What is the lifespan of a wireless router?

[#1]

I am having problems with my Linksys router which has all the lights on but won't connect to the Internet. Have done the rebooting and every other check. Now I am temporarily using a basic one-port D-Link non-wireless and all is well. My Linksys has been in constant use since I bought it in February 2007. I had hoped to get a bit more life out of it. Am off to PC World today to buy another Linksys because I am used to the model and it is a good price. Just a thought though - shouldn't they last a bit longer than this? I am wondering if I ought to pay a bit more and get something better.  What do others think?
*** All sorted - a reset has solved the problem for now and am working wirelessly again.

[#2]

Like most electronic kit these days - it should last 10 years or more. How long has your TV or radio lasted - ?.
Hopefully the technology will be dead by then and we will all have fibre and 100M 

[#3]

Quote from: mal0z

it should last 10 years or more.

Agreed, but consumer routers don't seam to last more that few years.

[#4]

Dont know what model your Linksys was , but I happened to be in our local Tesco yesterday and noticed they were selling off some Linksys WAG200G ADLS/2 wireless routers at £22.48!!!
Think they also had some Wirleess N models at about £45 .
So if you're keen on another Linksys and have a Tesco nearby it might be work a trip

[#5]

That is a very good price Ian. I checked the website and was not able to find it.
Got mine working now but it might have been worth getting one as a spare as I am too lazy to change brands.

[#6]

I've got two spare wireless routers which are no longer wireless! They connect via ethernet and the modem works but the wireless side packed up on both at around two years; one is Corega manufacture and the other is Buffalo.
I've also found that USB dongles don't last much longer than a couple of years.

[#7]

Course they don't
If they were durable then you wouldn't buy a new router would you?
When I win the lottery, buy some land and get my house built am going to have a  comms room with an enterprise grade router in it that will last me a few years mounted in its own rack with fans at the top 
I do wonder whether it is the variablity of temperatures that kills routers but I doubt you'd want one with a fan in the top that ran constantly would you?