Extreme Router Issues

Ok, hey guys. I've been having some insane problems with my wireless router lately...probably since sometime last week or so. I had this problem actually for a while now that I think of it...was never a BIG deal that it is now, but it was very very spread out, every once in a while, maybe every two or three months my wireless router would just stop broadcasting a signal off the wireless and wired sides (basically, the entire thing) requiring me to walk to it, pull the powercord for 30 seconds, reinsert it and back in business. But...lately, like the past week or so its been doing the same thing only EVERY 5-10 MINUTES, if not every 5-10... it also does it randomly OR whenever a DHCP client on the network is powered off. The router just STOPS working properly, it even stays as an available network complete with respectable signal strength levels depending where in the house I am on my ipod touch or the farthest pc, but connecting to it and putting the WEP key in results in a timeout anyway. I've reset the damn thing like 20 times on the little button that says RESET on the back, did a factory firmware reset twice in its HTTP environment (192.168.1.1 gateway IP), left it unplugged for over a minute at one point and after all this, it still does it. Oh, not to mention it's DHCP pool is starting ignore already assigned addresses and giving them to requesting clients...thus causing more headaches because thats NOT supposed to be happening. While I'm at it too...several times It will connect, but fail and then that client is left with even more puzzeling evidence.. the router's range is 192.168.1.X (x being 2-50) as I have setup...but one client recieved a 169.56.2.5 IP which is totally incorrect.

The router is a Cisco Linksys WRT54G and it's about 4 years old.

Is it time to just buy a new router, and take this piece of shit to a shotgun range and say byebye?

What version is it? Should be printed on the bottom of the router WRT54G vx where x = the version. Make sure you down load the right firmware for your version. If you have the latest firmware contact Linksys support and see if they have any help. If you do decide to chunk it check out the Belkin N+ at the link below. That will be my next router.

http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProdu...duct_Id=459640

I have a similar router and it used to do that too. A firmware update rather than a reset worked for me.

It seems to be stable now, but I haven't shut down any systems on the network (which have DHCP addresses assigned) yet and I am afraid too. I should get the version number and get a firmware update tomorrow and see what happens to it. This is the first major issue in the 4 years we've owned it and I can't see why it'd need an upgrade when all it does (and has for the 4 years) is just serve a solid cable internet connection out to a couple PC's.

If it is just too old, well than I understand, it is a little computer basically been plugged in and used every day of it's life..everything breaks down.

I've had the same problem with the same router. A firmware update will probably take care of it.

I have the same router as you do. It seems as if your PC is trying to access the Modem directly. The WRT45g deos not support ADSL+2, so if you have a Modem hoooked up before the wireless router, then sometimes it bugs out and thinks that the PC should just skip the wireless part. A Firmware update should fix this problem as others have said.

If your waiting for more replies to this thread, then you can always go to your local Walmart or large electronics shop and ask for a new WLAN cable... thats at least an hours worth of quality entertainment if you get the right person to help you look for a wireless cable .