Wireless Computer Question

[The Z]

We have a wireless router connected to our cable modem so we can enjoy wireless Internet in our home. Our ability to connect to the Internet has been intermittent for some time, however. When we check the Wireless Connection Status, the computer shows that we're connected and that we have a strong signal strength, yet we can't access the Internet.

Does anyone know what the most likely cause might be? I'm thinking it's probably the wireless router. It's a fairly basic Lyncsys that we've had for about 4-5 years... How often do these need to be replaced?

 

[Andy M.]

Have you tried to reboot your modem and router?

 

[Jeekinz]

Yeah. Unplug the router and modem, turn off your PC. Turn the modem on, wait a minute then turn on the router. Then the PC.

 

[The Z]

Yes... I have tried that. Sometimes it holds up for a while, but the problem inevitably returns fairly shortly.

 

[ChefJune]

Does anyone know what the most likely cause might be? I'm thinking it's probably the wireless router. It's a fairly basic Lyncsys that we've had for about 4-5 years... How often do these need to be replaced?

4-5 years is a looooooooong time in computer-speak. Probably time for a new one.

 

[pacanis]

I had that problem even with my hard wired router for six years.... it needed rebooted at least once a month. Now I've had that the same problem twice since I got my wireless a couple months ago, but I do experience power flickers here once in a while. Not enough the clocks need reset, but you can see the lights flicker for just a bit.
I'm thinking routers are fairly sensitive, but I could be totally offbase.

 

[wdillsmith]

I've had my cable modem and wireless router for at least 6 years and it is still working... The problem can be in a number of places, which makes it difficult to narrow down. The next time it happens, see if you can access the router (usually 192.168.1.1 for linksys, it needs to be prefaced with http:// but I can't post URLs yet since I'm a newbie) wirelessly. If you can, try hooking your computer directly to the router with a network cable. Also try plugging your computer directly into the cable modem. If you have more than one computer, or a neighbor with a laptop, have them come over and try it. This should help narrow down the suspects.

 

[Andy M.]

I had a Netgear wireless router for a year or two. It started out that I had to reboot about once every 1.5 - 2 weeks. Then my techie neighbor came over and did stuff. It worked great and I never had to reboot.

The Netgear router got fried by lightening and I bought a US Robotics router with a printer printer port and it works well. The difficulties Z describes seem to occur sporadically for me and I'm beginning to wonder if it's related to the ISP and the quality of the signal coming into the cable modem. The roboot process seems to work well for me.

 

[GB]

Rebooting is always a good first step. If you call your ISP that is generally the very first thing they will have you try. I would recommend calling them. Part of what you are paying them for is to troubleshoot this sort of stuff anyway.

 

[Callisto in NC]

I have no internet service in my house what so ever but when I open my lap top I am "connected to the router with a strong signal." It's about the computer connecting to the router, not the router connecting to the internet.

 

[Callisto in NC]

Rebooting is always a good first step. If you call your ISP that is generally the very first thing they will have you try. I would recommend calling them. Part of what you are paying them for is to troubleshoot this sort of stuff anyway.

One reason I dropped my cable internet was because they didn't troubleshoot the wireless, only the land. It was ridiculous, Windstream is the same way. They only support the router from the wall to the box. After that, call Geek Squad is about the best they give you. We don't have great customer service, that's why I switched to BlackBerrys and it's 1/3 the cost of either cable or Windstream.

 

[roadfix]

A few years back when I didn't have the internet at home I used to just log onto my neighbor's unsecured wireless signal.

 

[Callisto in NC]

^^^ I used to do that. A few years back when I didn't have the internet at home I used to just log onto my neighbor's unsecured wireless signal.

No, my neighbor doesn't have wireless. My router is still plugged in and my computer connects the to Linksys that's still plugged in to the router. My computer only recognizes that it's connecting to the Linksys, not that the Linksys connects to an actual network. I would never tap into someone else's signal, that's stealing.

 

[The Z]

A few years back when I didn't have the internet at home I used to just log onto my neighbor's unsecured wireless signal.

That's what I do when mine isn't working. At least HIS seems to be stable and reliable. I guess that's the frustrating part.

 

[roadfix]

I would never tap into someone else's signal, that's stealing.

Yes, I hear that all the time....

 

[LT72884]

When you say intermentint do you mean it works but slowly or no go at all?

Most likely a new router will need to be bought, either that, or completly clear the routing tables in the linksys.

So it syas you have good signal but you cant connect or connect but its slow?

 

[LT72884]

Yes, I hear that all the time....

i can do it from 12 miles away with this antenna i made.

 

[The Z]

When you say intermentint do you mean it works but slowly or no go at all?

Most likely a new router will need to be bought, either that, or completly clear the routing tables in the linksys.

So it syas you have good signal but you cant connect or connect but its slow?

When it works, it's fast. No problem with speed. Either I'm on or I'm off.

How do you "completely clear the routing tables in the linksys"?

 

[pacanis]

Rebooting is always a good first step. If you call your ISP that is generally the very first thing they will have you try. I would recommend calling them. Part of what you are paying them for is to troubleshoot this sort of stuff anyway.

The very first thing Verizon will tell you to do is bypass the router and go directly to the PC. I never find the problem to be with their modem, it is always with the router. And of course calling Linksys will get you nowhere because after a reboot you are working fine again.
Nobody seems to want to find the problem and fix it permanently, rather just get you up and running as quickly as possible then tell you to call back if it happens again.

 

[LT72884]

When it works, it's fast. No problem with speed. Either I'm on or I'm off.

How do you "completely clear the routing tables in the linksys"?

Usually when you do the power cycles it will remove them. For example, you turn off PC, router and then modem, then you turn on modem, router and then PC. If done in the wrong order, it messes things up because the router has to pull all the information from your ISP off of the modem. If the router is started first, it cant pull anything off from the mdem and when the modem is started second, the modem pulls the info off of the router rather than from the ISP's giant router. that will cause the routing tables in the modem and router to mix them selves up because the modem thinks the router is the ISP info when it is not so it gets the same info from the router twice and then it causes all hell to break lose.....

If you know how to log into your router, there should be a way to clear the tables if not. i will think of a way...

Out of curiosity, is there any cell phones ringing or cordless phones in the house near the wireless router OR better yet, a microwave?