[MtnBikerChk]

Right now I have the Linksys BEFSX41 router with a built in firewall. A few years ago I added a wireless access point (WAP54G). Lately my connection has been flakey and I'm trying to diagnose it do the 1.DSL 2. Modem 3. Router 4. Access point.

I think first I'm going to replace the Router and WAP - I don't think it's the WAP - with a wireless router. Then if that still fails, I'll call the phone company and have them come out and test the lines - voice and data. The house is old, the router is old - anything is possible. I have a newer modem that never worked from day one so it's in a box somewhere.

so - do I stick with Linksys or is any 3 of the big three better than the others?

 

[splat]

they are all pretty much the same. I switched over to a Dlink ( with a Linksys access point ) only because it came with the FIOS package.

on that note though I do know quite a few people who have had routers go bad.

 

[binary visions]

Before you spend money, might want to try and diagnose where the problem is. Your WAP is probably good, why replace it? Do you have a computer wired into the router, or is everything wireless? If you have a computer plugged into the router, is the connection flaky with that, or just your wireless computers?

There are more steps we can do if you want to troubleshoot but if you really want to just bag it and replace the whole deal, there are lots of good options. Linksys makes good equipment and has been solid from my experience. My girlfriend's parents now have a Buffalo wireless router and I was impressed with both the interface of it, and quite honestly, it's actually a nice looking piece of hardware, unlike the fugly blue Linksys boxes. Very compact and sleek. They have had no internet problems. They wouldn't know how to reboot it, either, so it's been running for months without an issue. Strictly from numerous secondhand anecdotes (and a bunch of reviews), Buffalo seems to make some very solid routers.

 

[MtnBikerChk]

Before you spend money, might want to try and diagnose where the problem is. Your WAP is probably good, why replace it? Do you have a computer wired into the router, or is everything wireless? If you have a computer plugged into the router, is the connection flaky with that, or just your wireless computers?

I've direct connected with my laptop and the connection is still flaky - you're right -that's why I know it's not the WAP. I guess my thought was that by replacing the router, if I still had the same problems, I could say for sure it was either the line or the modem - and in either case, that's the phone company's problem.

We've been in this house for 2 years and the connection has always been flaky but it never really mattered until I started working from home and sometimes the connection drops me and I get disconnected. And lately it's been down a lot!

edited to ask: How do I try to connect to my modem without a router or the ISP software? There must be some little PPoE app I can download, right?

 

[binary visions]

Nothing to download. Plug your ethernet cable into the modem, go into your Network Connections, create a new connection, select connect to Internet, select set up connection manually, select Connect Using Broadband Connection, and follow the steps.

 

[I Are Baboon]

Right now I have the Linksys BEFSX41 router with a built in firewall. A few years ago I added a wireless access point (WAP54G). Lately my connection has been flakey and I'm trying to diagnose it do the 1.DSL 2. Modem 3. Router 4. Access point.

I think first I'm going to replace the Router and WAP - I don't think it's the WAP - with a wireless router. Then if that still fails, I'll call the phone company and have them come out and test the lines - voice and data. The house is old, the router is old - anything is possible. I have a newer modem that never worked from day one so it's in a box somewhere.

so - do I stick with Linksys or is any 3 of the big three better than the others?

I've direct connected with my laptop and the connection is still flaky - you're right -that's why I know it's not the WAP. I guess my thought was that by replacing the router, if I still had the same problems, I could say for sure it was either the line or the modem - and in either case, that's the phone company's problem.

We've been in this house for 2 years and the connection has always been flaky but it never really mattered until I started working from home and sometimes the connection drops me and I get disconnected. And lately it's been down a lot!

edited to ask: How do I try to connect to my modem without a router or the ISP software? There must be some little PPoE app I can download, right?

You should be asking for advice on HDTV's.

 

[MtnBikerChk]

Nothing to download. Plug your ethernet cable into the modem, go into your Network Connections, create a new connection, select connect to Internet, select set up connection manually, select Connect Using Broadband Connection, and follow the steps.

I'm such a numbnut sometimes

Thanks, I'll try to direct connect and see if it's still flaky - I'm guessing - YEP!

 

[binary visions]

I'm such a numbnut sometimes

Thanks, I'll try to direct connect and see if it's still flaky - I'm guessing - YEP!

If it turns out that it quits being flaky and it's probably the router, you can check on Linksys' website for a firmware update for the router. Sometimes it's amazing the difference it'll make.

 

[narlus]

also check to see if you've got any cordless phones which run @ the same frequency as yr WAP....that can cause problems.

 

[MtnBikerChk]

If it turns out that it quits being flaky and it's probably the router, you can check on Linksys' website for a firmware update for the router. Sometimes it's amazing the difference it'll make.

yeah, I've already done that I updated it once and it was a disaster and had to roll it back!

And my phones are all 5.8Ghz - now the MICROWAVE does interfere but we don't use it that often

 

[DRB]

I've had two linksys wireless routers go bad. The first one I figured was due to a lighting strike outside (nothing else was affected) but then the replacement did the samething. The only reason I didn't replace it with something else was that it was still under warranty and they replaced it free of charge.

 

[Kornphlake]

I'd try and hook up the modem at the interface outside the house where the line comes in and test the modem there, unless you have insurance on your inside wiring through the phone company (usually pretty expensive unless it's bundled with other services, is your phone bill normally more than $120/mo?) it is your problem, the phone company will fix it but they'll charge about $100/hr more than it's worth and they'll double or triple the cost of materials they may use. By testing at the telco box outside you are taking your house wiring out of the picture and only testing the phone company's equipment. I went through the same thing and ended up spending a ton of money the first time around because the problem was with the inside wiring, I had to pay something like $150 for a tech to come out, a hundred or so on wire and connectors, and few hours of my time crawling through rat poop under the house. The phone company wouldn't even quote a price, they said that with the amount of wire needed it would be cheaper for me to hire a contractor. If I'd done the appropriate testing before hand I could have at least saved the $150 fee for the technician's visit.
About a month later we started getting audible static on the line and the DSL completely dropped, the second time I tested at the box outside before calling the phone company, they fixxed it for no cost to me, even though the repair ended up needing 3 technicians 2 of those lift bucket things and who knows what kind of expensive looking box hanging from the pole.

 

[$tinkle]

if after reading all the above & you still need a router, office max has a d-link rangebooster N router for $80 (shipping included).

sale is thru wednesday, so diddy mao.

 

[MtnBikerChk]

I'd try and hook up the modem at the interface outside the house where the line comes in and test the modem there, unless you have insurance on your inside wiring through the phone company (usually pretty expensive unless it's bundled with other services, is your phone bill normally more than $120/mo?) it is your problem, the phone company will fix it but they'll charge about $100/hr more than it's worth and they'll double or triple the cost of materials they may use. By testing at the telco box outside you are taking your house wiring out of the picture and only testing the phone company's equipment. I went through the same thing and ended up spending a ton of money the first time around because the problem was with the inside wiring, I had to pay something like $150 for a tech to come out, a hundred or so on wire and connectors, and few hours of my time crawling through rat poop under the house. The phone company wouldn't even quote a price, they said that with the amount of wire needed it would be cheaper for me to hire a contractor. If I'd done the appropriate testing before hand I could have at least saved the $150 fee for the technician's visit. .

thanks - but I do have the insurance in a bundled package - it costs like $1 a month.

HOWEVER, am DIRECTLY connected now and it's working better than ever. I'm going to try to flash the router firmware and if that doesnt do it I'm trashing it!

 

[MtnBikerChk]

all upgraded and power cycled - it seems very s-l-o-w.

 

[binary visions]

Hrm. Try cycling the power on everything, in this order:

Unplug it all
Plug in DSL modem, wait 30 seconds
Plug in router, wait 30 seconds

Leave the WAP unplugged for now, and see how your internet is after that.

 

[MtnBikerChk]

I'm going to scream!

IAB called last night and said it was dead again so I ran to staples to buy another one. The Linksys wireless router was on sale so I bought it. I got it home, plugged it in and it works when wired, the wireless does not. It will not connect. I put the exact same settings on it that were on the WAP.

I turned off the wireless settings and plugged the WAP back and and VIOLA - wirelessly connected.

Do I head back to staples to return it and get a non wired one and just us my WAP or switch brands?

 

[binary visions]

When you say "It will not connect" do you mean the laptop will not connect to the wireless router (i.e. it hangs saying "trying to connect" when you double click the connection in the list of wireless networks), or the laptop, once connected to the router, won't connect to the internet?

 

[MtnBikerChk]

When you say "It will not connect" do you mean the laptop will not connect to the wireless router (i.e. it hangs saying "trying to connect" when you double click the connection in the list of wireless networks), or the laptop, once connected to the router, won't connect to the internet?

the prior. when I "ipconfig" it says it cannot reach the dhcp server so for whatever reason it's not getting an address?!

I give up. It wins.

 

[binary visions]

If it's the prior, you shouldn't even be reaching the point of needing to do IPconfig. When you pull up the list of wireless networks and double click on the network, it never says "Connected" right? So it never will have actually even established communication with the wireless, let alone registered itself on the network.

Do you have a password or any security set up on your router?

 

[MtnBikerChk]

Do you have a password or any security set up on your router?

I tried it with and without security on. I tried it with WPA and I tried it with WEP. I reset the router. I power cycled it. I rebooted my computer. I cleared out the list of preferred wireless networks. I turned the SSID on. I turned the SSID off. I upgraded the firmware.

I don't know what else I could have possibly done. I can't be my wireless card because it works with the access point?!

 

[DRB]

Maybe if we launched an e-jihad against them on MTBR it might get some results.

 

[binary visions]

Here's the best thing to try:

Hold the "Reset" button on the back of the router in for 30 seconds, that will reset everything to default.

Log into the router, and change ONLY the PPoE settings so that it will log you into your ISP. Don't change anything else (unless wireless is disabled by default - I don't think it is - and if that's the case, enable it with default settings).

Right click your wireless connection on the laptop and change the TCP/IP properties to obtain an IP address and DNS servers automatically, if they're manually set right now.

Connect to the wireless network.

If that works, then we're in business and you can start changing settings one at a time