Wireless router reboot frequency

I have had a wireless setup for over a year and a half now. My router
is a Netgear WGR314 that behaved well until the past couple of months.

When I first set it up, I had a 22-25 signal (wifi manager app...6-7 is
considered poor, when the router is within 10 feet of the card it
registers a 45) on my desktop across the house. This would be a
sustained signal with no dropped connections. Recently, my desktop
(SuSE 9.1, but I have a windows xp laptop that exhibits the same issues
within the house) started not being able to see the connection unless I
reboot the router. Nothing has changed environmently to inhibit the
connection and once connected, I still get a 22-25 signal. It just
seems to be unavailable more often than not now.

I've also encountered friends/colleagues who say they have to reboot
their routers (various models) more than once a day. Given the
variables involved, is there any "normal" frequency that should be
expected to reboot a wireless router?

What specifications should I look for if I want to buy a better device
(mine is a v1)?

Thank you,
Dave

I run a Linksys WRT54GS using HyperWRT firmware. It has a little
"uptime" counter on the status page.

Whenever I've looked at it the amount of uptime is usually 7 days or
more. I don't think I've ever see it over 30 days however. There are no
problems connecting that were caused by the router.

Netgear makes a fine router so perhaps there's a problem with the router
or the power adapter.

Lance
*****

(E-Mail Removed) thought carefully and wrote on 5/31/2006 5:50 PM:
> I have had a wireless setup for over a year and a half now. My router
> is a Netgear WGR314 that behaved well until the past couple of months.
>
> When I first set it up, I had a 22-25 signal (wifi manager app...6-7 is
> considered poor, when the router is within 10 feet of the card it
> registers a 45) on my desktop across the house. This would be a
> sustained signal with no dropped connections. Recently, my desktop
> (SuSE 9.1, but I have a windows xp laptop that exhibits the same issues
> within the house) started not being able to see the connection unless I
> reboot the router. Nothing has changed environmently to inhibit the
> connection and once connected, I still get a 22-25 signal. It just
> seems to be unavailable more often than not now.
>
> I've also encountered friends/colleagues who say they have to reboot
> their routers (various models) more than once a day. Given the
> variables involved, is there any "normal" frequency that should be
> expected to reboot a wireless router?
>
> What specifications should I look for if I want to buy a better device
> (mine is a v1)?
>
> Thank you,
> Dave
>

(E-Mail Removed) wrote:
> I have had a wireless setup for over a year and a half now. My router
> is a Netgear WGR314 that behaved well until the past couple of months.
>
> When I first set it up, I had a 22-25 signal (wifi manager app...6-7 is
> considered poor, when the router is within 10 feet of the card it
> registers a 45) on my desktop across the house. This would be a
> sustained signal with no dropped connections. Recently, my desktop
> (SuSE 9.1, but I have a windows xp laptop that exhibits the same issues
> within the house) started not being able to see the connection unless I
> reboot the router. Nothing has changed environmently to inhibit the
> connection and once connected, I still get a 22-25 signal. It just
> seems to be unavailable more often than not now.
>
> I've also encountered friends/colleagues who say they have to reboot
> their routers (various models) more than once a day. Given the
> variables involved, is there any "normal" frequency that should be
> expected to reboot a wireless router?
>
> What specifications should I look for if I want to buy a better device
> (mine is a v1)?
>
> Thank you,
> Dave
>

I have had several routers, never have had to reboot except when I
change parameters that require a reboot. If you have to reboot several
times per week or more, then you need to investigate what happens with a
direct connection to your modem. If all is well with a direct connection
to the modem then your router has failed.

If a direct connection to the modem fails, then you need to call your
customer service.

Q

Quaoar wrote:
> I have had several routers, never have had to reboot except when I
> change parameters that require a reboot. If you have to reboot several
> times per week or more, then you need to investigate what happens with a
> direct connection to your modem. If all is well with a direct connection
> to the modem then your router has failed.
>
> If a direct connection to the modem fails, then you need to call your
> customer service.
>
> Q

Q,
Wired connections to the router do not drop and I've had VoIP for over
two years, so I'm confident in my DSL modem and my wired connections to
the router. It's just the wireless connections that seem to drop...and
the interesting piece is that it has become significantly more frequent
recently.

Dave

(E-Mail Removed) wrote:
>I have had a wireless setup for over a year and a half now. My router
>is a Netgear WGR314 that behaved well until the past couple of months.

Have you recently started using a 'file-sharing' app like Azeurus?
I've seen many routers fall over with these kinds of apps. Some
vendors are starting to come out with firmware updates to address the
issue(s), have you checked to see if there's an update for yours?

William P. N. Smith wrote:
> (E-Mail Removed) wrote:
> >I have had a wireless setup for over a year and a half now. My router
> >is a Netgear WGR314 that behaved well until the past couple of months.
>
> Have you recently started using a 'file-sharing' app like Azeurus?
> I've seen many routers fall over with these kinds of apps. Some
> vendors are starting to come out with firmware updates to address the
> issue(s), have you checked to see if there's an update for yours?

I do not use any file sharing software, but I will see if I there is a
firmware update. The odd thing about a configuration change is that
this worked well for quite awhile (the client has not changed, the
router location, etc. has not changed).

Dave

(E-Mail Removed) wrote:
> Quaoar wrote:
>> I have had several routers, never have had to reboot except when I
>> change parameters that require a reboot. If you have to reboot several
>> times per week or more, then you need to investigate what happens with a
>> direct connection to your modem. If all is well with a direct connection
>> to the modem then your router has failed.
>>
>> If a direct connection to the modem fails, then you need to call your
>> customer service.
>>
>> Q
>
> Q,
> Wired connections to the router do not drop and I've had VoIP for over
> two years, so I'm confident in my DSL modem and my wired connections to
> the router. It's just the wireless connections that seem to drop...and
> the interesting piece is that it has become significantly more frequent
> recently.
>
> Dave
>

Are the wireless dropping or are they hunting among other neighborhood
connections available? You should set the wireless properties so that
your named (SSID) network is the only one in Preferred Networks, select
Infrastructure networks only and disable the automatic connection
option. You should broadcast SSID; if this is not currently set, then
try setting that in the router. You can also change channel in the
router to 9 or 11 that are out of the way of the default 6.



Q

[POSTED TO alt.internet.wireless - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]

In <8YCdnXloFurevOLZRVn-(E-Mail Removed)> on Thu, 01 Jun 2006 11:17:53 -0600,
Quaoar <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>... You can also change channel in the
>router to 9 or 11 that are out of the way of the default 6.

9 interferes with 6 (and 11). Try 1 instead of 9.

--
Best regards, FAQ for Wireless Internet: <http://Wireless.wikia.com>
John Navas FAQ for Wi-Fi: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi>
Fixes to Wi-Fi Problems: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_Fixes>

[POSTED TO alt.internet.wireless - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]

In <(E-Mail Removed) .com> on 31 May 2006
17:50:19 -0700, (E-Mail Removed) wrote:

>I have had a wireless setup for over a year and a half now. My router
>is a Netgear WGR314 that behaved well until the past couple of months.
>
>When I first set it up, I had a 22-25 signal (wifi manager app...6-7 is
>considered poor, when the router is within 10 feet of the card it
>registers a 45) on my desktop across the house. This would be a
>sustained signal with no dropped connections. Recently, my desktop
>(SuSE 9.1, but I have a windows xp laptop that exhibits the same issues
>within the house) started not being able to see the connection unless I
>reboot the router. Nothing has changed environmently to inhibit the
>connection and once connected, I still get a 22-25 signal. It just
>seems to be unavailable more often than not now.
>
>I've also encountered friends/colleagues who say they have to reboot
>their routers (various models) more than once a day. Given the
>variables involved, is there any "normal" frequency that should be
>expected to reboot a wireless router?
>
>What specifications should I look for if I want to buy a better device
>(mine is a v1)?

Might be interference. See Wi-Fi Fixes below.

--
Best regards, FAQ for Wireless Internet: <http://Wireless.wikia.com>
John Navas FAQ for Wi-Fi: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi>
Fixes to Wi-Fi Problems: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_Fixes>