[mdlug] Router is giving up on routing let alone working

[Jeff Hanson]

On Tue, Nov 3, 2009 at 12:29 PM, Robert Adkins <radkins at impelind.com> wrote:
> I have a Linksys Wi-Fi router that has served me well for about... 4 years
> or so and now, it's giving up the ghost.
>
> I had to reboot it a few times last night in order to make any networking
> function last night. For the last few weeks, I have been receiving some
> extremely high latency, which I had been attributing to the Cable Internet.
> Now, I'm thinking it was the router.
>
> So, any suggestions of good, quality hardware that's available on the shelf
> of any local computer shops?
>
> This will be my 3rd router in roughly 7 or so years. Do they just build crap
> consumer level routers or have I just been unlucky?

Could be interference from nearby routers, damage from power spikes or
ESD, or remote firmware hack.  Could also be failing RAM which is
usually MCU integrated and not easily tested or worth trying to fix.

I've used several routers that were <$30 and are still working.  Every
cheap brand you can think of.  I've also used some that were faulty on
one network but didn't have problems on another.

I think the problem is that many designs aren't tested well so latent
bugs are common.