Home networking question

Alan Bolte · Post by **Alan Bolte** » 2006-01-08 07:42am

Should a router need to be restarted every few days? That is, should it cease working in any capacity, without any warning, without a change in indicator lights? Should this occur regardless of model or manufacturer? Is there, alternately, something I could be doing, or not doing, to prevent this?

Said router is used solely for the purpose of allowing two PCs to use the same internet connection. Please feel free to ask any question, I may have inadvertantly left out some important piece of information.

Bounty · Post by **Bounty** » 2006-01-08 08:26am

Mine stops responding every six months or so, and a quick reboot fixes it. I don't know why it happens, but I've heard it's common.

Alan Bolte · Post by **Alan Bolte** » 2006-01-08 08:57am

6 months would be fine. 5 to 100 hours is irritating.

Vohu Manah · Post by **Vohu Manah** » 2006-01-08 09:31am

Have you tried updating the router's firmware (assuming you can)?

Alan Bolte · Post by **Alan Bolte** » 2006-01-08 10:47am

Yep. On multiple models by different manufacturers. In one case, multiple times over a period of months.

Mad · Post by **Mad** » 2006-01-08 11:15am

A router is a computer running a program. As such, it is subject to the same problems a computer can have. So it's not uncommon for a router to need rebooting every so often.

But once every few days is excessive. If this same problem happens across different brands and models and you've updated your firmware on them, then you may want to check out the building's electrical wiring. The power may not be coming in cleanly, with small spikes and/or sags hindering operation of the router. A "dirty" power supply can eventually damage electronic equipment, as well.

LongVin · Post by **LongVin** » 2006-01-08 11:28am

There might be a fault with the actual internet connection itself. Try calling your ISP and ask them to check your line. They can do it remotely for the basic test and if they find a problem they might have to send a guy to your house.

Tokaji Kyoden · Post by **Tokaji Kyoden** » 2006-01-08 12:51pm

Rather than calling the ISP and having to spend the money for it, just try swtiching out some of the Cat5 cable. I recently came across the same problem, and was able to fix it by simply swapping out an older Cat5 cable that was in the network.

Laird · Post by **Laird** » 2006-01-08 02:44pm

Question, are you still able to transfer files from other computers? or is it just the internet connection that drops every few days? If it's the latter, have you tried MAC cloning in your router?

I know when my router started experincing my internet connection dropping every few hours(like 6 months ago) even after resets, I tried all the cables, rebooting the modem, rebooting the router. Nothing worked till I did some research on my router, it said turn on mac cloning and that should make the router obtain and sustain the ip# from the Modem/ISP.

Uraniun235 · Post by **Uraniun235** » 2006-01-08 03:00pm

Tokaji Kyoden wrote:Rather than calling the ISP and having to spend the money for it, just try swtiching out some of the Cat5 cable. I recently came across the same problem, and was able to fix it by simply swapping out an older Cat5 cable that was in the network.

My ISP doesn't charge for a tech support call - and the phone jockeys can run line tests from their end.

Faram · Post by **Faram** » 2006-01-08 03:02pm

It is wery uncommon that the cables are at fault, they work or not, just make sure that they are plugged in.

Also make sure that the cable is not damaged, that can give strange errors.

But I would try to upgrade the firmware in the router and see if it has problem with heat, check the ventilation.

atg · Post by **atg** » 2006-01-08 05:37pm

It could also be a power issue.

I've had several router problems like this solved by running it through a UPS instead of straight mains.