Linksys WRT54GL: is this a bad router?

[oregon]

We have this router, and I set it up a few months ago, and in the first week I think it worked perfectly, but after that it began to frequently drop connection, and now it drops alot. Usually powercycling will fix it, but not always. I'm wondering if something I do may be causing these issues, because it is very highly rated on Newegg.

Does too much usage cause issues? If I download a large file will it heat it up and maybe cause it to drop? Would heat in general cause problems?

And could this unit just be faulty? Could I identify it, and have linksys replace it?

 

[movzx]

Hello there, oregon! I've been using the WRT54GL v1.1 for quite some time now and have never encountered any major issues with it. However, I immediately flashed the firmware with DD-WRT before putting it into service. I also did this with about ten other units for a wireless network install I performed about a year ago and haven't heard any complaints thus far. You may want to check out Tomato or DD-WRT if you're interested in having complete control over what the hardware has to offer, but I digress.

It sounds like you're having some interference issues on the 2.4 GHz spectrum. This can be caused by the operation of household microwaves, cordless phones, other B/G band equipment in the immediate area, etc. I would first suggest changing the channel your router is operating on and see what that does. Pick a channel (1-11) offset by 3 or 4 channels from your current setting. If that doesn't improve the situation, it could either be an antenna or transceiver issue. In that case, you may want to send the unit back for a replacement.

Another good thing to think about with DD-WRT and Tomato is that they allow you to adjust the output power (higher or lower), which may help you depending on your specific environment. However, flashing with non-Linksys firmware will automatically void your warranty.

~ Mark

 

[oregon]

Okay, I might flash with one of the alternative firmwares, but I first want to isolate the issue (I assume the firmware is not the problem), because my family is blaming me for screwing up the network by getting a new router and modem (not at all true).

I think the problem is actually between the network adapter on my computer and our network. My adapted is the Linksys WUSB54G USB adapter and it connects fine to the neighbors unprotected network. However, when I try to connect to our network, the password screen pops up, but when I enter it, it just keeps on loading and times out. I have tried many times so I know it is not a problem with me entering the password, and the network works perfectly on my iPod Touch, so I know it can connect.

I think the problem may be with the adapter, so I'm going to try and borrow one from my friend and see if that fixes it. Right now I'm stuck on the neighbors super slow network... lol.