How old is your wireless router?

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....and I mean the one you're currently using as your main, residential router. I'm not talking to you pfSense, IPCop, "I use enterprise Cisco hardware for my YouTube needs" people either :p

The reason I ask:
I seem to go through these things like [insert something that one goes through often]. In the past 5 years, I've had 2 Linksys routers die (one at my sisters house, one at my mom's place) and 3 Netgear routers die (two in my apt and another @ my sisters house).

I'm using the term "die" to mean: Router loses connectivity to modem, doesn't allow wireless hosts to associate, won't give out IP's, or generally acts stupid in some way. Typically fixed by rebooting the device. Happens at least once a week. Usually a few times a day.

My current DLink has been going for a year w/o any issues. I think my last netgear lasted 2 years. I'm wondering if anyone else has similar experiences w/ the (relatively) cheap residential wireless routers... (let's say sub $125). I don't think I do much heavy downloading/streaming/etc. I have an old wired Netgear router that has been going strong for nearly 10 years, but these wireless routers seem to be so finicky.
 
my WRT54G v...2? is still alive and kickin.
have had it for, ohhh... shoot. 5 years? ish. Somethin like that.
 
My WRT54G v3.1 w/ Tomato firmware has been up and running for years hardly ever being rebooted.

The trick is to drop that craptastic stock firmware ASAP.
 
i have buffalo routers. ive added new ones over the years to increase my range using wds mode or bridge mode but all 3 work fine and ive had the oldest one for 10 years.

D
 
criccio said:
My WRT54G v3.1 w/ Tomato firmware has been up and running for years hardly ever being rebooted.

The trick is to drop that craptastic stock firmware ASAP.
Click to expand...

That's a good point. I never bothered trying to get new firmware except from the manufacturer. I just figured it was hardware related as they always worked....and then Boom.

...but I really hope I'm not the only one with this type of experience.
 
I had a D-Link DIR-615 that did this. Had it about 2 years, then it started displaying all the symptoms you described. I replaced it with a pfSense box and am now just using it as a Wireless AP, but it's starting to fail at that too (and this is after replacing all the stock plastic heatsinks in it with better ones; it was seriously overheating)!
 
I've had an early revision WRT54GS running DDWRT go stupid on me and another running the stock firmware. In addition I've had at least three Belkins (never again -- these things were all trash) and a Netgear. All 802.11g.

With this in mind I used the "stop screwing around" theory and bought a WRT610N. Sadly it ran me $200+ at the time. If this thing dies in a year or two I'll show up at Cisco/Linksys headquarters in person to demand a replacement if I have to.
 
j-sta said:
my WRT54G v...2? is still alive and kickin.
have had it for, ohhh... shoot. 5 years? ish. Somethin like that.
Click to expand...

Pretty much this. WRT54G still kicking like a champ. Stock firmware.
 
DIR625 little over a year old and I had to reset the stupid thing three times yesterday. I need a new router :|
 
WRT54G v4 at my house and has been through multiple versions of DD-WRT and Tomato.
 
I got a DIR-655 2+ years ago and won't upgrade until it dies or I move and get ethernet run around the house in which case it might go to a relative to be replaced by an AP/pfsense combo.
 
One thing I noticed a long time ago, network gear (be it a broadband modem, or a router, or a switch, or an access point, or...or....) will live MUCH longer if you have them on a battery backup unit. Years ago I started doing that with all my clients...just a little APC ES350 or so for a home broadband modem and router...and the need to replace them every year or two goes away. You'll notice increased stability too, less locking up, less need to reboot them. You'll start having them last as long as you need them too, and only replace because you want something newer/faster/more powerful, not because old one died.
 
I have a positively archaic WRT51AB. Stock firmware -, annoying, pissy quirks and all.

To get it to work most reliably I can never depend on it for DHCP or DNS duties. I only use it to push packets.

I'm thinking of playing with DD-WRT. Yeah... In my free time...
 
IIRC, my TRENDnet TEW-633GR is coming up on two years old now. It's been remarkably solid for the entire time I've had it, now that it occurs to me (connection-level issues aside, I can't even remember the last time if ever that it completely locked up).
 
I had a WRT54G and a Netgear (forget the model #) crap the bed on me within months of each other, but this Buffalo WHR-125G has been going strong for about 3 years by my guess? This was with DD-WRT, swapped to Tomato last year.

I want to get an N router and make this a bridge, but I despise WRT and Tomato doesn't support much.
 
entropism said:
I want to get an N router and make this a bridge, but I despise WRT and Tomato doesn't support much.
Click to expand...

Who cares, its a bridge? You could always install OpenWRT instead; you can do pretty much anything there. I have multi SSIDs set up bridged to multiple different VLANs on mine.
 
Use WRT54GL running tweaked version of Tomato and overclocked to 250mhz, rock solid stable and fast with no additional cooling(can handle 80mbps of throughput, which in today's world of routers isn't so much but considering the age of the hardware it is impressive). I also use a cheaper Asus router running Tomato as a wireless bridge for my Xbox 360.
 
YeOldeStonecat said:
One thing I noticed a long time ago, network gear (be it a broadband modem, or a router, or a switch, or an access point, or...or....) will live MUCH longer if you have them on a battery backup unit. Years ago I started doing that with all my clients...just a little APC ES350 or so for a home broadband modem and router...and the need to replace them every year or two goes away. You'll notice increased stability too, less locking up, less need to reboot them. You'll start having them last as long as you need them too, and only replace because you want something newer/faster/more powerful, not because old one died.
Click to expand...

Noted! Next time when Fry's has a sale for a $20 to $30 APC UPS (they've done so in the past), definitely picking one up!

Oh and I've had my DLink DIR 655 for close to a year and a half now. Gonna replace it as soon as I can afford to build a mini-ITX PFSense/IPCop router and use the DLink as a WAP.
 
I've got a Buffalo WHR-G54S that's a few years old, plus a few Asus WL-520gU's that are under a year. I've swapped them around a bit to get different features and with the girlfriend and stuff. My parents also have a WRT54G v5 (the crippled version). I've even got my D-Link DI-704 wired router from 2001ish still. The only reason I quit using it was because I got a wireless router.

I've never had a router die on me. I've only recently picked up a UPS, but I've always had them on a good surge protector.
 
WRT54G with Tomato thats... 5+ years old.
WRT350N thats just over a yr old with DDWRT
and a few Dlinks for the shop/property cover.
 
WRT54Gv4?

Tomato'd when it came out, been runnin strong for.... 4? years?

Shit, how long have i owned this thing?
 
6 years?? WRT54G v2 with dd-wrt 6years
a used working wrt310n from a thrift store for $8 :D
 
WRT54G v6 that has been running dd-wrt solidly for 6 months. Only rebooted for updates/power bumps. It replaced a 2wire 2700HG-E that seemed to crap itself on a weekly basis.

When I go home tonight, I'm putting a ups on the router and modem too.
 
I have an old WRT54G v2 running Tomato. I found that boosting the transmit power caused it to get real dicey. I dialed it back to stock levels years ago and haven't had any real issues since.
 
I have one of the old linksys WRT54G something... It was working to share AOL DSL a long time ago. I've been using it ever since then. I'd say its been running for probably 6 years! :eek: I only turned it off for vacations. I flashed it with Tomato a few months ago, best decision I've made with it yet. It has a problem where it restarts randomly though. I think it is just partly because of its age. It also doesn't like being on a different wireless channel than 6. Luckly the restarts are quick and its back up and chuggin. Untill I can't get any wireless from it or it decides to stop routing I'm gonna keep running it HA!
 
I have a WRT54G v2 that I have had the stock firmware on except for the past 6 months or so. I love the Tomato firmware, but for some reason the router reboots about every 5 days.

I also have a Moto Cable modem I have had for about 3 years.
 
I'm in the same boat!!!! I've gone through so many routers in the past 5-6 years.... Many people rave about the Linksys WRT54G... must be doing something right. I had one like 5-6 years ago, but that didn't last too long. Maybe newer revision are much better.

I am currently using a D-Link and it has lasted me the longest as well (my parents have had luck with their Netgear router). I'm starting to lean on the WRT54G, Asus w/ Print server (idk about longevity), and maybe an Apple Airport Extreme.
 
WRT54G v2: My girlfriend asked about a router for her place. I bought her a used WRT54G off of Craigslist and put Tomato on it. That damn thing has been rock solid. I checked the uptime the other day and it has gone something like 8 months without a reboot.

D-Link DGL-4500: I've had it just over a year. It was pretty good until I upgraded into the 1.1x firmware range, but still it performed in an acceptable manner. Firmware 1.21NA completely obliterated it. Rendered it useless. Luckily I was still in the 1 year RMA period.

I intend on purchasing a BUFFALO WHR-HP-G54 and Tomatoing it for my place. Fsck D-Link.
 
ASUS WL520gU ... barely used, less than a year old, running Tomato 1.23.

Motorola WR850G running v24 DD-WRT as a wireless repeater - 4 years old but hasn't seen much use until a few months ago.
 
I run a WRT110 as an Access Point only. Have had it for a little over a year. I have to agree with the UPS statement. I always have had to replace my consumer grade wireless routers like once a year until I put them behind a UPS. I haven't had to restart my WRT110 a single time since I installed it. :)

And just because I can, my router is an Endian Box; but I have dual internet connections and need fail over support.
 
Used a dlink dir 655 for about 2 years and now on a cisco 871W wireless router and hope it lasts for 5 yrs

only ting i dont like about it is it doesn't have gigabit ports
 
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I was using some (relatively cheap quality) Belkin from Costco until I recently upgraded to the D-Link DIR-655 and I'm not going back. :)
 
I have this really crappy D-Link from like 2-3 years ago. Thinking about getting an N router and going wireless on everything due to my hatred of wires.
 
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