Router frequently disconnecting

[Loki]

*sigh* 

My first router was some cheap trash that disconnected and reconnect all the time for no good reason or just crash on a random time making me walk downstairs all the time to reset it.
I then bought a Linksys BEFSR41v4  router and this one is giving me the same crap, the only thing better to it is that it resets itself.
I've tried everything to fix it that I could think of, or find on the internet but in the time I wrote this it disconnected and reconnected 2 times.

It's the worst when I'm using Bittorrent, online games or msn messneger.
I'm downloading something now with *ah, there it goes again damnit!* 400kB/s and then goes to 0....
I think the only way to fix it now will involve something with sledgehammer or gasoline and a lighter.

Anyway, does someone know a router that doesn't give me this crap? and isn't to expensive? (max of 70-80$? 

[AtomSmasher]

I think I went through 3 different routers in about a year and a half time because they all started doing that same thing eventually.  They were a netgear, a linksys, and a D-Link router.  For my next router I got a belkin and its worked great for around 2 years and hopefully will continue to work for a long time.

[jbox]

Higher load = more juice, and there is almost no symptom that a problem with power cannot cause.

The second thing to check (this made a big difference for me) is the number of parallel connections you are allowing per torrent. Unless you are trying to download a first aid video *while* someone is choking, my experience is that having dozens of those pissy 1-2kb connections isn't usually worth the half hour it saves off your total download time compared to the headache it causes your network (since most budget routers aren't designed to deal with dozens of entries in the NAT table). My router would freeze up after about half an hour of trying to keep track of a hundred torrent connections every time, but now that I've limited the number of connections in Azureus it almost never freezes. 

[Loki]

I forgot to mention that I have a 8mbit cable connection... most routers can work with it I guess.
And my pc's are all connected trough UTP cable.

It makes me wonder why no manufacturer has really taken care of this problem, just do a search on it with google and you get loads and loads of these complains all with little to no results of solving it.
Is it so hard to make a good router?

What type is that belkin? They only sell a F5D7230df4 and F5D7231df4 here... the rest is too expensive.

Higher load = more juice, and there is almost no symptom that a problem with power cannot cause.

The second thing to check (this made a big difference for me) is the number of parallel connections you are allowing per torrent. Unless you are trying to download a first aid video *while* someone is choking, my experience is that having dozens of those pissy 1-2kb connections isn't usually worth the half hour it saves off your total download time compared to the headache it causes your network (since most budget routers aren't designed to deal with dozens of entries in the NAT table). My router would freeze up after about half an hour of trying to keep track of a hundred torrent connections every time, but now that I've limited the number of connections in Azureus it almost never freezes. 

I was only downloading 1 torrent from 8 to 10 ppl, one giving me 400kB/s and the rest 30 to 1kB
But it also happens when I'm just browsing the net or even when I do nothing, but it's not that bad then.

[Samstag]

I went through the same thing.  Eventually we found out it was a problem outside the house because Comcast had hooked up 6 houses to equipment designed for 4.  Unfortunately that was after going through 2 cable modems and 3 routers.

[Loki]

Ouch... that sucks ^^;
Well, I don't have that problem here, it's really a router thing... without it I can easily download with a speed 900 - 1000kB/s non stop.

[ChadTower]

Seriously, the problem could easily NOT be the router.  The router's connection to the outside is only as reliable as the service it can get.

[patrickl]

I had a wireless router that would freak out if I had too many B and G connections going on. My PDA checks e-mail over a 802.11B connection while the TV computer uses a G connection. Somehow If these were working together the router would stop working. Someone else is using it now without any problem.

[Loki]

Seriously, the problem could easily NOT be the router.  The router's connection to the outside is only as reliable as the service it can get.

My cable connection is always running at 100%. It might have been a year ago since I had a real loss of connection. Also without a router it runs full speed without any disconnects.

Today I upgraded my router firmware and it was disconnecting like crazy, then I installed some older software (same I had before but new download) and now it doesn't seem to disconnect anymore. 

I doubt I solved the problem for good.... we'll see. 

[AtomSmasher]

What type is that belkin? They only sell a F5D7230df4 and F5D7231df4 here... the rest is too expensive.

It's a F5D7230-4 which is probably just an older model of on the ones you listed.

edit* checking newegg, the router I have is getting pretty mixed reviews.  It seems they shipped a number of bad units, so its luck of the draw if you get a good one.  Although they also say belkin is good about replacing them.  I think I just got lucky with mine. 

[ChadTower]

My cable connection is always running at 100%. It might have been a year ago since I had a real loss of connection. Also without a router it runs full speed without any disconnects.

How do you know this?

[BobA]

Make sure your router gets enough air flow to cool.   I had one that kept locking up until I raised it off the table a bit so air could flow thru its vents.  Hasn't locked up since.

[Loki]

My cable connection is always running at 100%. It might have been a year ago since I had a real loss of connection. Also without a router it runs full speed without any disconnects.

How do you know this?

Like I said, when I connect my modem directly to my pc, so without the router, it runs perfect.

But it looks like the disconnects have stopped somehow after I upgraded and then downgraded my router firmware.

I did some testing yesterday... downloaded a 1GB file in 15 or 20 minutes while running torrents... no disconnects whatsoever.

Let's hope it stays this way