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Possible failing router?

Naiad
Grafter
Posts: 36
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Possible failing router?

Is it possible for a router (specifically a Netgear DG834G wireless one) to fail slowly, in stages, rather than all at once?
My connection speed has been gradually declining slowly over a period of several months, but in the past few weeks has slipped more and today went below 1600kbps. I am on a longish rural line and don't expect wonders, but after my phoneline was refixed to the house by BT some time back I was managing 3000kbps. We haven't altered anything indoors and I've tried just about everything I can think of, including plugging directly into the test socket (made absolutely no difference). I've been cursing BT and their rubbishy, outdated lines and leaky boxes, but...
Today I dug out the previous old  BT Voyager router I used before the Other Half wanted to use a laptop at the same time. Connected at 1856 straight away (stable rate according to BT speed-test was set at 2000 atm). This seems to me to indicate a fault with the 2 yr old Netgear.
Thoughts please? I don't want to throw good money away if there's any other explanation. Shouldn't these gadgets last longer than a couple of years?!   Roll_eyes
If I have to buy another what's the best and most reliable? It'll need to be reasonably straightforward to set up for my pc plus a laptop.
5 REPLIES 5
mal0z
Grafter
Posts: 3,486
Registered: ‎02-10-2008

Re: Possible failing router?

To answer you question directly - yes any piece of electronic equipment can degrade for any number of reasons - but modern electronic components and production methods have improved vastly over the last 20 to 30 years , and well designed equipment generally lasts much longer than before. So I would say it possible but not necessarily common.
I would include Netgear in this - I have a four year old DG834 which works just as well as it ever did - even if I've got a Thomson router as well which I use a lot for testing.
AS to buying a replacement - well most people still recommend Netgear 834's - so another would still seem to be a good idea - even the best equipment has rogue ones from time to time.
PN may even send you a Thomson TG585v7 if you sign up for a minimum period - maybe James will come along and confirm this ?.


James
Grafter
Posts: 21,036
Thanks: 5
Registered: ‎04-04-2007

Re: Possible failing router?

Hiya,
Yep - Router can degrade over a period of time.
If you would like a Thomson 585v7 from us, we'll happily send one out if you dson't mind committing to an annual contract and paying the packaging costs of £6.99.
mal0z
Grafter
Posts: 3,486
Registered: ‎02-10-2008

Re: Possible failing router?

Thinking on - it is possible that the router has overheated - and this most definitely shortens equipment life. So it may have been that you inadvertently let it overheat - by blocking ventilation, putting other things on top / too close - so that it could not dissipate heat adequately.
These routers do seem to get rather warm.
Naiad
Grafter
Posts: 36
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Possible failing router?

Quote from: mal0z
Thinking on - it is possible that the router has overheated - and this most definitely shortens equipment life. So it may have been that you inadvertently let it overheat - by blocking ventilation, putting other things on top / too close - so that it could not dissipate heat adequately.
These routers do seem to get rather warm.

Thanks for your replies. No, I don't think I've caused it to overheat if that could be the problem. It's upright on its stand on top of a cabinet with a good 18" of headroom and nothing but air all round it. They do get rather warm, I agree, but presumably t.hey are designed to be left on 24/7 - I often see people recommended to leave them on continuously, although I don't leave mine on overnight very often.
One thing I did forget to add in before was that on 11th and 12th July I suddenly got a higher synch at 2336 kbps and thought something had been fixed somewhere - but that didn't last and has been at or below 1600 since then (until I tried the Voyager).

@ James. Thanks, I'll remember the router offer if I do decide to go for a longer contract, but have been with Plusnet several years now on a monthly contract and would prefer to keep it like that rather than get tied in now after all this time.
I wish I could sort out for definite whether it IS the router at fault rather than my line. I don't know what else to try. Undecided
David_W
Rising Star
Posts: 2,305
Thanks: 33
Registered: ‎19-07-2007

Re: Possible failing router?

Not identical to your problem, but I have a DG834G and the performance was solid as a rock.  Recently though I would occasionally lose network connection with the router and Windows would fix it by resetting the network card (not ideal).  It started to happen more frequently and I'd suffer disconnects and network issues whilst playing FFXI.  I switched over to a BT HG1800 or something and the issue vanished.  So it is possible I guess for Netgears to slowly die a slow death, though I'll get another Netgear, solid performance!  I just need to wait till my training period is over again Shocked