Patrick Sweeney Posted August 2, 2005 Share Posted August 2, 2005 The cable guy was just here. He replaced all the connections on the cables, the splitter, re-addressed my modem, and whacked various equipment with a rubber chicken. It all worked fine. (I've been having occasional internet droppages.) He's in his truck writing up the paperwork, when the damned thing drops off again. The router is the problem. Apparently, cheap, crappy routers on sale at big-box computer stores only work when they want to. Something about building a static charge and you have to unplug them to ground them. Help me, please. My wife is so sick of internet offline messages she's ready to kill me. What is a good router that is as reliable as a brick, and won't act up? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted August 2, 2005 Share Posted August 2, 2005 Let me guess...it's a Linksys, right? Believe it or not, I had spectacular luck with a $30 D-Link back when I had cable internet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtr Posted August 2, 2005 Share Posted August 2, 2005 I use THIS one have had it for a couple years, works great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRubio Posted August 2, 2005 Share Posted August 2, 2005 My DLS provider here in the Atltanta area is Bellsouth and the router they provided for the actual internet gateway is a Westell. I had not heard of it before it was installed but, (knock on wood) it has not skipped a beat. I also added a Linksys Wireless HUB/router to allow use of the connection by multiple devices. I have been using both directly connected and wireless machines for a number of years all working without any problem. Carlos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRT Driver Posted August 2, 2005 Share Posted August 2, 2005 A Cisco 2600 series. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick Sweeney Posted August 2, 2005 Author Share Posted August 2, 2005 It's a Belkin, F5D5231-4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuildSF4 Posted August 2, 2005 Share Posted August 2, 2005 I have run with D-link no issues, and a Motorola wireless also no issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1911user Posted August 2, 2005 Share Posted August 2, 2005 Another D-link user here. I've had my DI-614+ for about 2 years now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Posted August 2, 2005 Share Posted August 2, 2005 Belkin! Figures, I have never had anything but trouble with anything with the Belkin name on it. Chuck it out in back with the beer cans and go get a Linksys, or D-Link router for under $75. Get one with 802.11B&G WiFi, stick an AirPort card in that PowerBook Pismo you have and enjoy wireless internet while you are at it. BTW, I am partial to the Linksys routers and have never had any issues with them. In fact I prefer the Linksys line of routers to any other for their robustness and ease of use (sorry EricW, but that's a fact). -- Regards, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted August 2, 2005 Share Posted August 2, 2005 Linksys is the devil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick Sweeney Posted August 2, 2005 Author Share Posted August 2, 2005 My Pismo has an Airport card in it, and as soon as I find the scrap of paper with the Enoverse password on it, I'm going to make sure I can access the Forum while down in Ecuador. (Let's hope the hotel has free wireless!) However, having dragged ethernet cable throughout the house, primarily for security, I'm not keen on buying a WiFi router, and cards for all the machines. No WiFi, Linksys is the devil. So, tell me about this D-Link hardware. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Posted August 2, 2005 Share Posted August 2, 2005 One man's devil is another mans delight ;-) I put Linksys routers in all my clients systems and have not had problem one with them other than having to return one, once because it did not work out of the box. One out of about a hundred in 4-5 years. Hmmmm! Eric, you seem to have a problem with Linksys routers that approaches the magnitude of Erik Warrens problem with Bomar manufactured rear sights. Interestingly enough, you also seem to be mostly alone in this like Mr. Warren. -- Regards, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Posted August 2, 2005 Share Posted August 2, 2005 D-Link and Netgear are the only other options to Linksys that are quality products. I like Netgear for larger routers, but the D-Link 4 port Cable/DSL router will work fine and it costs the same as a LinkSys, under $60 without WiFi. WiFi is as secure as you make it. It is also probably more secure than your actual connection to the internet is (can you say hackers?). Use a password, turn of SSID and no one is getting in. Nothing wrong with WiFi. -- Regards, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted August 2, 2005 Share Posted August 2, 2005 I just got a bad series of Linksys, because I wanted a built-in print server. Moral of the story: Do NOT buy multifunction devices. Buy a discrete router, discrete WAP, discrete print server. The multi-function devices are a crapshoot at best and can be a bear to trouble shoot. It's really easy to unplug suspect devices and see if the problem goes away. 2nd Moral: Be damned sure of the return policy. If it keeps dropping off line, return it ASAP. Don't dally around downloading drivers hoping for a miracle then throw $200 down the crapper like I did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Heiter Posted August 2, 2005 Share Posted August 2, 2005 My cable tech kept trying to tell me that my Linksys was the problem too but I finally had to show him that I could hit all my computers and the cable modem itself no problem so it couldn't be the Linksys. Wound up being a signal strength issue. "They" claim that the acceptable range of downstream signal strength for cable modems is anywhere from -15 dbmv to +15 dbmv but I was at -6 dbmv and I was still getting dropped by my Motorolla Surfboard. Even though the connectors in the outside box didn't appear to be corroded, he replaced them and things immediately improved. I went from -6 to 0 and things have been great ever since. I would check your cable modem's onboard diagnostics and see what sort of signal you are getting unless you are absolutely certain the router is the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Boudrie Posted August 2, 2005 Share Posted August 2, 2005 I had a Linksys print server crap out, but I'm using the Linksys BEFVP41 which is ismilar to your basic Linksys router, except that it allows the configuration of an encrypted tunnel on a router to router basis (192.168.3.x is my house, 192.168.1.x is recogized as being a tunnel to a network connected to another router, 192.168.2.x tunnels to another network, etc.) It's great if you want to share drives or desktops between locations and let the router take care of the security protocols for you. I't been quite relaible, however, it hangs up once every month or three and needs to be unplugged to get the dhcp address to renew. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick Sweeney Posted August 2, 2005 Author Share Posted August 2, 2005 One step the cable guy showed me was to make the various machines remember their addresses. (Or some such technospeak equal.) I type: ipconfig/all (I had to type it to send this message) in the DOS window, and a previously cranky connection comes back. Is this called a clue? If so, who is the murderer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Boudrie Posted August 2, 2005 Share Posted August 2, 2005 Nope. "ipconfig /all" simply displays addresses "ipconfig /release" releases your system dynamic address "ipconfig /renew" obtains, or renews a dynamic address lease The later two options assume you are configred for DHCP address, which is the most typical configuration in a domestic area network. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hey QuicksDraw! Posted August 2, 2005 Share Posted August 2, 2005 Two Linsys wireless-G routers runnig with no problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shred Posted August 2, 2005 Share Posted August 2, 2005 FWIW, most all of the D-link/Netgear/LinkSys/WhateverCom cheap routers are all made by a very few folks in Taiwan. The difference is in software and support. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shooter Grrl Posted August 2, 2005 Share Posted August 2, 2005 I had really good luck with a Netgear router. If I can find it, I'll send it to you (It was working when I switched to wireless) How big of a hurry are you in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Moore Posted August 2, 2005 Share Posted August 2, 2005 why is linksys the devil? can't be all that bad Cisco owns them. i agree with SRT and get a cisco 2600. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clyde Posted August 3, 2005 Share Posted August 3, 2005 A Cisco 2600 series Hummmmm Nice Cisco 831 - Here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B.J. Norris Posted August 3, 2005 Share Posted August 3, 2005 I've had pretty good luck with the D-Link DI-624 wireless router, got the the modem (SB-5100) and router in the spare bedroom, desktop is sitting in the living room on a 108 Mbps wireless card. Had some signal issues at first, but moved the CPU around a bit and everything's flying now. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16833127028 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRT Driver Posted August 3, 2005 Share Posted August 3, 2005 (I've been having occasional internet droppages.) The router is the problem. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Pat, Do you have an on-board NIC card? Sometimes mine gets flaky and it drops. A trick I use to find the point of failure is: tracert uspsa.org (or any other URL / IP address that you know is good) If it doesn't show anything (times out at the first hop) it's usually local. If it lists IP's and the times are in the hundreds or if it times out, provide your comm company the IP where things slow down or die. My cable company load balances and tries to blame things on my CPE when things break or are slow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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