Probably a router problem, but not sure

[wynjara]

We have cable internet, TV and phone. The internet runs through a wireless router. Lately, the internet stops working while the phone and TV are fine. If we unplug and re-plug the router, it works again. Should I just assume it's the router, or am I missing something horribly obvious? (The router wasn't that expensive and is a few years old, so it's my choice suspect so far.)

[technical.angel]

It does sound like the router. I sugest getting one from somewhere easy to return it (say Walmart), and try a new one to see if it helps. I've seen the wireless antennas go out on those routers.

[Der Cute]

Have you tried using wired from back of router to a laptop? Does it work then, steadily?

If so, wireless would be the culprit.

But...have you changed anything on the settings of the router any time recently? Have you called back to your ISP to ask "Hey - I've got Blah Router at the house. You guys still working with those - it seems to have problems"

As TA said, try a different one. Newer - wireless B/G/N would be great, I use Linksys all the time, w/o issues...but other people have liked DLink too (chevy vs ford argument here). It doesnt matter.

Get new router.
Get INTO old router.
Write down config settings (user name password login to ISP MTU size etc )
Unplug oldie
Plug in Newie
Get into Newie (read directions!)
Set as you had Oldie
Try surfing

Cutenoob

[wynjara]

Soon as I have money I'll try the new router idea. The cable company is actually the ones who told us that unplugging the router would fix it.. I haven't tried plugging straight in, but since I can't really find any pattern to when it goes out I don't know if it would prove anything. As far as I know no one's messed with the router (parents don't know how, I know I didn't, and brother hasn't been home) and the last new thing we added to the network was my mom's printer about two months ago.

Thanks. I just wanted to make sure there wasn't some other terribly obvious probable solution.

[crashhelmet]

I'm throwing this out there, because I see it a lot at work.

Is the phone you have cordless? Is it a 2.5GHz phone?

If so, it could be conflicting with the wireless router's broadcast channel, causing the computers connecting to it to get knocked off line.

Fix? Log into the router and set the channel to something specific, not "auto," and set it at like 10 or 11.

Cordless phones almost always start at channel 1 and work their way up as need be.


CH

[wynjara]

I'm pretty sure that it would have screwed up long ago if that were the problem (we've had cordless phones since long before we had cable internet and these particular phones for a few years) but I'll talk with the slightly more knowledegable brother.