Should I buy a new router?

Question

I just got a new laptop and I came home and after having a few hours of surfing on it my router stopped working. It would not let any laptop connect to the wireless even our older ones that have been connected for the past few years. If I unplugg it then plug it back in it will start working correctly again. I updated the firmware and reset the router but it happened again (according to my brother) and so I am wandering if there is anything else I should do. I will map out the system below.

outside coaxial->modem->linksys wrt5***->wireless

I have 1 ps3, 1 windows hp pc, 1(new) macbook pro. 2 Iphones.

Now I know its not much to go on and I know I don't know type of router and it is in my brothers room and he is asleep. If anyone can tell me how I can figure out if it is the router or not let me know. I know I want to buy a network harddrive for the house but if I need to replace the router Ill do that instead.

I don't know what else you might need but the router is a few years old. id say at least 3

Answer 1

just get a modem router combo... in the long run it will be the best way around it... you can (in a lot of cases) call your internet provider let them know that you need an upgraded modem to one with wifi and they will give you a modem router combo for free... let them know you know others who have gotten one for free and see if they do it. I would try that first before going out and spending my own money on something that i will need to upgrade again in a few years.

Answer 2

I would advise against getting a modem/router combo, that's like putting all of your eggs in one basket.



In this case it sounds like you may need to get a new router. Sadly 3 years old is old for a router these days. Getting a new Linksys could be the best option.



One test would be to keep the new laptop off the network for a day and see if the laptop is somehow interfering with the router.



One thing that may be causing the problem, although this is a wild guess, is that your router is capable of using 802.11 g/n (as opposed to 802.11 b) but not really designed for it. Perhaps the new laptop is trying to push the router into 802.11 g/n mode and it's crashing. To fix this you could limit your new laptop to 802.11 b manually.



Unfortunately I'm not sure exactly how to do that on a Mac. I would imagine it would be in the Network Preferences. One test you could perform to see if this is the problem is just plug the Mac into the router and turn off its WiFi for a day and see if the router still needs to be reset.

Answer 3

they do no longer continuously and regardless of in the event that they do they in many situations upload a 'fee' on for applying their hardware. In occasion time warner costs a $2 modem fee apartment as area of the finished fee you pay final time I checked anyhow, properly why no longer bypass out and spend ~50 greenbacks or much less on a modem? So some undemanding math $2 x 3 hundred and sixty 5 days = $24 money so in approximately 2 years time it could pay for itself, that's that in case you get carry of it for ~50 greenbacks, you may get them greater fee effective or maybe used for a fragment of that, specific its basically ~20 something greenbacks a 300 and sixty 5 days, yet i'm specific you may desire to spend that on something else.