Wireless router

[Burbage]

My wireless router has started acting up. The wireless signal drops out completely for periods. I presume that it is dying, but the funny thing is that it starts happening at the same time every day, at 8am. It may be that I'm just seeing it then due to my own routine, but it is a bit odd.

Two different laptops with wireless have the same problem, so it isn't the wireless adapter on the laptops.

So can anyone think of why it might be happening on some kind of schedule? I've looked into the control panel but can't see anything that indicates a schedule of any kind.

Also, it is NOT dropping the internet connection from the adsl modem. My desktop is connected to a switch on the same router and does not lose connection. Just the wireless.

I think it's on the way out, it's 6 years old and has been running virtually 24/7 all that time, so it's probably up for replacement. But if someone can think of some reason it might be doing this but not be failing then I'd rather not replace something that isn't broken.

[baloo]

Interference of some type ? Do you or a neighbour have a new cordless phone that gets used to make a call roughly at the same time ?

[Burbage]

Interesting point. The both nearest neighbours are more than 30m from the router. If I changed the transmit channel then the interference pattern would change? That might be worth a try.

[Morrolan]

wild guess here: 8 am is the time human work activity begins to increase significantly, maybe another router on the same channel or, since it's adsl: maybe new additional users that influence the speed to drop to the point that your wired connection still functions but wireless doesn't? does the connection speed on the wired connection drop at the same time?

[Burbage]

No indication that there is anything wrong with the connection through the switch either in terms of router to pc speed or pc to internet speed. No indication that a sudden surge in population has occured here in the last few months. This really only started happening last week.

Maybe it is time to just get a new device.

[Fat Bob]

I've had at least two devices that jst stopped working, usually dropping out at random times and then after a reboot working for a while. Upgrade of software, changing of settings and the like fixed things for a short while and then same problems starting again.

Is it happening at 8am or is it happening sometime during the night and you only notice when you start using the systems at 8am?

At 6 years old, then yes, it might be time to get a new one. Try wireless N systems now, though not a complete standard, they seem to work well with high rates than wirelss G.

Here's the Nov 2008 thread when I changed my [url=http://singapore-forum&#46com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=2118&p=36845&hilit=wireless+router#p36845]wireless router[/url]. I went with the recomendations, though it may seem if your current router has the firmware upgrade suggested by Jedi you may be interested in doing so.

The only issue I had with the D-Link model recommended was port forwarding, which has been solved by hard wiring the old pc to the router that needs port forwarding whilst having a separate wirless pc for my surfing.

[Jedi]

Same thing happened to me - changed the channel and it's fixed. Get some software that lets you see what channels are being used by others nearby and pick one that's either note being used, or is used the least. My router firmware has it built in (DD-WRT).

[Burbage]

No other wireless networks in range. At least none broadcasting the ssid.

I'll try changing the channel and see what happens.

[Jedi]

Just remembered the software I used to use for scanning networks - netstumbler.

Get it here: http://stumbler.net/

Much more reliable than windows and provides a lot more information.

[Burbage]

I'll look into it. There are only two houses within range of my router so it seems to me that if I simply switch the channel I should avoid interference. They can't have too many devices between them.

Another option, which I've been considering for a while, is to replace the modem and router with a dual function device. Any recommendations for a combined ADSL2 modem with wireless router and at least a four port switch? One fewer device to plug in is always a winner.

[Fat Bob]

My advice would be not to get the joint thing. Though I've not had a combined router/modem before (cable or ADSL), I've always wondered what would happen should one part go down. also, you may want to put you router in a different (higher) place than the modem, depending on which one needed rebooting more frequently.

Also stayed away from combined printer scanners until recently.

[Burbage]

I've never liked the combined printer scanner thing. But the ADSL modem seems simple enough to me that it ought to go into a combined router switch. But I don't know. Anyone got one?

Certinly it seems that almost all isps are providing a modem with wireless Lan, which is essentially the same without the switch.

[Bender]

I Installed a Billion ADSL2+/VoIP/Wireless Router for my mum earlier this year. I was looking for something rock solid that would run nonstop, for a user who is not computer literate, and it's been excellent. Highly recommend the brand, and recommend you look at one with VoIP + PSTN support built in.

Billion is also available as 'Open'. Same gear, different brand, less $$$.

[Burbage]

I changed the channel and that seems to have fixed the problem. No further dropouts so far...