surge protector until I got a UPS. I even had that Linksys with the twin antenna that lasted everyone else a decade or more.

I don't understand why my routers die. Please someone help!

 

[john-b691]

What type of ISP connection. If it is direct DSL connection you very well could be getting damage coming in on the phone line.

Most routers either completely fail or you lose the wireless radios. It is very strange that you lose the WAN connection.

Used to be you would buy the larger brand names and they last until they were obsolete. Now it seems there is no difference between the best brands and the ones nobody every heard of.

I suspect it all comes down to money. You can buy real commercial stuff or you can take you chances and replace it 3 times for the same price. Most smaller companies/individuals gamble. You look at commercial AP where I work and out of about 3900 in lots and lots of locations maybe 3 have failed in the last 2 years...many more than that just mysteriously disappear from the ceiling.

 

[TomJones75]

Thanks for replying, John!

I have always subscribed to cable internet. And like I said they are of varying quality and price. I'm looking for questions that could help lead me to a resolution and I'm grateful you are trying to help, but I'm wondering if there is something I have been doing, if I get crap products, or It's normal for a router to die every 6 months to a year. I know the answer to the last...

 

[john-b691]

The most common cause of failure is heat related. Your failure is just so strange and for it to happen on multiple platforms. It is very common for the radios to fail in that they either do nothing or you can see them but you can't connect. Generally wired ports always work unless you get a complete failure.

For yours to just stop passing traffic implies some form of processor failure. I could see a random or a firmware thing but multiple brands of routers ?

I would go visit best buy and let them "twist" your arm for extended warranty on a router, at least it won't cost you money just the time to set them up again.