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Why do consumer-level routers suck?

VhdbloodVhdblood
edited October 2010 in Technology
Every single consumer router I've used has, within months of buying it, started needing power cycling. It starts slowly, and then ramps up until I'm resetting the router almost daily. Most of the time a connection is still there, but ping skyrockets and the download speed tanks. Almost everyone I know has this issue with their cheap routers too, no matter what the brand.

Why the fuck does this happen? Are D-Link, Linksys, and Netgear all making the same cutbacks on production quality? What's even making this issue occur?

Googling leads to hundreds of posts about the problem, and it seems that a lot of people tie the issue to a lot of traffic through the router, causing it to overheat, but why would leaving the same router running in the same place work for 24+ hours with a one-minute break?

So now that we have that out of the way, which routers are okay to buy? I need wireless and at least 4 Ethernet ports. I'm trying to aim for $100 or less, but I'm afraid that's just not going to cut it. Which routers do you all use? Do you have the same issues?

Comments

  • AlanAlan
    edited October 2010
    linksys wrt54g v1.1
    Installed tomato firmware.

    Uptime: 29 days, 22:27:39

    Same issues with some new routers. But my old linksys is still working fine.
    Post edited by Alan on
  • VhdbloodVhdblood
    linksys wrt54g v1.1
    Installed tomato firmware.

    Uptime: 29 days, 22:27:39
    I know they work for some people, but for a lot of people they do not. I've put Tomato on my Wrt54g also and it continues to have the same issue.
  • OmnutiaOmnutia
    edited October 2010
    It could be your power supply (The wire coming into your house.) has a lot of fluctuation which is burning the router out.

    I've got a WRT54G v2 (I think v2.) which has been running solid; Though we restart it when the modem cuts out a couple of times a month.

    Currently at 20 days and counting.
    Post edited by Omnutia on
  • VhdbloodVhdblood
    It could be your power supply (The wire coming into your house.) has a lot of fluctuation which is burning the router out.
    This has happened at my old house, my friends' houses, and my new house 70 miles away.
  • RuffasRuffas
    The router at my parent's house has this problem, but my WRT300Nt has never had that problem in the four years since I acquired it.
  • AprecheApreche
    Maybe you are configuring the router incorrectly? Maybe it's not the router, but your computer(s)? The router keeps changing and having problems, but your computer is still the same, I presume. One possibility is you have some spyware or viruses or some such that have turned your computers into zombies. If they are sending out tons of spam, or part of a DDoS attack, that will flood your router pretty hard.

    I used to have a Linksys WRT54G. Whether it was the default firmware or special firmware, it worked nearly perfectly.

    I recently wanted to get some 802.11n and some Gigabit, so I got the expensive Netgear WNDR-3700. It's a lot of money, for a router, but it is basically the god of gods in consumer routing. You don't need to replace the firmware on this baby, it does it all.
  • OmnutiaOmnutia
    edited October 2010
    How long did you wait to put Tomato on the WRT, VH? It may have been that the initial overheating caused hardware damage.
    Post edited by Omnutia on
  • VhdbloodVhdblood
    Maybe you are configuring the router incorrectly? Maybe it's not the router, but your computer(s)? The router keeps changing and having problems, but your computer is still the same, I presume. One possibility is you have some spyware or viruses or some such that have turned your computers into zombies. If they are sending out tons of spam, or part of a DDoS attack, that will flood your router pretty hard.
    Is anyone reading this thread? Or are you just posting random suggestions?

    I've had this problem with more than 5 different $50-$100 dollar routers. A Netgear DG834G, A Linksys WRT54G, a D-Link something or other, A Linksys WRT160N, and some other ones I can't remember. I know how to configure a router.

    For the last time guys, this has happened in way too many different situations to be user error. I've changed computers three times, not to mention that my roommate has this problem along with anyone else on the router. Wireless or wired, firmware updates, cooling, position, voodoo magic, I've tried everything.

    I'm not crazy!

    image
  • AprecheApreche
    Maybe it's your ISP? It could be that their network is screwed up in some way, and your router isn't getting it's IP address renewed. Thus, you restart it to renew the DHCP lease. Next time it happens, instead of restarting the whole router try logging into the router and clicking the buttons to release and renew the IP address via DHCP. If that fixes it, then something about your ISP or even the modem they have given you, is not working properly.
  • VhdbloodVhdblood
    edited October 2010
    If that fixes it, then something about your ISP or even the modem they have given you, is not working properly.
    Honestly I forgot about that. It does work, but it's always worked, even when I had a different ISP. It did this on Centurytel DSL, Brighthouse Cable, and now Comcast Cable.

    See, the reason I can't figure this out is that it seems to wildly change symptoms. Right now, I can't even use 192.168.1.1 to access the router. If I reset the router, I can access it for a while, then it'll stop again until I reset it. Everything else is working fine about it, but trying to pull up the router page just gives me the Problem loading page.
    Post edited by Vhdblood on
  • AprecheApreche
    Maybe your network cables are busted? Try some new cables from monoprice.com?
  • VhdbloodVhdblood
    Maybe your network cables are busted? Try some new cables from monoprice.com?
    I've definitely had a ton of different cables over the last 4-5 years that I've been having problems.
  • AprecheApreche
    You have a curse?
  • VhdbloodVhdblood
    You have a curse?
    Then what's with the google hits? My landlord's router is that WRT160N I mentioned, and he also has to reset it. He wasn't resetting it before, but asked me why his internet got so slow sometimes. I reset the router and it worked like a charm. Now they reset the router once daily and couldn't be happier.
  • AprecheApreche
    If your Internet is getting so slow sometimes it is most likely because of virusing. Maybe you don't have the virus, but your neighbor(s) might. Remember, with cable modems you share bandwidth with the neighbors. If one person is fucking it up, then you all suffer. The NAT on the router can keep the virus from infecting you, e.g.: if it's a worm, but it can't stop it from using all your bandwidth, e.g: if it's sending spam.

    There is a chance that it is your ISP's fault, but the most likely cause of any and all problems of this nature is viruses, malware, spyware, etc.

    What you should do is take a computer running OSX or Linux, and connect it directly to the cable modem. Get the router out of the picture. Then use Wireshark to monitor the traffic. If you lose your connection at any point, you know it's not the router's fault. You should also be able to clearly see if there is spam flying out or anything like that.

    Also, just call your ISP. If they find someone is spewing out SPAM or some such, they should be able to detect who it is and shut them off.
  • VhdbloodVhdblood
    edited October 2010
    I don't see why resetting the router would cause everything to work for 24+ hours if it was a virus on my computer?

    This happens on any computer, no matter what OS or setup, that is connected to my network. I've had Comcast monitor the cable modem and everything is fine on their end. I've also had only the modem hooked up for days on end and I get no connection issues. When I bring the router into the picture, then I get the problems.

    Edit: I've been doing home networking for years and I see this problem a lot. I've never been able to track down a cause, but I can always get to the point that I know the router is causing the problems. I came here asking this because I really don't know what else to do. I've troubleshooted everything I can think of and nothing adds up. I can only assume that most of these consumer routers are shitty.
    Post edited by Vhdblood on
  • AprecheApreche
    edited October 2010
    I can only assume that most of these consumer routers are shitty.
    The only thing is, I never have this problem in multiple places with multiple routers on multiple computers and ISPs. Yet, you have had this problem with every router you have ever had. The common factor is you, or something you are doing differently. Perhaps there is a piece of software that you use that is screwing things up?
    Post edited by Apreche on
  • VhdbloodVhdblood
    I can only assume that most of these consumer routers are shitty.
    The only thing is, I never have this problem in multiple places with multiple routers on multiple computers and ISPs. Yet, you have had this problem with every router you have ever had. The common factor is you, or something you are doing differently. Perhaps there is a piece of software that you use that is screwing things up?
    Not that I know of. Nothing that my roommate and friends would also have.

    I ran a little on-call home business for computer repair and while not everyone had this issue, there were definitely cases where people would have this same issue. I'm inclined to believe that it's a traffic issue, as I'm pushing 400 gigs a month right now, but I can't say that for sure.

    I think I'm just going to throw the ones I'm having an issue with out and buy a new one. If I have the issue spring up again, then I'll look into this deeper. Do you have any recommendations on a new router?
  • WolfinWolfin
    edited October 2010
    Your best bet is to probably give in and buy a Cisco or similar quality router. If you can, borrow one first. If it still doesn't work, then you'll definitely know it's not the router.
    Post edited by Wolfin on
  • AprecheApreche
    Do you have any recommendations on a new router?
    yeah, the WNDR-3700 that I have is the god of gods. It's just wicked expensive.
  • HMTKSteveHMTKSteve
    Is there any electrical interference where you live? I know I lived at a place where RC cars of certain frequencies would only work if I was within five feet of them. The car would work great anywhere else but once it came to my house it would no longer work correctly. Even after leaving the house the thing would remain broken.

    Is there something where you live causing the problem?

    I also have a friend with a linksys router where anyone who connects via wireless only receives a 30 minute IP lease. Once those 30 minutes are up the only way to get a new IP is by rebooting your computer. We tried reseting the thing to factory defaults and updated the firmware, nothing worked.

    Sometimes weird shit happens where you live and there is nothing you can do about it.
  • trogdor9trogdor9
    I also have a friend with a linksys router where anyone who connects via wireless only receives a 30 minute IP lease. Once those 30 minutes are up the only way to get a new IP is by rebooting your computer. We tried reseting the thing to factory defaults and updated the firmware, nothing worked.
    Not even an ipconfig /release and /renew?
  • HMTKSteveHMTKSteve
    I also have a friend with a linksys router where anyone who connects via wireless only receives a 30 minute IP lease. Once those 30 minutes are up the only way to get a new IP is by rebooting your computer. We tried reseting the thing to factory defaults and updated the firmware, nothing worked.
    Not even an ipconfig /release and /renew?
    Nope, 30 minutes exactly and you are down. Eventually she just purchased a different router.

    My bad, it was a netgear not linksys router.
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